USS Brister (DE:DER-327)

• Namesake: USS Brister (DE/DER-327) was named in honor of Ensign Robert E. Brister, a naval aviator who was killed in action during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. • Class: Brister was an Edsall-class destroyer escort, a class designed for anti-submarine warfare and convoy escort duties during World War II. • Commissioning: She was commissioned on 30 October 1943, serving prominently in the Atlantic theater during World War II. • Convoy Escort Duties: During WWII, USS Brister escorted numerous convoys across the Atlantic, protecting them from German U-boat attacks and ensuring vital supplies reached Allied forces in Europe. • Rescue Operations: On 5 April 1944, Brister participated in rescue operations for survivors of torpedoed ships, demonstrating the vital secondary roles destroyer escorts often played. • Kamikaze Threats: After conversion to a radar picket ship (DER-327), Brister was equipped to detect and warn of kamikaze and other air threats, particularly towards the end of WWII and during the early Cold War period. • Conversion: In 1955, Brister was converted from a destroyer escort (DE) to a radar picket ship (DER), reflecting evolving naval technology and the increasing threat of Soviet air and missile attacks. • Operation Market Time: During the Vietnam War, USS Brister participated in Operation Market Time, conducting coastal patrol and interdiction operations to stop the flow of supplies to North Vietnamese forces by sea. • Notable Engagement: In 1967, Brister played a key role in the capture of a North Vietnamese trawler attempting to deliver arms to Viet Cong forces, a significant success of Operation Market Time. • Decommissioning: USS Brister was decommissioned on 21 September 1968 and later sold for scrap, concluding a distinguished career spanning both WWII and the Vietnam War.