| The picture shows a front and back view of this 1943 U.S.S. Marts & U.S.S. Pennewill Ship Launching Pin Back Button. This launching badge is believed to have been saved by a shipyard worker. It was found in a Staten Island, New York attic with many others dating from 1941 to 1944 when many ships were launched to do battle in World War II. They had been hidden away in that attic from the 1940s until 2008. The ships were launched from The Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock of Kearny, New Jersey. This pinback button is imprinted in black on a light yellow background. There is a paper insert in the back. It is marked on the two sides as follows: U.S.S. MARTS
AND
U.S.S. PENNEWILL
LAUNCHING
AUGUST 8, 1943 THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO.
NEWARK, N.J.
BUTTONS, BADGES, NOVELTIES AND SIGNS The pin back button measures 1-1/2'' wide. It is in good condition with some spotting and surface rusting on the back as pictured. Below here, for reference, is some information on the U.S.S. Marts and U.S.S. Pennewill: U.S.S. Marts (DE-174)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Career Laid down: 26 April 1943
Launched: 8 August 1943
Commissioned: 3 September 1943
Decommissioned: 20 March 1945
Struck: 20 July 1953
Fate: Transferred to Brazil 20 March 1945 General characteristics Class: Cannon class destroyer escort
Type: DET (diesel electric tandem motor drive, long hull)
Displacement: 1,240 tons (std) 1,620 tons (full)
Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 10'' x 11' 8'' (max)
Range: 10,800 nm at 12 knots
Speed: 21 knots
Complement: 15 officers, 201 enlisted
Armament: 3 x 3''/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21'' Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks.
Propulsion: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws. U.S.S. Marts (DE-174) was a Cannon class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. Marts was named in honor of Alvin Lee Marts who earned the Navy Cross for his heroic efforts during the Battle of Tassafaronga. The ship was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey, 26 April 1943; launched 8 August 1943; sponsored by Miss. Betty Marts; and, commissioned 3 September 1943. Lt. Carl M. Fellows in command. World War II South Atlantic operations
After shakedown off Bermuda, Marts departed New York 4 November for convoy escort duty off the Atlantic coast of South America. She reached Trinidad, British West Indies, 9 November, and during the next 5 months operated in the U.S. 4th Fleet escorting ships between Trinidad and Recife, Brazil. As escort for U.S.S. Omaha, she departed Bahia, Brazil, 23 May 1944 and patrolled the mid Atlantic, south of the Equator, in search of German U-boats, until returning to Bahia, 5 June. She made two more patrols during the next month; and, after escorting Omaha to Gibraltar 13 July, she returned to Recife the 23d. Between 24 July and 3 August Marts screened the British cable repair ship S.S. Cambria during repairs on communications cables off the Brazilian coast. Thence, she joined Escort Division 24 on hunter killer patrols in the Atlantic. Operating with Tripoli, she made four offensive ASW patrols out of Recife between 22 August and 12 November. After completing sonar repairs at Bahia, Brazil, she sailed to Trinidad, where she arrived 5 December to resume convoy escort duty. From 6 to 18 December she screened a merchant convoy to Recife; thence, she continued escort duty between Brazilian Ports and Trinidad until the end of January 1945. Marts joined Cincinnati at Bahia 1 February and escorted the cruiser on patrol in the South Atlantic until returning to Recife 10 February. Post War deactivation and decommissioning
Scheduled for transfer under lend lease to the Brazilian Government, she steamed to the Brazilian Naval Base at Natal 2 March, and there trained Brazilian sailors. Marts decommissioned 20 March 1945 and recommissioned the same day in the Brazilian Navy as Bocaina (D 22). On 30 June 1953 she was returned to the United States and simultaneously transferred outright to Brazil under terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. She continued to serve in the Brazilian Navy until struck and scrapped in 1975.
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U.S.S. Pennewill (DE-175)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Career Laid down: 26 April 1943
Launched: 8 August 1943
Commissioned: 15 September 1943
Decommissioned: 1 August 1944
Struck: 20 July 1953
Fate: Transferred to Brazil, 1 August 1944 General characteristics Class: Cannon class destroyer escort
Type: DET (diesel electric tandem motor drive, long hull)
Displacement: 1,240 tons (std) 1,620 tons (full)
Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 10'' x 11' 8'' (max)
Range: 10,800 nm at 12 knots
Speed: 21 knots
Complement: 15 officers, 201 enlisted
Armament: 3 x 3''/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21'' Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks.
Propulsion: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws. U.S.S. Pennewill (DE-175) was a Cannon class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. Pennewill was named in honor of William Ellison Pennewill who had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The ship was laid down 26 April 1943 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey; launched 8 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Lucie Reilly Pennewill; and commissioned 15 September 1943, Lt. John Edward Allen, USNR, in command. World War II Central and South Atlantic operations
After shakedown, Pennewill steamed to Trinidad, British West Indies, for convoy escort duty. On 20 November 1943, she departed Trinidad as part of the escort for convoy TJ-15, arriving Recife, Brazil, 5 December. Pennewill was engaged in operations with Task Group 42.2 from December 1943 to April 1944, escorting convoys from Trinidad to Recife, Brazil, and return. She also completed several special missions. From 25 to 27 December 1943 she escorted U.S. Army transport USAT State of Maryland from Trinidad to San Juan, Puerto Rico. From 21 to 22 January 1944, she was escort for British tanker S.S. Destiny out of Recife to rendezvous with Task Group 41.4. Pennewill arrived at Bahia, Brazil 26 April. During the following months she operated with U.S.S. Memphis (CL-13), conducting patrol and escort duty off the coast of Brazil and engaged in training operations in the Bahia-Recife area. Post War Decommissioning
On 28 July, she sailed from Recife to Natal, Brazil, where she decommissioned and was leased to the Government of Brazil 1 August 1944. She was transferred to Brazil 30 June 1953 and was struck from the Navy List 20 July 1953. Her Brazilian name was Bertioga, (BE–1). She was scrapped in 1964. |
