USS Taylor Conversion to DDE

USS Taylor (DD 468) began her conversion to an Escort Destroyer on 12 May 1950 at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard. The decorated World War II Fletcher Class destroyer was brought from her reserve berth at San Diego to become part of the Navy’s strengthened Anti-Submarine Warfare fleet. Redesignated DDE 468, an Escort Destroyer (not a Destroyer Escort), Taylor was transformed into one of the most advanced anti-submarine surface vessels in the world. Equipped with the rapid firing anti-submarine rocket “Weapon Alpha”, a forward-throwing “hedgehog” anti submarine mortar launcher, anti-submarine torpedoes, heavy automatic air defense weapons, the latest air control equipment, the newest underwater detection equipment integrated with the Navy’s newest fire control system, and a state-of-the-art plotting room. Taylor’s flank speed was also increased to 40 knots.