Mid-Ocean Escort Force - Shortage of Destroyers

Shortage of Destroyers

Corvettes had adequate endurance for MOEF assignments, but destroyer fuel economy was poor at trade convoy speed. The escort group leaders were modern destroyers with adequate endurance; but, of the older destroyers allocated to trade convoy escort, only the Clemson subgroup of the Town class destroyers proved suitable for MOEF assignments. Wickes class destroyers were useful for the Canadian WLEF and the American Iceland shuttle; but lacked endurance to stay with a trade convoy for the full distance covered by the MOEF Escort Groups. The Admiralty converted some V and W class destroyers to long range escorts by removing the forward boiler and using the space for additional fuel tanks.

Nineteen modern American destroyers left the Atlantic to escort battleships New Mexico, Mississippi, Idaho, and North Carolina and aircraft carriers Yorktown, Wasp, and Hornet to the Pacific. Remaining American destroyers were diverted from MOEF assignments to troop convoys and in response to the U-boat's Second happy time off the American east coast. Escort Groups A-1 and A-2 were disbanded when their modern American destroyer leaders were assigned elsewhere. Escort Groups A-4 and A-5 were redesignated B-6 and B-7, respectively, when the Royal Navy assigned E and F class destroyers Fame and Firedrake as leaders. Escort Group B-5 was reassigned to Caribbean trade convoys in March 1942. Beginning in April, the following eleven groups escorted HX convoys, SC convoys, and ON convoys through the winter of 1942-43: