The Origin of CORTRON 3

ESCORT SQUADRON 3 (CORTRON 3) Has its roots in, ESCORT DIVISION 39 (CORTDIV 39)established 14 November 1943. Vessels assigned were: 

• USS SPANGLER  DE-696 (Flagship)
• USS GEORGE  DE-697
• USS CURRIER  DE-700
• USS RABY  DE-698
• USS OSMUS  DE-701

This remained the organization until it was redesignated ESCORT DIVISION ONE on 2 January 1946 which had the same organization except that RABY was designated Flagship. OSMUS was detached early in 1959. 

On 15 January 1950, ESCORT DIVISION ONE (CORTDIV 1) was redesignated  ESCORT DIVISION 31 (CORTDIV 31).  It was composed of  SPANGLER (Flagship) CURRIER and USS MARSH DE-699. In October 1950, MARSH was detached and USS WEEDEN DE-799 assigned on a temporary basis. USS DARBY DE-218 was assigned upon reporting.

In April 1951,  DARBY was no longer included with the division in the published Fleet Organization.  WEEDEN was still assigned on a temporary basis, and USS LERAY WILSON DE-414 was assigned upon reporting.

In October 1951, CORTDIV 31 was comprised of the following vessels: USS SPANGLER, USS GEORGE, USS CURRIER, USS LERAY WILSON and USS ALVIN C. COCKRELL. This remained the composition of the unit when on 1 November 1951, it was redesignated ESCORT SQUADRON 3 (CORTRON 3) Changes to the organization since then have been:

NOTE: 6 December 1953-27 May 1954.  ESCORT SQUADRON 3 submitted no Korean war diaries under it's own name. However the war diary of Task Group 95.5 (Escort Group United Nations Blockading and Escort Force) reveals that COMCORTRON 3 served as as Commander of Task Group 95.5

January 1955:  USS FORMOE (DE-509) assigned

October 1955:  USS ALVIN C. COCKRELL (DE-366) (Flagship)

April 1956:  USS SPANGLER (DE-696) (Flagship)

July 1956:  USS ALVIN C. COCKRELL (DE-366) (Flagship)

October 1956:  USS FORMOE  (DE-509) detached

January 1957:  USS EVANS (DE-1023) assigned upon reporting

April 1957:  EVANS not yet reported

                     USS BRIDGET (DE-1024) and USS BAUER (DE-1025) assigned upon reporting

October 1957:  EVANS DE-1023, BRIDGET DE-1024, and BAUER DE-1025 not yet reported

                          SPANGLER detached

By April 1958, the squadron was almost completely reconstituted. CORTRON 3 consisted of the following vessels:

.  USS EVANS DE-1023

.  USS BRIDGET DE-1024

.  USS BAUER DE-1025

.  USS HOOPER DE-1026 assigned upon reporting

.  USS LERAY WILSON DE-414 scheduled for decommissioning

.  USS ULVERT M. MOORE DE-442 scheduled for decommissioning

.  USS VAMMEN DE-644

.  USS WISEMAN DE-667

.  USS LEWIS DE-535 (Flagship)

.  USS CURRIER DE-700 

By October 1958 USS ULVERT M. MOORE (DE-442) had been decommissioned and USS HOOPER (DE-1026) had reported.

USS Evans DE-1023	USS Bridget DE-1024
USS Bauer DE-1025	USS Hooper DE-1026

In January 1959  USS CURRIER  De-700 had been designated Flagship. USS WISEMAN  DE-667 had been deleted. USS LERAY WILSON  DE-414 had been inactivated.

In June 1959 USS CHARLES BERRY  DE-1035 to be assigned upon reporting.

28 July 1959 USS DOUGLAS A. MUNRO DE-422 reported although she was homeported in Guam.

In September 1959 USS VAMMEN DE-644 transferred to RESCORTRON ONE.

In October 1959 USS McMORRIS DE-1036 to be assigned upon reporting.

IN December 1959 USS CURRIER DE-700 scheduled for decommissioning.

31 December 1959 The squadron consisted of:  USS EVANS  DE-1023, USS BRIDGET  DE-1024, USS BAUER DE-1025, USS HOOPER DE-1026, USS CHARLES BERRY DE-1035, USS LEWIS DE-535 to be transferred to DESFLOT ONE, 1 January 1960 and USS DOUGLAS A. MUNRO DE-422 to be transferred to DESFLOT ONE 1 January 1960. They also became ESCORT DIVISION 31 (CORTDIV 31).

In 1960 Two Diesel powered Destroyers joined as CORTDIV 32. USS WISEMAN DE-667 to be decommissioned  July 1962.  

In 1961 CORTRON 3 embarked in USS HOOPER DE-1026 and deployed for the first time as a unit of a HUK group. In October, four more escorts joined the squadron. The three DER's USS FINCH DER-328, USS KOINER DER-331, and USS USS LOWE DER-335 became CORTDIV 32 as part of CORTRON 3. USS WISEMAN DE-667 also joined CORTDIV 32.

In October 1962 CORTRON 3 deployed again as part of a ready HUK group.

In September 1963 USS BRONSTEIN DE-1037 joined CORTDIV 32.

June 1964 CORTRON 3 and CORTDIV 31 deployed to Westpac and operated as a ready HUK group, while CORTDIV 33 operated in the Pacific Barrier throughout the year providing early warning for Continental Air Defense.

September 1964 USS CHARLES BERRY DE-1035 transferred to CORTRON 5.

November 1964, USS BAUER DE-1025 was sent to Hong Kong as Station Ship HKong. USS BRIDGET DE-1024, USS EVANS DE-1023 and USS HOOPER DE-1026 joined COMPATFORSEVENTHFLT as the Taiwan Straits Surface Patrol Group.

January 1968 COMCORTRON 3 (LCDR Robert Emmett McCabe) embarked in USS BRONSTEIN DE-1037 shifted his Flag to USS HOOPER  DE-1026 and proceeded to Acapulco for 3 day visit.

1 February 1968, in accordance with CNO ltr of O301c/ah ser 02091P30 of 31 January 1968 and CINCPACFLT message 232219Z December 1967,  COMCORTRON 3 and ESCORT SQUADRON 3 were dissolved. COMCORTRON 3 was re-established as COMDESRON 33 with USS BAUER DE-1025, USS BRIDGET DE-1024, USS LOFBERG DD-759, USS ALBERT DAVID DE-1050, USS O'CALLAHAN DE-1051 and USS PARSONS DDG-33 (Flagship) under CRUDESFLOT 11. USS HOOPER DE-1026 and USS EVANS DE-1023 to DESRON 31 with USS BROOKE DEG-1 (Flagship), USS BRADLEY DE-1041, USS TAUSSIG DD-746 and USS JOHN A. BOLE DD-755 under CRUDESFLOT 9.

March 1968, USS BAUER DE-1025 and USS HOOPER DE-1026 conducted USN-French ASW Exercise 2b-68 with French Helicopter Carrier "Jeanne D' ARC" and French Frigate "Victor Schoelcher "

1 September 1968 COMDESRON 33 disestablished and assumed the duties of DESRON 31. USS BRIDGET DE-1024 and USS BAUER DE-1025 re-assigned to RESDESDIV 273.