Reuben James II DE-153

Reuben James II

(DE-153; dp. 1,740 (f.); 1. 306'; b. 37': dr. 13'6"; s. 23.6 k.; cpl. 213; a. 2 5", 3 3", 2 40mm., 8 20mm., 2 act., 8 dcp.,1 dcp. (hh.), 3 21" tt.; cl. Buckley)

The second Reuben James (DE-153) was laid down on 7 September 1942 by the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Va.; launched 6 February 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Oliver Hiram Ward; and commissioned 1 April 1943, Lt. Comdr. Frank D. Giambattista in command.

First based at Miami, Fla., Reuben James conducted antisubmarine patrols and provided training in convoy escort and antisubmarine warfare. Departing Miami 14 October 1943 she escorted the torpedoed tanker Balls Bluff to Charlestoll S.C. In March 1944, she shifted her base from Miami to Norfolk, Va. In June she escorted a convoy from New York to Norfolk.

Between 13 July and 7 November, she escorted two convoys to the Mediterranean, returning with westbound convoys. During her first eastbound voyage, nine German bombers attacked her convoy off Algeria on 1 August. Reuben James shot down one enemy bomber.

Returning to Boston 7 November 1944, she joined an antisubmarine group operating in the North Atlantic. Operating south of Newfoundland, she was present when Buckley DE51) sank German submarine U-870 on 19 April 1945.

Arriving at Houston, Tex., on 4 July, she completed conversion to a radar picket ship 25 November. Subsequently, she operated in the Atlantic and the Caribbean out of Norfolk, Va. Entering the Charleston Naval Shipyard in July 1947, she decommissioned on 11 October. In 1949 she was designated DER, but was reclassified DE in 1954. She remained in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until struck from the Navy list 30 June 1968. Her hulk was sunk as a target on 1 March 1971.