USS Edward C. Daly (DE-17)

USS Edward C. Daly (DE-17) was an Evarts-class "short-hull" destroyer escort in the service of the United States Navy, named after coxswain Edward C. Daly, killed on 7 December 1941 while serving on USS Downes (DD-375).

Edward C. Daly was launched on 21 October 1942 by Mare Island Navy Yard, Solano County, California as HMS Byard (BDE-17); sponsored for British Lend-Lease by the wife of Lieutenant John H. McQuilkin, but retained by the USN and assigned the name Edward C. Daly on 19 February 1943; and commissioned on 3 April 1943, Commander G. A. Parkinson in command.

World War II
Edward C. Daly sailed from San Diego, California on 22 May 1943 and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 28 May. As the first escort vessel to visit this base, she aroused much interest and was visited by Admirals Chester W. Nimitz and Raymond A. Spruance. She escorted convoys between Pearl Harbor and the west coast. In August, she went to Funafuti to occupy other parts of the Ellice Islands and succeeded against slight opposition.

While fueling at Samoa early in October, she rescued the crew of a downed patrol bomber in heavy seas, destroyed the plane, and buried the pilot at sea.

Edward C. Daly returned to San Francisco for repairs and got underway for Alaskan waters on 27 November. Here she was assigned to the demanding, essential duty as guard and weather ship for planes flying the great circle route from Attu to Paramushiro.

She returned to San Francisco on 19 January 1945 for overhaul, then headed for Saipan, escorting HMS Ranee (D03) as far as Guam. She was active in air-sea rescue between Iwo Jima and Saipan, continuing this patrol after the war for planes supporting the occupation of Japan.

On 19 October 1945, Edward C. Daly returned to the United States, was decommissioned at San Pedro, California on 20 December 1945, and sold on 8 January 1947.