HMS Louis (K515)

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History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
Nameunnamed (DE-517)
Builder Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts
Laid down9 July 1943
Launched13 August 1943
Completed9 November 1943
Commissionednever
FateTransferred to United Kingdom, 9 November 1943
AcquiredReturned by United Kingdom, 20 March 1946
FateSold 17 June 1946
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
NameHMS Louis (K515)
Namesake Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Louis
Acquired9 November 1943
Commissioned9 November 1943
Identification Pennant number: K515
FateReturned to United States, 20 March 1946
General characteristics
Class & type Captain-class frigate
Displacement1,190 long tons (1,210  t) (standard)
Length289 ft 5 in (88.2 m)
Beam35 ft 2 in (10.7 m)
Draught10 ft 1 in (3.1 m)
Installed power6,000  shp (4,500  kW) electric motors
Propulsion2 shafts; 4 diesel engines
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range6,000  nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement198
Sensors &
processing systems
Armament

The second HMS Louis (K515) was a British Captain-class frigate of the Royal Navy in commission during World War II. Originally constructed as the United States Navy Evarts-class destroyer escort DE-517, she served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1946.

Contents

Description

The Evarts-class ships had an overall length of 289 feet 5 inches (88.2 m), a beam of 35 feet 2 inches (10.7 m), and a draught of 10 feet 1 inch (3.1 m) at full load. They displaced 1,190 long tons (1,210  t ) at (standard) and 1,416 long tons (1,439 t) at full load. [1] The ships had a diesel–electric powertrain derived from a submarine propulsion system [2] with four General Motors 16-cylinder diesel engines providing power to four General Electric electric generators which sent electricity to four 1,500- shaft-horsepower (1,100  kW ) General Electric electric motors which drove the two propeller shafts. The destroyer escorts had enough power give them a speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and enough fuel oil to give them a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000  km ; 6,900  mi ) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). Their crew consisted of 198 officers and ratings. [3]

The armament of the Evarts-class ships in British service consisted of three single mounts for 50-caliber 3-inch (76 mm)/50 Mk 22 dual-purpose guns; one superfiring pair forward of the bridge and the third gun aft of the superstructure. Anti-aircraft defence was intended to consisted of a twin-gun mount for 40-millimetre (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) guns atop the rear superstructure with nine 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns located on the superstructure, but production shortages meant that that not all guns were fitted, or that additional Oerlikons replaced the Bofors guns. A Mark 10 Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar was positioned just behind the forward gun. The ships were also equipped with two depth charge rails at the stern and four "K-gun" depth charge throwers. [4]

Construction and career

The ship was laid down by the Boston Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts, on 9 July 1943 as the unnamed U.S. Navy destroyer escort DE-517 and launched on 13 August 1943. The United States transferred the ship to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 9 November 1943. The ship was commissioned into service in the Royal Navy as HMS Louis (K515) on 9 November 1943 simultaneously with her transfer. She served on antisubmarine patrol and convoy escort duty in the Bay of Biscay, North Atlantic Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. On 24 August 1944, she sank the German submarine U-445 with depth charges in the Bay of Biscay west of St. Nazaire, France, at position 47°21′00″N005°50′00″W / 47.35000°N 5.83333°W / 47.35000; -5.83333 (U-445 sunk) . [5]

The Royal Navy returned Louis to the U.S. Navy at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, on 20 March 1946. The United States Government sold Louis to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on 17 June 1946. [6]

Citations

  1. Whitley, p. 152
  2. Friedman, p. 143
  3. Lenton, pp. 199–200
  4. Friedman, p. 478
  5. "HMS Louis (K 515) of the Royal Navy - British Frigate of the Captain class". uboat.net. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  6. "Louis". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 7 July 2025.

References