Navy | The US Navy |
Type | Submarine rescue vessel |
Class | Chanticleer |
Pennant | ASR 8 |
Built by | Moore Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co. (Oakland, California, U.S.A.) |
Ordered | 30 Dec 1940 |
Laid down | 30 Sep 1941 |
Launched | 28 May 1942 |
Commissioned | 22 Jan 1943 |
End service | |
History | Stricken on 15 September 1977 |
Commands listed for USS Coucal (ASR 8)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
Commander | From | To | |
1 | Lt.Cdr. David H Byerly, USNR | 22 Jan 1943 | 5 Dec 1944 (1) |
2 | T/Lt. William Peter Baron, USN | 5 Dec 1944 |
You can help improve our commands section
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this vessel.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve this ships page.
Notable events involving Coucal include:
17 Sep 1944
Around 0825H/17, HMAS Adelaide (A/Capt. L.E. Tozer, RAN), departed Fremantle to make rendezvous with the damaged submarine USS Crevalle (T/Cdr. F.D. Walker, Jr., USN) coming from Darwin.
Rendezvous was affected around 1815H/19, and HMAS Adelaide took over the escort duties from USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR).
HMAS Adelaide and USS Crevalle arrived at Fremantle around 1330H/22. (2)
6 Nov 1944
During 6 and 7 November 1944, HMS Sea Rover (Lt. J.P. Angell, RN), conducted exercises off Fremantle. First gunnery exercises were carried out on a target that was being towed by HMAS Alfie Cam. These were followed by attack exercises during which USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR) served as target.
In the evening radar tracking exercises were carried out during which HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) served as target. On completion of these exercises HMS Sea Rover returned to Fremantle where she arrived early the next day. (3)
15 Nov 1944
USS Flasher (T/Cdr. G.W. Grider, USN), USS Becuna (T/Cdr. H.D. Sturr, USN) and USS Hawkbill (T/Cdr. W. Scanland, Jr., USN, with T/R.Adm. E.H. Bryant, USN on board) conducted A/S and convoy attack exercises with HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)), HMAS Mildura (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Little, RANR(S)), HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) and USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR).
The exercises were completed around 2300H/15. The submarines then parted company to proceed on patrol. They were to patrol in the South China Sea as a coordinated attack group under the command of T/R.Adm. Bryant in USS Hawkbill. This was the fifth war patrol of USS Flasher and the second war patrols of both USS Becuna and USS Hawkbill. (4)
22 Nov 1944
During 22 and 23 November 1944, HMS Sirdar (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN), conducted exercises off Fremantle. These included night exercises. These included practice attacks on USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR). During the night convoy attack exercises were carried out with USS Coucal, HMAS Bunbury (Lt. J.F. Bleckman, RANR(S)), HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)) and HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) pretending to be a convoy. (5)
1 Dec 1944
During 1 and 2 December 1944, HMS Storm (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.P. Young, DSO, DSC, RNVR), conducted exercises off Fremantle with USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR). These included night exercises.
12 Jul 1945
Around 1400I/12, USS Hawkbill (T/Cdr. W. Scanland, Jr., USN) departed from Subic Bay for her fifth war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the east coast of Malaya.
On departure gunnery exercises were carried out on a target that was being towed by USS Coucal (T/Lt. W.P. Baron, USN).
She was escorted out until 2300I/12, name of the escort is not given in the patrol report. (6)
6 Aug 1945
At 0530I/5, USS Hawkbill (T/Cdr. W. Scanland, Jr., USN) made rendezvous with USS Coucal (T/Lt. W.P. Baron, USN) which then escorted her to Brunei Bay.
At 0930I/5, they arrived at Brunei Bay. CTF-71, T/Rear Admiral J. Fife, Jr., USN and A/Capt. W.R. Fell, RN then paid Hawkbill a visit.
At Brunei Bay Hawkbill was fuelled and two housings for rubber canoes were installed. Also five Australian officers boarded the ships for the upcoming special operation.
At 1850I/6, USS Hawkbill got underway for her special operation. (6)
13 Aug 1945
At 0527I/13, USS Hawkbill (T/Cdr. W. Scanland, Jr., USN) exchanged recognition signals with USS Coucal (T/Lt. W.P. Baron, USN) which then joined to escort the submarine to Brunei Bay where both arrived shortly after 0900I/13. (6)
Sources
- http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c14/coucal.htm
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Adelaide for September 1944
- ADM 173/18679
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Warrnambool for November 1944 + USS Flasher report of fifth war patrol + USS Becuna report of second war patrol + USS Hawkbill report of second war patrol
- ADM 173/18790
- USS Hawkbill report of fifth war patrol
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.