Site archived by http://www.patriotfiles.com

To have your military website archived contact The Patriot Files

USS Edward McDonnell (DE-1043)
USS Edward McDonnell


The keel for the USS Edward McDonnell was laid on April's Fool Day, 1963, at the Avondale Shipyard in Westwego, Louisiana. She was launched in January 1964 and commissioned in Charleston, South Carolina in February, 1965. She was then fitted-out at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and became operational as a member of the Atlantic Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Forces on 14 January 1966.

Refueling at Sea

In May 1966 the McDonnell (or "Sweaty Eddy" as the crew not to affectionately referred to her) was deployed to Northern Europe and in September transferred to Atlantic Fleet Escort Squadron VI, with it's home port in Newport, Rhode Island.

I came on board the McDonnell in June 1967, and after periodic Anti-Submarine exercises we were deployed to the Mediterranean in September. During this three-month cruise we visited the ports of Naples, Italy - Palma, Mallorca (Spain) - and the Rock of Gibraltar, returning to Newport in December.

In February 1968 the McDonnell entered the Boston Shipyard where she spent the next year and a month undergoing a "regular overhaul." Finally, in February 1969, the McDonnell was back at sea with pretty much a new crew, most who had never been at sea before! After training in the Virgin Islands and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, we put into West Palm Beach, Florida on May 13, and finally returned to Newport on June 5, 1969.

Returning home from the Mediterranean

January 1970 found the McDonnell steaming south again for a month of training in the Caribbean. We returned to Newport in February and then headed off for Northern Europe in May. This was a four month deployment with stops in Lisbon, Portugal - Rota, Spain - Copenhagen, Denmark - Hamburg, Germany - Leith, Scotland - Cowes, Isle of White - Arendal, Norway - and Southampton, England, returning to Newport in September.

I left the McDonnell and returned to good old civilian life in August 1970, just as she was getting ready for a cruise to South America.

UPDATE: Warren Dickerson wrote on April 6, 2001 that "while in Philly last week to plan a Yarnell (DLD 17) reunion I saw a ship that looked familiar. All hull markings had been painted over but when I got to the stern my suspicions were confirmed. It was the Eddie Mac. She still looks real good. All complete. A coat of paint is all that is needed. I don't know her status, but if she is in Philly, it can't be good."

December 14, 2001 I was contacted by Lana Bowers from Metro Machine Corporation who advises that the McDonnell is at their facility to be dismantled.




The McDonnell (DE-1043) and the Odax (SS-484) Odax SS484

The above photo (taken from the flight deck of the carrier Wasp) was sent to me by Vic Stock. Vic writes "we had 12 guys onboard from the carrier and other surface craft. I think the skipper wanted to play cowboy, just moments before the picture was taken we were at 400 feet. I was on the trim manifold during the dive, you should have seen the looks on the faces of our passengers!! Nothing but white eyeballs! It was a great dive."





"Destroyer Escorts, they roll, they plunge, they buck and twist, they shudder and fall through space. Their sailors should have both flight pay an submarine pay since they're in the air half the time and under water the other half."
-- Ernie Pyle








Where Are They Today?
McDonnell Reunion 2002 McDonnell Reunion 2002


David 'Ski' Wendelowski
42 Ivy Street
West Haven, CT. 06516
ctschoolsout@comcast.net
Walter J. Rice, Jr.
P. O. Box 2554
Goose Creek, SC. 29445
payphoneman@juno.com
Lee Ford, RM1, USN (Ret)
Chillicothe, OH.
popeyeford@eurekanet.com
Peter 'Zeke' LaSalla
zeke117@optonline.net
James Latz
3 Apple Tree Lane
Bedford, MA. 01730
jndlatz@earthlink.net
John 'Rodriguez' Nolan
725 Gilroy Drive
Capitola, CA. 95010
jrn@pge.com
George "Don" Edison
Montana
gedison@imt.net
Jerry Reddy
3141 Sacramento Drive
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456
leviathan1924@cox.net
Kevin Wezniak, CWO3, USN (RET)
2323 Keaton Chase Drive
Orange Park, FL 32003
kwezniak@yahoo.com
Bruce E McEwen
bruce.mcewen@gte.net
Mickey Seay
400 Alta Vista Circle
Travelers Rest, SC. 29690
MickeyS@aol.com
Ray Delisle
60 Theresa Terrace
Lee, MA. 01238
delisle_r@msn.com
ray.delisle@gses.com
Brett Kiser
Nashville, TN.
brett.kiser@jcbradford.com
Dan Kruse
Kewaunee, WI.
pattie@itol.com
James "Old Salt" Stringfellow
4280 Bennettwood Drive
Millington, TN. 38053
Phone: (901) 872-0299
oldsalt@xipline.com
Jim LaVerdi
Phoenix, AZ.
Phone: (623) 293-6133
mailto:jim@roadwrench.com
Ralph Claggett
Jachsonville, FL.
airbear@attbi.com
Tom Schoening
Phoenix, AZ.
TKKTJ@netscape.net
Joe Landry SN
72 Sutherland Road
N. Attleboro, MA. 02760
impala@gis.net
Ed Sawyer
151 Hastings Lane
Rochester, NY 14617
esawyer1@rochester.rr.com
Jeff Ostermiller
Sacramento, CA.
jeffostermiller@hotmail.com
Dave Brown
325 Main Street
Green Lane, PA. 18054
dabrown325@comcast.net
Joe Donahoe
23 Flagg Street
Woburn, MA. 01801
ryan10shag@aol.com
Harry Bixler
Long Island
Bayshorepe@aol.com
Walter Ogletree
wjmogle@bellsouth.net
Warren Dickerson
wwdjjd@helicon.net
David J. Treutel
406 North 7th. Street
Colby, WI. 54421
dtreutel@tznet.com
Dennis Richardson
mrkolivers@aol.com
Birmingham, AL.
Ron Roberts
HC1 Box 125
Thornhurst, PA.
rroberts@ptd.net
Rick Pernell
420 Emerald Avenue
El Cajon, CA. 92020-5004
rpernell@gi.com
Kelly Hoffmeyer, OSC(SW)
58 Crystal Branch Ct.
Jacksonville, FL 32225
hoff58@hotmail.com
John "JC" Collins
202 Terrace Ave
Riverside, RI 02915
john1297@cox.net
Louis J. Cimo
ljcjwl@hotmail.com
John Fry, OSCM, USN Ret.
1510 W. Nopal Ave.
Mesa, AZ. 85202
frycpa@msn.com
Patrick James McKenna, PC1, USNFR
205 Muskogee Court
St.Marys, GA. 31558-4251
Phone: (912) 882-1287
mckenna@net-magic.net
John Redel
21 Shady Hollow
Eureka, MO. 63025
Phone: (636) 938-3579
pbrjwr@earthlink.net
Carl Y. Urps
5580 Pintail Ct.
Huber Heights, OH. 45424-4149
curps@yahoo.com
Edward A. Suttles
620 Spring Blossom Court
Brandon, FL 33511
Phone: (813) 654-3088
marathoned@aol.com
Dick Donlan
70 Pocahontas St.
Walpole, MA. 02081
Phone: (508) 668-2130
rfdonlan@attbi.com
Charles "Chuck" Prieto SMSN
603 East Main Street
Archer, FL. 32618
Phone: (352) 495-1639
SapperLdr@aol.com
Ronald R. Collison
1601 Youngs Road
Leesburg, FL. 34748-9610
Phone: (352) 326-4104
collison93@aol.com
Mike Johnson
205 North Seventh Street
Mebane, North Carolina 27302
MJohnson29@triad.rr.com
Don Richardson LCDR(SW)/USN RET
Southington Ct.
Phone: (860) 621-1476
DD650JUDELn@aol.com
Kenneth E. Wray, STGCS, USN, Ret.
816 Gallop Hill Road, #B
Gaithersburg, MD 20879-3648
mailto:kwray@comcast.net
John Claggett
Virginia Beach, Virginia
JohnClaggett@msn.com
Tim "Ski" Klopschinsky
8569 Hubbard
Westland, MI. 48185
tp.shinsky@att.net
Mike Donlin
mdonlin2@tds.net
Jim Coish
1 L Street
Hampton, NH. 03843
jcbollix@surfglobal.net
Bill Skolaut
900 SW Robinson #508
Tokeka, KS. 66606
Phone: (785) 272-8960
mailto:billanddana@aol.com
Hank Toppett
7448 Arran Drive
Frankfort, IL. 60423
sonar1man@comcast.net
Jim Sonsini
jgillet@juno.com
Gary Park
705 Laura
Wichita, KS. 67211
glp511@hotmail.com
Danny R. Martin
P.O. Box 648
Albrightsville, PA. 18210
Phone: (570) 722-1547
drmartin2@epix.net
Arbie Lewis
P.O. Box 175
Charleston, Il. 61920
alewis50@yahoo.com
Timothy S. Hollingsworth
P.O. Box 171
Alma, Ga. 31510
thollingsworth@walkerjones.com
Rich Nashmy (formerly Rich Asfar)
DMC4U2000@aol.com
Scott McAuley
117 Sandy Lane
Cayce, SC 29033
jsmcauley@earthlink.net
Paul Kreuzinger
19657 Deer Lake Road
Lutz, Florida 33548
floridadeal@hotmail.com
Charles E. Ryan, Captain USN Ret.
nayrec@msn.com
John McLinn
1230 Mallard Lane
Hoffman Estates, IL. 60192
skatefirst@comcast.net
Timothy Craver "Squirrel"
mailto:smokesmomma@fri.net
Bill Simms
808 Chatham Road
Fairless Hills, PA. 19030-2508
BILLSFHPA@aol.com
Charlie McCay
2 Arthur Street
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567
Phone: (914) 528-4824
bookum50bc@aol.com
David Sweetman
P.O. Box 189
Dyer, NY. 89010
Phone: (775) 572-3359
d-dsweetman@worldnet.att.net
Vic Grabowski
17360 Radcliffe Place Drive
Wildwood, MO. 63025
vrgjr@qol.com
Robert C. Piers
3741 E. Page Avenue
Gilbert, AZ. 85234
trainman@railaction.com
Billy Moon ICC SW (RET.)
42 Elwell Lane
Brunswick, ME. 04011
Phone : (207) 729-9727
bcmjr47@msn.com
Richard Sweetman
832 Archer Avenue
The Villages, FL. 32162
Phone: (352) 259-9841
resweet@comcast.net
Hector L. Rodriguez
185 Sherwood Drive
Lexington, S.C. 29072
Phone: (803) 808-7822
hrodriguez@sc.rr.com
William Farrow
Oshkosh, WI.
williamfarrow@sbcglobal.net
Ronald Gasque
733 Witt Store Road
Russellville, AL. 35654
Phone: (256) 446-5887
rjgasq@aol.com
Glen Frandsen
3912 Leane Drive
Tallahassee, FL. 32309
glenlaura@comcast.net
Jack Tanselle
Louisville, KY.
jtansell@insightbb.com
Jim Spence
P.O.Box 1159
Stuart, VA. 24171
edspence33@earthlink.net
Nathan McCray
3409 30th. Street
Kenosha, WI. 53144
mmccray@wi.rr.com


Photographs

Following are a few photo's that I had taken during my years on the "Eddy Mac."

Gun Mount #1 Refueling at Sea


Fantail Bar-B-Q A/S and G Division


Swim Call, 200 Mile off the coast of Cuba - Mar 69 Jim Bickett, Dave Berry and George Edison - May 70


Blue Bird Club, Naples, Italy Dry Dock, Boston Ship Yards


Sonar Console One Sonar Console Two


Destroyer Escort Sailors Association Logo
MEMBER


Site built by George Edison

Site archived by http://www.patriotfiles.com

To have your military website archived contact The Patriot Files