USS Pratt (DE-363)

USS Pratt (DE-363) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket.

USS Pratt was named in honor of a father, Malcolm Lewis Pratt who was awarded the Navy Cross for his brave actions during World War I, and his son John Lester Pratt. Both lost their lives on Guadalcanal. She was laid down by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Orange, Texas, 11 April 1944; launched 1 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Malcolm L. Pratt; and commissioned 18 September 1944, Comdr. Robert H. Wanless in command.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations
After shakedown off Bermuda, Pratt sailed with Escort Division 85 for the Panama Canal and southwest Pacific Ocean. Arriving at Manus, Admiralty Islands, 7 January 1945, Pratt was escort commander for convoys running between New Guinea and the Philippines until 25 May. Between 25 May and 25 August she trained and escorted British and U.S. submarines in the Subic Bay area and patrolled the shipping lanes off the northwestern coast of Luzon.

China and Korea operations
Pratt next joined TG 70.4 and sailed to Okinawa where she joined the Korean occupation force. On 5 September she sailed for Jinsen and after aiding in establishing a seaplane anchorage there, she got underway with USS Currituck (AV-7) and USS Rombach (DE-364), for Shanghai, China, whence she shifted to Taku, arriving 28 September to plant seaplane moorings.

Post-war decommissioning
On 21 November she departed the Asian continent for Okinawa, thence to the United States for inactivation. Arriving at San Pedro, California, 16 December, she decommissioned 14 May 1946 and was berthed at Stockton, California, as a unit of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Transferred to the Mare Island Group in 1959, she has remained a unit of the Reserve Fleet until she was struck on 15 March 1972. She was sold for scrapping on 15 January 1973.