| The USS Slater - DE766, is a Cannon Class Destroyer Escort. Of the 565 destroyer escorts produced in World War II, USS SLATER (DE-766) is the only one remaining afloat in the United States, and the only one with original battle armament and configuration. These trim but deadly warships had the duty of looking out for enemy submarines and kamikazes as they escorted ship convoys across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Visitors have a chance to see what life was like for the sailors who manned these vessels when they come aboard this Cannon Class destroyer escort in the Port of Albany. SLATER has a light load displacement of 1240 tons and a full load displacement of 2000 tons. The 306-foot long, 36-foot wide vessel could travel as fast as 21 knots. |
| Laid Down: 9 March 1943 by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company in Tampa, Florida. |  | |
| Construction shows what seems to be an SU radar near the bottom of the forward mast; by the shakedown cruise this is replaced by a loadspeaker assembly and the near top of mast has an SL radar. Construction also shows a HF/DF assembly on the main mast (aft) which was also removed by the shakedown cruise. Later N. Atlantic convoy pictures clearly show this main mast cut off above the long antenna wires connection. This also shows the 20mm's on the fantail are original. |  |  |
| Launched: 20 February 1944, Tampa, FL. |  |  |
| Commissioned: 1 May 1944, Tampa, FL. |  |  |
| Frank Slater & Family | Construction & Launching | World War 2 Duty | Crew Pictures | History to Present |
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last modified: 8 July 2002 (mjs)
URL:http://www.ussslater.org/history/launch.html
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