War Cruises of U.S.S. Swenning DE-394
Around the world (almost) aboard the U.S.S. Swenning during World War II.
Out of stock
Description
This uncommon souvenir presents the WWII service of the U.S.S. Swenning (DE-394), an Edsall-class escort destroyer commissioned in late 1943. Named after a heroic sailor who lost his life at the Battle of Tassafaronga, the ship performed admirably during the conflict, sailing thousands of miles across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Much of this travel was related to convoy duty, through the Swenning also hunted submarines, rescued downed aviators, and blocked shipping. It was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation on November 28, 1944, for its role in a hunter-killer Task Group.
The glossy sheet was likely published in 1946 in Los Angeles by the Thompson Photo Service, a firm that produced a number of similar commemorative maps/photos for American naval ships of various classes. With a crew of only about 210, the number originally printed was likely in the low hundreds, making this example a scarce survivor. Unlisted in WorldCat or other online repositories as of December 2024.
Map Details
Publication Date: c. 1946
Author: Thompson Photo Service?
Sheet Width (in): 29.25
Sheet Height (in): 7.2
Condition: B
Condition Description: Map and adjacent photographs printed on a single glossy sheet with trimmed margins to the neatline and beyond, with minor wear and image loss as a result. Waviness along the outer edges and scattered spotting, consistent with age. About good condition overall. Blank on verso.
Out of stock