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Casualty Info
Home Town New York
Last Address New York
Casualty Date Aug 05, 1943
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Burns
Location North Atlantic Ocean
Conflict World War II/European-African-Middle Eastern Theater
Location of Interment Buried at Sea, North Atlantic Ocean
Description The American Theater was a minor area of operations during World War II. This was mainly due to both North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of conflict in Europe and Asia. Thus, any threat by the Axis Powers to invade the mainland United States or other areas was considered negligible, allowing for American resources to be deployed in overseas theaters.
This article includes attacks on continental territory, extending 200 miles (320 km) into the ocean, which is today under the sovereignty of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and several other smaller states, but excludes military action involving the Danish territory of Greenland, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Aleutian Islands. The most well known battles in North America during World War II were the Attack on Pearl Harbor (the first attack on US soil since the Battle of Ambos Nogales), the Aleutian Islands Campaign, the Battle of the St. Lawrence, and the attacks on Newfoundland.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
January / 1943
To Month/Year
December / 1943
Last Updated: Dec 24, 2023
Personal Memories
Memories She was placed in full commission 20 April and aesigned to Inshore Patrol Squadron 5th Naval District, based at Norfolk. On 8 May she departed Norfolk, forming part of the escort for a convoy en route to Key West, Fla. She was on continuous escort duty between New York, Norfolk, and Key West until 27 August 1942, when she steamed from New York as convoy escort for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, returning as escort for another convoy 12 September. She made two more convoy escort voyages to Guantanamo Bay and return to New York between 17 September and 24 October 1942. She then resumed escort duty between New York and Key West. During one period of this duty, 24 December 1942 to 13 June 1943, Plymouth completed 8 convoy escort voyages from New York to Key West and back.
On her last voyage, Plymouth departed New York 4 August 1943 as part of the escort for a convoy bound for Key West. She made underwater sound eontaet about 90 miles east of Elizabeth City, N.J., on the following evening. As she swung left to bear on the target, a violent underwater explosion occurred just abaft the bridge. The force of the explosion rolled Plymouth to starboard. She then took on a heavy list to port with her entire port side forward of amidships in flames. She sank within two minutes.
Lt. Ormsby M. Mitchel, Jr., USNR, in command of Plymouth, was thrown violently against a bulkhead and sustained serious injuries, which later required amputation of his left leg. Despite his own condition, he directed abandon ship operations, remaining at his post until the ship went down. Reseued from a raft by Calypeo, Lt. Mitehel was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism.
Rescue operations were hampered by heavy seas and sharks only 85 of the crew survived to be taken to Norfolk, 6 August. A Board of Investigation eoneluded that Plymouth had been sunk by a torpedo fired from an enemy submarine.
