History
United States
NameUSS Hilbert
NamesakeErnest Lenard Hilbert
BuilderWestern Pipe and Steel Company, Los Angeles, California
Laid down23 March 1943
Launched18 July 1943
Commissioned4 February 1944
Decommissioned19 June 1946
Stricken1 August 1972
Honors and
awards		8 battle stars (World War II)
FateSold for scrapping, 15 October 1973
General characteristics
Class and typeCannon-class destroyer escort
Displacement
  • 1,240 long tons (1,260 t) standard
  • 1,620 long tons (1,646 t) full
Length
  • 306 ft (93 m) o/a
  • 300 ft (91 m) w/l
Beam36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
Draft11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Propulsion4 × GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6,000 shp (4,474 kW), 2 screws
Speed21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range10,800 nmi (20,000 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement15 officers and 201 enlisted
Armament

USS Hilbert (DE-742) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sold for scrapping in 1973.

Namesake

Ernest Lenard Hilbert was born on 14 June 1920 at Quinn, South Dakota. He enlisted in the United States Navy on 10 April 1940 at Los Angeles, California. In November 1940 he was assigned duty with Bombing Squadron 6 and took part in attacks on the Marshall Islands, Wake Island, and Marcus Island.

On 4 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway Aviation Ordnanceman Hilbert was killed during an aerial attack against Imperial Japanese Navy forces when his aircraft was shot down. he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

History

The ship was launched on 18 July 1943 by the Western Pipe and Steel Company; sponsored by Mrs. Fern Hilbert Wier, sister of Aviation Ordnanceman Hilbert; and commissioned on 4 February 1944. After shakedown out of California Hilbert departed San Francisco, California, on 13 May 1944 escorting a transport. Arriving Pearl Harbor on 20 May, she proceeded to Kwajalein and joined the U.S. 5th Fleet. From June through August Hilbert screened the fueling group of Admiral R. K. Turner's Northern Attack Force for the capture of Saipan and Tinian. The Marianas were stoutly and bitterly contested, requiring great flexibility and fortitude before our fleet conquered the rugged and well-defended islands.

Hilbert also played a key role in protecting our oilers which fueled Admiral Marc Mitscher's Fast Carrier Task Force engaged in the Battle of the Philippine Sea — one of the most decisive battles of the war.

In October Hilbert joined Admiral Halsey's U.S. 3rd Fleet and screened the logistics group for the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She also participated in supporting actions in the operations against the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Japanese home islands.

Hilbert, with other units of the 3rd Fleet, anchored for the first time in Japanese waters at Sagami Wan on 9 September 1945. Departing Tokyo on 29 September Hilbert sailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, via Los Angeles, California, and the Panama Canal Zone, and thence to Green Cove Springs, Florida, arriving on 17 December.

She decommissioned on 19 June 1946 and joined the Reserve Fleet. In February 1952 Hilbert joined the Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she remained until she was sold for scrapping, on 15 October 1973.

Awards

Hilbert received eight battle stars for World War II service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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