After their Douglas TBD Devastator's fuel tank was punctured in a strike on Guam forcing them to ditch the plane,  the USS Dennis moved in and rescued the three downed fliers.     These photos show their sighting, recovery and transfer to the USS Belleau Woods, CVL 24.   This occurred during the First Battle of the Philippines Sea in the summer of 1944.

The Dennis cruise diary from Percell Worley lists the USS Dennis accompanying the USS Belleau Woods July 22- August 1 1944.   Percell noted  the 3 man crew recovery occurred August 1st 1944.

An interesting aside, when the USS Dennis crew recovered pilots, the Carrier on which they were serving would send ice cream back to the sailors on the Dennis in appreciation.    Ice cream was something the Carriers had, but the DE's didn't!    The sailors were full of fun at times, even in these situations.   As an uninjured rescued pilot was sent across the water in the little chair, the carrier crew would briefly steer him back toward the Dennis, loosening the ropes to nearly dunk him, as if it needed to be a more harrowing ride!                                                    pw by jvh

Leroy Blackburn was on shore leave when  he noticed a ship being towed to scrap and it was the USS Dennis!   He drove all the way to Oklahoma to get his father, then drove him back to San Diego to show him the ship on which he had so proudly served.    Shortly afterwards it was dismantled and scrapped.

USS St. Lo (CVE 63) Survivors:  Read the actual deck log describing the Battle for Leyte Gulf and picking up other surviving sailors from ships that were hit in battle.