USS Lyman

USS Lyman (DE-302) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Theatre, escorting convoys and other ships. She received a total of five battle stars for her service during the war, but was decommissioned and sold for scrap within 18 months of the war's end.

History
United States
Name: USS Lyman
Laid down: 22 April 1943
Launched: 19 August 1943
Commissioned: 19 February 1944
Decommissioned: 5 December 1945
Stricken: 19 December 1945
Honors and
awards:		 5 battle stars (World War II)
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 26 December 1946
General characteristics
Type: Evarts-class destroyer escort
Displacement:
  • 1,140 long tons (1,158 t) standard
  • 1,430 long tons (1,453 t) full
Length:
  • 289 ft 5 in (88.21 m) o/a
  • 283 ft 6 in (86.41 m) w/l
Beam: 35 ft 2 in (10.72 m)
Draft: 11 ft (3.4 m) (max)
Propulsion:
Speed: 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Range: 4,150 nmi (7,690 km)
Complement: 15 officers and 183 enlisted
Armament:

Construction

She was laid down on 22 April 1943 by Mare Island Navy Yard, California; launched on 19 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Chan Lyman, wife of Ensign Lyman; and commissioned on 19 February 1944, Lt. Cmdr. James W. Wilson in command. Captain Wilson was in command until August 1945 when he was relieved by Lt. Comdr. John D. Lawson.

World War II Pacific Theater operations

Lyman cleared San Francisco Bay on 23 April 1944 for duty at Pearl Harbor as a training ship. With other destroyer escorts, she acted as target for fleet submarines and screen for escort carriers training flight squadrons. On 20 August she departed Pearl Harbor and began 13 months screening the supply ships of the U.S. 3rd Fleet and U.S. 5th Fleet. Arriving off Kossol Passage on 20 September, she screened the Western Garrison Group during the invasions of the Palau Islands. Departing Peleliu on 22 October, Lyman formed part of the escort which brought the 1st Marines to the Russell Islands.

Her first port availability period at Manus, Admiralty Islands, was marked on 10 November by the explosion of the Mount Hood (AE-11) an ammunition ship nearby. A week later at Ulithi, a Japanese midget submarine managed to torpedo an oiler, the Mississinewa (AO-59), in the same anchorage. Lyman weighed anchor on 16 December, screening auxiliaries supporting the invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. She returned to Ulithi on 14 January 1945, but again early in February was at sea protecting a replenishment group during the capture of Iwo Jima.

Damaged by a typhoon

Her logistic support group was also in the Ryukyus from 22 March to 11 June supporting the battle for strategically important Okinawa. During this later action a typhoon of 5 June caused the ship to roll 65 degrees forcing the withdrawal of Lyman for repairs.

Underway again on 3 July, the destroyer escort ended the war guarding the supply ships of the 3rd Fleet, then striking the Japanese home islands.

End-of-war activity

Lyman was the first DE to enter Tokyo Bay on 30 August with a group of tankers, she remained to witness the surrender ceremony of 2 September. Departing the next day she steamed eastward collecting passengers at each stop. She debarked 80 veterans at San Francisco on 8 October.

Post-war inactivation and decommissioning

Inactivation began almost immediately and was completed after Lyman sailed to Richmond, California, on 8 November. Decommissioned on 5 December 1945, she was sold to the Puget Sound Navigation Co., Seattle, Washington, on 26 December 1946.

Awards

Lyman received five battle stars for World War II service.

See also

References
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