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The History of the USS
Gosselin:
Edward Webb Gosselin, born 1 May 1917 at Hamden, Conn., was educated
at Yale University. He enlisted as an Apprentice Seaman 30 September
1940 and was commissioned 14 March 1941. Ensign Gosselin’s first
duty station was battleship ARIZONA (BB.39). He reported on board
3 May 1941 as an Engineer when she was sunk at Pearl Harbor. Ensign
Gosselin was officially declared dead as of 7 December 1941.
GOSSELIN (APD.126), launched 17
February 1944 by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Mich.,
was laid down and partially completed as destroyer escort DE.710;
sponsored by Mrs. E. N. Gosselin, mother of Ensign Gosselin, and
commissioned 31 December 1944, Lt. Comdr. Joseph B. Fyffe in command.
After shakedown in Bermuda and
Chesapeake Bay waters, GOSSELIN cleared Norfolk 16 February 1945
bound for the Pacific via the Panama Canal. Touching at Pearl
Harbor, Eniwetok, and Ulithi, she arrived 6 April in the Okinawa
area where she was employed as a screen vessel until 10 April.
GOSSELIN then began convoy duty which took her to Guam and Saipan,
returning to Okinawa 27 April.
From 27 April until the end of
May, GOSSELIN was assigned at the Okinawa screen protecting the
invasion area, shooting down one Japanese plane, taking several
others under fire and rescuing a number of survivors and casualties
from ships hit by suicide planes.
From 1 June, GOSSELIN was in an
upkeep status, mostly in Leyte Gulf, returning to Okinawa 17 July
to form part of the reduced screen still being maintained. GOSSELIN
departed Okinawa 17 August 1945 in company with sister ship REEVES
(APD.52) to rendezvous with the 3d Fleet, then cruising south
of Honshu. Joining the fleet, she was assigned to carry part of
a Naval Assault Battalion for the occupation of Yokosuka Naval
Base. Later, this assignment was changed to duty carrying press
representatives and Navy photographers during the initial entrance
into Sagami Wan and Tokyo Bay. GOSSELIN was one of the first group
of ships, including battleships MISSOURI (BB.63; Admiral Halsey),
IOWA (BB.61; Rear Admiral Badger), and H.M.S. DUKE OF YORK (Admiral
Sir Bruce Fraser, R.N.) to enter Sagami Wan 27 August. The next
day, she accompanied light cruiser SAN DIEGO (CL.53) into Tokyo
Bay to begin the official occupation.
GOSSELIN was transferred 29 August
to the task group commanded by Commodore R. W. Simpson, USN, assigned
to liberate and evacuate prisoners of war. That same day, her
boats were sent first to reach Omori Camp, from which the first
prisoners were evacuated, and brought out the first boatloads
of prisoners. On 27 September 1945, GOSSELIN was berthed in front
of the Port Director's office, Yokosuka, and used as a barracks
ship for shore-based and transient personnel. She remained there
until 15 December when she got underway for San Francisco via
Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor. GOSSELIN discharged her passengers
at San Francisco 28 December.
GOSSELIN
remained in the United States until 22 August 1946 when she cleared
San Diego with Navy and Marine replacements bound for Yokosuka
via Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok. Discharging her passengers at Yokosuka
13 December, GOSSELIN returned to San Diego 16 November 1946.
She operated out of there until 16 July 1948 when she departed
again for the Orient. Arriving Tsingtao, China, 14 August 1948
GOSSELIN made this her base of operations. She visited such ports
as Shanghai and Nanking and occasionally operated in the Yangtze
River during American efforts to stabilize the situation in China.
GOSSELIN departed Shanghai 18 February 1949 and reached San Diego
11 March. She decommissioned there 11 July 1949 and was placed
out of commission in reserve. She berthed with the San Diego Group,
Pacific Reserve Fleet, until struck from the Navy List 1 April
1964 and sold for scrapping. GOSSELIN received one battle star
for World War II service.
GOSSELIN was sold on 23 March
1965.
USS Gosselin Specs:
Physical:
United States Navy Crosley Class High Speed
Transport Ship (APD.126).
Laid down as (DE.710), a Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort at Defoe
Shipbuilding Co., Bay City Mich.
Launched 17 February 1944
Redesignated a Crosley Class High-speed Transport while under
construction.
Displacement 1,400 tons.
Length 306' (oa);
Beam 37"
Draft 12' 7" (limiting)
Speed 23.6 kts (trial)
2 Combustion Engineering DR boilers,
2 GE Turbines (turbo-electric drive),
2 shafts, Shaft horsepower 12,000.
Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
Crew:
Complement 12-15 Officers, 189-192 Enlisted.
Troop Capacity 12 Officers, 150 Enlisted.
Armament:
1 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount,
3 twin 40 mm gun mounts,
6 single 20 mm gun mounts,
2 depth charge tracks.
Troop Accoutrements:
(4) LCVP's landing craft
(6) 1/4 ton trucks
(2) 1 ton trucks
(4) Ammunition carts
(4) Pack howitzers
(6,000 cubic feet) Ammunition
(3,500 cubic feet) General cargo
(1,000 cubic feet) Gasoline
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