USS Eldridge (DE-173)

USS "Eldridge" (DE-173), a "Cannon"-class destroyer escort, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for John Eldridge, Jr., a hero of the invasion of the Solomon Islands. Its keel was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newark, New Jersey. Eldridge was launched on 25 July 1943, sponsored by Mrs. John Eldridge, Jr., widow of Lieutenant Commander Eldridge, and commissioned on 27 August 1943 with Lieutenant C. R. Hamilton, USNR, in command.

Between 4 January 1944 and 9 May 1945, "Eldridge" sailed on the vital task of escorting to the Mediterranean Sea men and materials to support Allied operations in North Africa and on into southern Europe. It made nine voyages to deliver convoys safely to Casablanca, Bizerte, and Oran.

"Eldridge" departed New York City on 28 May 1945 for service in the Pacific. En route to Saipan in July, it made contact with an underwater object and immediately attacked, but no results were observed. it arrived at Okinawa on 7 August for local escort and patrol, and with the end of hostilities a week later, continued to serve as escort on the Saipan-Ulithi-Okinawa routes until November. "Eldridge" was placed out of commission in reserve 17 June 1946. On 15 January 1951 it was transferred under the Mutual Defense Assistance program to Greece, with whom it served as HS "Leon". Eldridge was decommissioned on November 5th, 1992, and on November 11th, 1999, it was sold as scrap to the Piraeus-based firm V&J Scrapmetal Trading Ltd. [ [http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/leon51_92.asp ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟ ΠΟΛΕΜΙΚΟ ΝΑΥΤΙΚΟ - ΛΕΩΝ D-54 (1951-1992) ] ]

Conspiracy theory

The "USS Eldridge" is part of many conspiracy theories in which it is involved in time or space travel, inspiring numerous theories, stories, and several films (see Philadelphia Experiment). These conspiracy theories are widely regarded as hoaxes. weasel word

References

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/e2/eldridge.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Eldridge"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/173.htm navsource.org: USS "Eldridge"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de173.txt hazegray.org: USS "Eldridge"]