The USS Leopold (DE-319): Clyde Ballenger's Ship-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Last week I wrote about Clyde Ballenger's Purple Heart medal being found in Wilmington, some 70 years after he was issued it.  His ship, the USS Leopold, was sunk on convoy duty in the North Atlantic, March 9, 1944.  He did not survive.

The USS Leopold was an Edsall-class destroyer escort named for Ensign Robert Lawrence Leopold who lost his life on the USS Arizona that day in Pearl Harbor.  It was laid down on 24 March 1943, launched 12 June 1943 and commissioned 18 October 1943.  That gives you an idea at how fast the American war industry was operating by 1943.    From beginning to launch was just over two and a half months.

It was 306 feet long, had a crew of 209 and weaponry consisting of three 3-inch guns, anti-aircraft guns, depth charges and torpedo tubes.

The Story of a Ship.  --GreGen