USS Falgout (DE-324)

• Namesake: USS Falgout (DE-324) was named in honor of Seaman Second Class Adrian Joseph Falgout, who was killed in action during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. • Edsall-class Destroyer Escort: Falgout was an Edsall-class destroyer escort, a class designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare and convoy escort duties during World War II. • Launch and Commission: The ship was launched on June 24, 1943, at Consolidated Steel Corporation in Orange, Texas, and commissioned on October 15, 1943. • Convoy Escort Duty: During World War II, Falgout made multiple trans-Atlantic convoy escort voyages, protecting Allied merchant ships from German U-boats between the United States, North Africa, and Europe. • U-boat Encounters: Falgout was involved in several anti-submarine actions and is credited with assisting in the defense of convoys that came under U-boat attack, though she herself is not credited with a confirmed submarine kill. • Post-War Service: After World War II, Falgout was decommissioned in 1946 but later reactivated for service during the Korean War due to increasing Cold War tensions. • Radar Picket Ship: In the 1950s, Falgout was converted into a radar picket ship (DER-324) as part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, serving as a seaborne extension of the United States’ air defense network against Soviet bombers. • Vietnam War Service: Falgout served in the Vietnam War, conducting patrols and supporting U.S. naval operations in Southeast Asia, including "Operation Market Time" coastal surveillance. • Long Service Life: The ship had an unusually long career, serving in various roles from 1943 until her final decommissioning in 1969—a span of over 25 years. • Final Fate: After decommissioning, USS Falgout was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1974 and eventually sold for scrap, ending her distinguished service to the U.S. Navy.