About this Unit
USS Mills (DE-383) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort commissioned by the United States Navy in 1943 during World War II. She served primarily in the Atlantic, escorting convoys and performing anti-submarine patrols to protect Allied shipping from German U-boats. After the war, Mills continued in service with various duties, including training exercises and support missions. The ship was decommissioned in 1964, having earned distinction for her vital contributions to naval operations during and after the war.
Historical Facts
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Namesake Tribute: USS Mills (DE-383) was named in honor of Ensign Lloyd Jones Mills, a US Naval Reserve aviator who was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after being killed in action during the Battle of Midway in 1942.
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Class and Construction: Mills was an Edsel-class destroyer escort, built by Brown Shipbuilding Company in Houston, Texas. Her keel was laid on April 26, 1943, and she was launched on July 24, 1943.
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Service Entry: The ship was commissioned on October 12, 1943, and promptly began her shakedown cruise and subsequent Atlantic convoy escort duties.
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Convoy Escort Role: Throughout World War II, Mills completed 16 round-trip convoy escort missions across the Atlantic, protecting merchant ships from German U-boats.
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Battle with U-boats: On April 14, 1944, during convoy operations, USS Mills assisted in rescue and anti-submarine efforts after the destroyer escort USS Holder (DE-401) was torpedoed by U-371 off Algeria.
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Rescue Operations: Mills played a crucial role in rescuing survivors from torpedoed ships and was credited with saving many lives during her service.
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Weather Ship Conversion: In 1945, after the end of major hostilities in Europe, Mills was converted to a weather ship to support transatlantic flights and naval operations in the North Atlantic.
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Cold War Service: The ship was recommissioned during the early years of the Cold War and served as a radar picket ship in the Atlantic, helping to detect potential Soviet aircraft or missile attacks.
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Operation "DEW Line": Mills operated as part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line extension at sea, providing early warning radar coverage during the 1950s and 1960s.
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Decommissioning and Legacy: USS Mills was finally decommissioned in January 1968 and struck from the Navy list in 1968. Her long and varied service history exemplifies the adaptability of the Edsall-class destroyer escorts.
