She was laid down on 5 July 1943 by the
Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.,
Newark, New Jersey; launched on 3 October 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Samuel S. Miles; and commissioned on 4 November 1943.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations Following
shakedown off
Bermuda,
Samuel S. Miles departed
New York City, on 30 December 1943, and steamed via the
Panama Canal to the
Marshall Islands, arriving on 19 February 1944. Serving as an escort ship in the Marshall Islands area, she protected fleet
oilers during fast carrier air strikes against the
Caroline Islands and the
Hollandia,
New Guinea, area in April.
Shoots down three Japanese planes, sinks one submarine Next she guarded oilers during the capture of
Saipan and
Tinian, and splashed two enemy planes on 18 June. She supported the
Leyte and
Luzon,
Philippine Islands, campaigns in late 1944 and early 1945.
Samuel S. Miles sank near the
Palau Islands on 3 October. After guarding the invasion force at
Iwo Jima in February, she was assigned to
Task Force 54 (TF 54) for the
invasion of Okinawa, where she screened the larger ships in that bombardment group as they pounded
Okinawa in the week prior to the 1 April assault landings.
Samuel S. Miles destroyed one enemy plane on 27 March.
Targeted by Okinawa kamikaze As the Japanese air arm had been decimated by this point in the war, the lack of trained and experienced pilots led to its most extensive deployment of
’'kamikaze'’ attacks during this battle. A
kamikaze near-miss on the
Samuel S. Miles killed one of her crew members on 11 April, and damaged some of her equipment. After screening
escort carriers operating north of Okinawa, she sailed to the
West Coast in July.
Post-War decommissioning After overhaul, she sailed via the Panama Canal to
Norfolk, Virginia, arriving on 21 October. Reaching
St. Johns River,
Florida, on 8 November 1945, she was decommissioned and entered the
Reserve Fleet on 28 March 1946.
Samuel S. Miles was transferred to France under the
Mutual Defense Assistance Program on 12 August 1950. and was renamed
Arabe, with the
pennant number F 717. She was formally struck from the US
Navy List on 26 September 1950. She was stricken from French service in 1958. == Awards ==