USS Grand Forks (PF-11) just after launch | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name | Grand Forks |
Namesake | City of Grand Forks, North Dakota |
Reclassified | Patrol Frigate (PF), 15 April 1943 |
Ordered | as a Type S2-S2-AQ1 hull, MCE hull 1429 [1] |
Builder | Permanente Metals Richmond Shipyard #4, Richmond, California |
Yard number | 54 [1] |
Laid down | 29 September 1943 |
Launched | 27 November 1943 |
Commissioned | 18 March 1944 |
Decommissioned | 16 May 1946 |
Stricken | 19 June 1946 |
Identification |
|
Fate | Scrapped, 1 November 1947 |
General characteristics [2] | |
Class and type | Tacoma-class patrol frigate |
Displacement | |
Length | 303 ft 11 in (92.63 m) |
Beam | 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m) |
Draft | 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) |
Installed power | |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 20.3 kn (37.6 km/h; 23.4 mph) |
Complement | 190 |
Armament |
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USS Grand Forks (PG-119/PF-11), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Grand Forks, originally classified as patrol gunboat, PG-119, was reclassified as a patrol frigate, PF-11, on 15 April 1943. She was laid down on 29 September 1943, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1429, at the Permanente Metals Richmond Shipyard #4, Richmond, California. [2] Grand Forks was launched on 27 November 1943, sponsored by Mrs. T. H. Thoreson; and commissioned on 18 March 1944. [3]
After shakedown, on 7 August 1944, Grand Forks sailed from San Francisco, California, to take station in the Northern Pacific off the California coast as a plane guard ship, returning to San Francisco, on 3 September. She continued on this duty until decommissioning, spending an average of 3 weeks at sea and 2 in port. [3]
Late in the night 11 October 1944, Grand Forks picked up a distress call from a Consolidated PB2Y Coronado about to make an emergency landing. Sending up flares and star shells to guide the plane through the dark, Grand Forks rescued 15 crewmen and passengers from the sea, as well as 114 sacks of mail. [3]
While in port from guard duty on 31 May 1945, Grand Forks was toured by several members of the American delegation to the San Francisco Peace Conference, including Secretary of State and Mrs. Edward Stettinius, Nelson Rockefeller, and Alger Hiss. [3]
She continued on plane guard duty until 19 March 1946, and then sailed from San Francisco to Charleston, South Carolina, where she decommissioned on 16 May 1946. Grand Forks was stricken from the Navy Register on 19 June 1946; sold to J. C. Berkwit & Company of New York on 19 May 1947, and scrapped starting on 1 November 1947. [3]
USS Abilene (PF-58), a Tacoma-class frigate, was in the service of the United States Navy, named after the city of Abilene, Kansas.
USS Tacoma (PG-111/PF-3), the lead ship of the Tacoma-class patrol frigates. The third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Tacoma, Washington, she was in commission from 1943 to 1945, and from 1949 to 1951. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-11 and in the Republic of Korea Navy as ROKS Taedong (PF-63).
USS Sausalito (PF-4), was a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1952, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Sausalito, California. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-16 and in the Republic of Korea Navy as ROKS Imchin (PF-66).
USS Hutchinson (PF-45), a Tacoma-class frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Hutchinson, Kansas.
USS Hoquiam (PG-113/PF-5), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1951, she is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Hoquiam, Washington. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-13 and in the Republic of Korea Navy as ROKS Nae Tong (PF-65).
USS Pueblo (PF-13), a Tacoma-class frigate, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pueblo, Colorado.
USS Albuquerque (PG-115/PF-7), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1943 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1953, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Albuquerque, New Mexico. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-14 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Tochi (PF-16/PF-296) and as YAC-15.
USS Van Buren (PG-150/PF-42), a Tacoma-class frigate patrol frigate, was the second ship of the United States Navy to hold this name. The first Van Buren, a revenue cutter, was named for President Martin Van Buren; the second Van Buren honors Van Buren, Arkansas.
The USS Alnitah (AK-127) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named a spelling variation of the star Alnitak in the constellation Orion, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.
USS Pasco (PG-114/PF-6), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945, has thus far been the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pasco, Washington. She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-12 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Kashi (PF-3/PF-283) and as YAC-12.
USS Everett (PG-116/PF-8), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1953, thus far has been the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Everett, Washington. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-15 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Kiri (PF-11/PF-291/YAC-20).
USS Pocatello (PG-117/PF-9), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pocatello, Idaho.
USS Brownsville (PG-118/PF-10), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Brownsville, Texas.
USS Grand Island (PF-14), a Tacoma-class frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Grand Island, Nebraska.
USS Casper (PG-120/PF-12), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Casper, Wyoming.
USS Key West (PG-125/PF-17), a Tacoma-class frigate, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Key West, Florida.
USS LST/LST(H)-482/Branch County (LST-482) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Later renamed for Branch County, Michigan, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Amycus (ARL-2) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Amycus, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.
HMS Papua (K588) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigateUSS Howett (PF-84) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.
HMS Pitcairn (K589) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigateUSS Pilford (PF-85) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.