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Specifications:
Class: Evarts
Type: GMT (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, short hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1,140 tons (light), 1,430 tons (full)
Length: 283' 6" (wl), 289' 5" (oa)
Beam: 35' 0" (extreme)
Draft: 11' 0" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Model 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 19 kts
Range: 4,150 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 3 - 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 - 1.1"/75 cal. Mk2 quad AA (4x1), 9 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Complement: 15 / 183

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Harold C. Thomas (DE 21) Building and Operational Data:

30 April 1942: Keel laid as HMS Essington (BDE-21) by the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal.

18 December 1942: Launched, christened by sponsor Mrs. Gladys Goss, wife of Cap't Nelson H. Goss, CO of Mare Island Naval Ammunition Depot, retained for U.S. Navy use, redesignated DE 21

31 May 1943: Commissioned by Cap't F. W. Scanland, USN, Captain of the Mare Island Navy Yard, Cmdr. H. Reich in command, assigned to Commander, Western Sea Frontier

25 October 1945: Decommissioned at San Pedro, Cal. after 2 years and 5 months of service

28 November 1945: Struck from the NVR

25 November 1946: Sold for scrapping to the Pacific Bridge Co., San Francisco, Cal.

26 March 1947: Scrapping commenced

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Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
Harold C. Thomas 0602102	114k	18 December 1942: Distinguished guests at the launching of HMS Essington (BDE-21) are from left to right: Capt Nelson H. Goss, USN (Ret), Mrs Hugo W. Osterhaus, Radm Hugo W. Osterhaus, USN (Ret.), Speaker, Mrs. Nelson H. Goss, Sponsor, Radm W. L. Friedell, USN (Shipyard Commandant), Mrs. W. L. Friedell (Matron of Honor), Mr. Luther E. Gibson, and Mrs. Luther E. Gibson. (U.S. Navy photo #DE-21-7944-42)		Darryl Baker PNCM, USNR (ret.) Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
Harold C. Thomas 0602103	112k	18 December 1942: Mrs. Nelson H. Goss, Sponsor is pictured in front of the bow of the HMS Essington (BDE-21) at Mare Island. (U.S. Navy photo #DE-21-7939-42)
Harold C. Thomas 0602104	83k	18 December 1942: Radm. Hugo W. Osterhaus, USN (Ret.) was the guest speaker at the launching of the HMS Essington (BDE-21) at Mare Island. Radm W. L. Friedell, USN (Shipyard Commandant) is to the left of Radm Osterhaus. (U.S. Navy photo #DE-21-7940-42)
Harold C. Thomas 0602105	1188k	18 December 1942: Mrs. Nelson H. Goss the Ship's Sponsor is pictured christening the HMS Essington (BDE-21) at Mare Island. From left to right: Radm W. L. Friedell, USN (Shipyard Commandant), Mrs Goss, unidentified Navy officer, and Mrs. W. L. Friedell (Matron of Honor). (U.S. Navy photo #DE-21-7941-42)
Harold C. Thomas 1.) 345k Harold C. Thomas 2.) 277k Harold C. Thomas 3.) 403k undated: Three late-war views of USS Harold C. Thomas (DE 21) taken at the Pearl Harbor Naval Station.				David Wright Destroyer Archives Manager, Navsource
Harold C. Thomas 0602106	421k	port bow, undated (Photo replaced with better copy from David Wright, DD Archive Manager, 27 July 2020)		Donald T. Livsey via his son Bryan
Harold C. Thomas 0602107	131k	the gunnery division
Harold C. Thomas 0602111	310k	Photos of two unidentified divisions aboard Harold C. Thomas.		David Wright Destroyer Archives Manager, Navsource
Harold C. Thomas 0602112	290k

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Harold C. Thomas History

View the USS Harold C. Thomas (DE 21) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.

View the official War History of USS Harold C. Thomas as submitted by the ship at war's end.

View a short article on the design and development of the Evarts Class DE submitted by Bob Sables.

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Harold C. Thomas' Commanding Officers Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

Dates of Command	Commanding Officers
1.) 31 May 1943 - 07 Sep. 1943	Cmdr. Herman Reich, USNR (Comm. CO) (San Bernardino, Cal.) (ret. as Radm.)
2.) 16 Sep. 1943 - 23 Jan. 1944	Lcdr. Volney Hamilton Craig Jr., USNR
3.) 23 Jan. 1944 - 05 Jan. 1945	Lcdr. Edward Joseph Haddon, USNR (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
4.) 05 Jan. 1945 - 06 Oct. 1945	Lcdr. Godfrey Cheshire Jr., USNR (Decomm. CO) (Raleigh, N.C.)

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Crew Contact And Reunion Information

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None

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Note About Contacts

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has
been made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list
only a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

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Additional Resources

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Tin Can Sailors
The U.S. Navy Memorial
The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
The Destroyer History Foundation

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