Clarence “Hoyt” Worthington served aboard the USS Calvert as a Gunners Mate from May 1944 to May 1946. Born and raised in Cedartown, GA, he enlisted in the US Navy on July 13, 1943 at the age of 17. After completing boot camp at the Great Lakes Training Station and Gunnery School in San Diego, he reported to the USS Calvert and joined her in Pearl Harbor.

After the war Hoyt was a key member of the Calvert Associates reunion group, and official photographer for many years at the Calvert Associates’ reunions. The following details were provided by Glynna Morse, Secretary of the Calvert Associates:

Many of you are aware that Hoyt was one of the first members of the USS Calvert Associates from its first reunion in Rochester, MN, in 1979, at which time John Cole was elected Commander, and Hoyt was elected as Executive Office of USS Calvert Associates, a position which he held until 2013, and he served as Acting Commander in 2013 after the death of John Cole.  Hoyt and his wife, Sara, hosted the second USS Calvert reunion in Atlanta in 1981, and they took group and individual photos of reunion attendees for the next decades.  

Hoyt provided the following photographs from his time aboard the Calvert when I met him at a reunion (either the Iowa reunion in 2013 or the Dallas-Ft. Worth reunion in 2014).

1944 film footage, saved by Hoyt:

The narrated movie footage of the Calvert’s time in the Pacific during the summer and fall of 1944 is due to Hoyt’s efforts to capture the showing of the film at an earlier reunion. Hoyt can be seen polishing one of the Calvert’s 3″ or 5″ gun barrels at the 6:17 mark of the video.

External sites featuring Hoyt’s WWII experiences

• Hoyt’s video memoirs of his time in the Navy, preserved as part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, is available here. Note, when you visit this page, you will need to click on the “Complete Interview” link to view the video interview.
• Hoyt’s United States Naval Memorial is available here.

Sadly Hoyt passed away in February, 2019. His obituary is available here.

After many years of delay, I have finally compiled details on the Calvert’s history following her decommissioning in late June of 1966. The information below is also available permanently at this page.

An eight-page document containing additional detailed research notes is available for download via the link/button here:

After decommissioning on June 30, 1966 at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, the Calvert was moved the Naval Supply Center, Oakland, Traffic Management School for use as a training hulk until 1976.

The ex-USS Calvert was sold to Levin Metals Corp (LMC), Richmand, CA on February 14, 1977 (contract # MA-8617) and physically delivered to LMC on March 11, 1977.

In the summer of 1990 the Levin Metals Corp contacted John L. Cole for purposes of safely delivering the Calvert’s brass and wood name board, thus being saved from disposal.

The living history of the USS Calvert, and her crew, continues.

With the Calvert Marine Museum’s commitment to preserve and share the Calvert’s story, former crew members and their families willingness to keep the Calvert’s story alive, and this website, the Calvert will not soon be forgotten. She was a respected and capable ship, celebrated by her crew, and she continues to earn respect for those who learn of her and her crews’ story.

I was having trouble identifying the purpose and behind the flag and linen item shown below. These are in the collection of Robert Hile, son of Robert B. Hile, BM3, 1950 – 1954. Full details on BM3 Hile’s time aboard the Calvert was previously published here.

Thank you for everyone’s help in identifying these artifacts!

Provided by the family of James Chernak, RM3/2 – 1964 -1966.

Running 22 minutes, here are some highlights:

Part 1: 1965 Westpac Cruise – February 5th to April 28th Including:

• Yokosuka Japan
• Calvert at Sea
• USS Paul Revere, APA-248 and other ships at sea
• Pearl Harbor
• Rough Seas
• High Wire Personnel Transfer from USS Paul Revere
• Hawaii & Diamondhead from the sea
• At Sea: Top-side church service, Top-side chow, choppy seas
• Welcome home to San Diego!

Part 2: Westpac Cruise ’65 – ’66 – August 23rd, 1965 to February 26, 1966

• Hong Kong (?) from sea
• At sea:
  • At the 16 minute, 5 seconds to 15 seconds: Jorge de la Rossa (left), Skip Steedsman (middle), Jack Hancock (right), as the camera pans to the left and then back right.
  • Gunnery practice, flag & signal deck
• Danang harbor

Photographs:

Also from James’ daughter, Shelia, is this photograph. Possibly taken at the start or end of the ’65 or ’66 WestPac cruise: