USS Slater - Albany, NY - Only DE Still Afloat

The USS Slater is a World War II US Navy ship that is currently docked in Albany, NY. During the summertime, the ship is docked near the Dunn Memorial Bridge. The USS Slater DE 766 is destroyer escort ship commissioned in May of 1944. The Slater is one of 86 Cannon Class destroyer escorts that were built. The destroyer escort ships served as escort ships during WWII. Their capabilities were anti-submarine and they were sometimes referred to as DET - for their diesel electric drive propulsion engines.

The USS Slater was named after Frank O. Slater, a sailor who was killed at his station on the USS San Francisco during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. After his death on November 12, 1942, Slater was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, which is the highest medal awarded by the US Navy. Fourteen members of Frank Slater's family attended the commissioning of the destroyer escort ship that was named in his honor.

The ship served as a training ship and escort ship in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. The first task of the Slater, after her initial shakedown cruise, was to transport a torpedo taken from the German U-505 submarine to Maryland. Its next mission was serving as a target ship in Florida. Target ships allowed Navy pilots to practice attacks. Then the Slater made several trips as convoy escort from New York to England. In August of 1945, the Slater made several trips as escort through the Manila and Philippine Islands. In November, the Slater crossed the Equator. In 1947, the Slater was decommissioned.

In 1951, the Slater was transferred to the Greek Navy and was renamed the Aetos. Under the Greek Flag the Aetos served as a training ship and a patrol ship in the Aegean seas. The Aetos was decommissioned in 1991, and the Greek Navy donated the ship to the Destroyer Escort Sailors Association and was towed to New York in 1993.

Originally, the Slater had a 1,200 ton displacement and was crewed by 186 sailors. Its top speed was 21 knots and it wielded three torpedo tubes and ten single 20mm guns. Before its service in the Pacific theatre, the torpedo tubes were removed and replaced with twin 20mm guns. Among the current armaments are three 50cal guns, three twin 40mm guns, and nine twin 20mm guns. The Slater is the only destroyer escort ship still afloat.

Tours are available during the summertime, Wednesdays through Sundays from 10am to 4pm. The ship is considered a museum in progress and is undergoing restoration efforts. Work crews and reconstruction efforts can be seen during the tour. Admission for those over 14 years of age is $7. Children ages 7-14 are $5. Senior citizens' admission is $6. Group rates are available. Tours are about an hour long. To book a tour, interested parties should call 518-431-1943.

Class field trips are welcome with prior reservation. Such trips should be scheduled at least one week in advance.

The goal of the restoration effort is to return the Slater to its original WWII specifications. As such, the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum requests the equipment and expertise from people with those items and skills. For people wishing to hold a reunion, the Museum requests that reservations be made. Reunion admission is $6. The Museum provides a color guard, sound system, and a tolling of the ship's bell. Currently, there are 7 reunions scheduled for the 2010 year.