U S NAVY 4th FLEET AT RECIFE - SHIP INDEX DE
4)DE 101 ALGER
Photo. www.navsource.org
CLASS: CANNON
TYPE: DET (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, long hull, 3" guns)
Launched 8 July 1943
Commissioned 12 November 1943, Decommissioned 10 March 1945.
Stricken 20 July 1953
Fate: To Brazil 10 March 1945, renamed NAe Babitonga (D-16)
Stricken and scrapped in 1964
Displacement: 1,240 tons (std) 1,620 tons (full)
Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 10" x 11' 8" (max
Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1),1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks.
Machinery: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws.
Speed: 21 knots.
Range: 10,800 nm @ 12 knots.
Crew: 15 / 201.
On 30 November 1943, the destroyer escort sailed for Bermuda and shakedown. She returned to Philadelphia for post-shakedown availability, then headed for the Caribbean on 15 January 1944, and arrived at Trinidad on 21 January. There, she was assigned to Task Group (TG) 42.5 and departed on the 31st in the screen of a convoy bound for Recife, Brazil. While en route Alger collided with a merchantman and sustained slight damage to her bow. However, she continued on to Brazil and reached Recife on 14 February.
Upon her arrival there, the ship was assigned to TG 41.5 for patrol duty along the Brazilian coast which she carried out until 1 June. On that day, Alger departed Recife to escort a convoy to Trinidad. She reacted that island on 8 June and then sailed back to Recife with another convoy. On 17 July, Alger joined the screen of Solomons (CVE-67) and sailed for antisubmarine warfare exercises off the coast of Brazil.
She then resumed patrol duty and continued that work through most of November. Alger rendezvoused at sea on the last day of the month with TG 42.3 and escorted a convoy to Rio de Janeiro. On 28 December, the ship departed Recife to escort another convoy to Trinidad but returned to Recife on 30 January 1945. The next day, Alger was relieved of operational duties in preparation for her transfer to the government of Brazil on loan.
After various inspections and exercises at sea, Alger departed Recife on 23 February and moored the same day at Natal, Brazil. On 10 March 1945, Alger was decommissioned and loaned to the Brazilian Navy. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 20 July 1953, and title to the ship was transferred outright to the government of Brazil and was named Babitonga.
USS Alger seen during wartime Photo. www.navsource.org. By John Klar.
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