Crosely APD-7

Crosley

Walter Selywn Crosley, born 30 October 1871 in East Jeffrey, N.H., graduated from the Naval Academy 2 June 1893. During the Spanish-American War he distinguished himself by taking Levden into the Bay of Nipe through a narrow channel which was supposedly mined. Under musket fire from shore, he discovered the Spanish gunboat Don Juan and engaged in a heated action until the remainder of the squadron came up and sank the enemy ship. He served as assistant naval attache in Russia and received the Navy Cross for conducting a party of Americans out of Russia under difficult and trying conditions in April 1917. He served as Navy hydrographer, commanded organizations in the operating forces and naval districts, and was a member of the Navy General Board. Rear Admiral Crosley retired 1 November 1935, and died 6 January 1939 at Baltimore, Md.

Crosley (DE-108) was transferred to France under lend lease 11 February 1944 and renamed Tunisien. She was transferred permanently to France under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program 21 April 1952.

(APD - 7: dp. 1,400; 1. 306'; b. 36'10"; dr. 13'6"; s. 24 k.;
cpl. 186; a. 1 5"; cl. Crosley)

Crosley (DE-226) was launched 12 February 1944 by Philadelphia Navy Yard; reclassified APD-87, 17 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. W. S. Crosley, widow of Rear Admiral Crosley; and commissioned 22 October 1944 Lieutenant Commander A. W. P. Trench, USNR, in command.

Departing Norfolk 21 December 1944, Crosley reached Pearl Harbor 16 January 1945 for training with underwater demolition teams in the Hawaiian Islands. On 14 February she sailed for San Pedro Bay, P.I., arriving 4 March to join the final rehearsals for the Okinawa operation. She sortied from San Pedro Bay on 21 March and 6 days later was operating off the invasion beaches of Okinawa as mother ship for UDT 17. After the assault landings of 1 April, she patrolled and had screening duty and aided two victims of the kamikaze, Dickerson (APD-79) on 2 April and Whitehurst (DE-634) on 12 April. From 20 April to 7 June Crosley escorted convoys between Okinawa and Ulithi, then between Okinawa and Leyte, making two voyages before the war ended.

Crosley got underway from Leyte 28 August 1945 carrying troops of the 40th Infantry Division whom she landed at Jinsen for the occupation of southern Korea. She returned to Jinsen from Okinawa 21 September to act as pilot ship in the harbor, then reembarked the Army troops for transfer to Pusan. On 3 October while on patrol off that port she investigated a damaged two masted sailing vessel and rescued 45 Japanese survivors attempting to avoid internment in Korea. Crosley remained on occupation duty in the Far East, assisting in the redeployment of troops in China until 29 March 1946 when she departed Shanghai for the west coast and after overhaul at Philadelphia she arrived at Green Cove Springs, Fla. where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 15 November 1946.

Crosley was awarded one battle star for World War II service.