~ DETAILS ABOUT THE C-203L SPACE ~
This is the berthing area for the men of the 2nd Division. Their duty stations as engineers, gunner’s mates, and seamen (deck crew), were located in the aft sections of the ship. Bunks held 55 men who kept their belongings in transom lockers, below the bunks and also in a few additional standing lockers.
These lockers are now converted to display items donated by DE sailors and their families.
Lockers are arranged alphabetically by ship name starting on the starboard side, and continue in sequence to the portside. Uniforms and larger items are arranged on bunks and between the locker spaces.
Notes:
APD "high speed transport" hulls originally laid down as
DEs, are also included with
the numerical listing. The FF or Fast Frigate designation, initiated as of 30 June 1975, includes all DEs with the 1000+ hull range.
These remained the same ships but with a new designation, as FF. The article on display represents the time period - before or after, 30 June 1975.
Several APDs received the designation of
LPR after they were modified to the "small amphibious transport" configuration.
WDE is the USCG designation for DEs used for Weather Picket Duty during the Korean War (1950-53).
Since some USCG ships already had the DE hull numbers, new WDE hull NUMBERS identify the ships, also listed as DEs and eventually converted to DERs during the late 1950s.
There are omissions with ship listings because the item on display represents just one of a particular hull designation.
If a ship is not listed, it is possible there are photos or other documentation in the library files.
We may also have an item on exhibit in another area of the ship such as with USS SWENNING DE-349 (Officer’s Wardroom) and USS GENTRY DE-349 (ship’s bell).
This listing only represents the items displayed within the C-203L compartment.
LIBRARY refers to ships with items in the research files of the Archival Library. These consist of photos, personal recollections, documents, newsletters, or reunion information.
These ships do not have items displayed in the C-203L Museum compartment.
The museum curator may be reached at kkuhl@ussslater.org
