Mid-Ocean Escort Force - American Escorts

American Escorts

In Newfoundland on 9 August 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to provide American destroyers for the Canada to Iceland portion of HX convoys and westbound ON convoys. HX 150 sailed 16 September 1941 as the first convoy with American escort. ON 18 sailed 24 September as the first westbound convoy with American escort. The Royal Canadian Navy continued to escort the SC convoys and their slower ON counterparts. Canadian escort groups were increased from a nominal strength of four ships to six -- typically one Canadian River class destroyer with five Flower class corvettes.

The Gleaves class destroyer Kearny was torpedoed while escorting Convoy SC 48 on 17 October 1941. Clemson class destroyer Reuben James was torpedoed and sunk on 31 October 1941 while escorting Convoy HX 156. When the United States declared war, American escort groups typically contained five destroyers, although six USCG Treasury class cutters were included within the pool of ships rotating in and out of these escort groups.