USS Somersworth

Last updated
USS Somersworth (PCE(R)-849).jpg
USS Somersworth, c. 1960s
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Somersworth
Namesake Somersworth, New Hampshire
Builder Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Illinois
Laid down24 September 1943
Launched31 January 1944
Sponsored byMrs. Frank G. Hammar [1] [2]
Commissioned11 April 1944, as USS PCE(R)-849
DecommissionedSeptember 1965
RenamedSomersworth, 15 February 1956
ReclassifiedEPCE(R)-850 (Experimental Patrol Craft Escort (Rescue)), 1959
Stricken1 April 1966
Homeport New London, CT (1946–1965)
FateSold; scrapped in 1972 at Portsmouth, Virginia
General characteristics
Class and typePCER-848 class armed rescue ship
Displacement903 long tons (917 t)
Length184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam33 ft 1 in (10.08 m)
Draft9 ft 5 in (2.87 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 900 bhp (671 kW) General Motors 12-567A diesel engines
  • Falk single reduction gear
  • 2 shafts
Speed15.7 knots (29.1 km/h; 18.1 mph)
Complement99 officers and enlisted
Armament

USS Somersworth (PCE(R)-849) was a United States Navy PCE(R)-848-class Patrol Craft Escort (Rescue), in commission from April 1944 to September 1965. The ship was named after the city of Somersworth, New Hampshire.

Contents

Role

Each ship of the PCER-848 class was an armed rescue ship built on the hull of the PCE (Patrol Craft Escort) by the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Illinois. The ships were to serve three missions: damage control / firefighting; casualty treatment / evacuation; and patrol / guardship. Each ship's hospital contained 65 beds, with a surgical suite, and X-ray facilities. The medical department consisted of a staff of 11 doctors and hospital corpsmen.

Three ships of the class—PCER-848, -849 and -850—were refitted and their hospital spaces converted into communications centers to support the US Army's activities in the Pacific Theater. [1]

Service history

The ship was laid down on 24 September 1943 by the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company of Chicago, launched on 31 January 1944, and commissioned as USS PCE(R)-849 on 11 April 1944. [3] The ship was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944. [4] It was also present at the surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945, [5] and was the first American ship to dock post-war at the Port of Tokyo. [6] The ship received three battle stars for service during World War II. [1]

From 1946 to 1965, the ship was stationed at New London, Connecticut, at the Naval Underwater Sound Laboratory. [1] [7] The ship was named USS Somersworth on 15 February 1956. [3]

On 17 July 1957, three crew members were killed and eight were injured (four seriously) by an explosion when the ship was approximately 90 miles (140 km) southeast of Montauk, New York. [8] [9] The blast was attributed to the premature detonation of explosives used for underwater sound tests. [8] The four seriously injured crew members were transferred to the nearby RMS Queen Mary, which was en route from New York City to England, and later transported to Newport, Rhode Island, by the USS Sunbird. [10] [9] One injured seaman had to have his left leg amputated. [9] The Navy later issued dereliction of duty letters to the ship's commander and gunnery officer. [11]

In 1959, the ship was reclassified as EPCE(R)-849, an Experimental Patrol Craft Escort (Rescue). [3] The ship was decommissioned in September 1965 and was struck from the naval register on 1 April 1966. [3] It was later sold, and then scrapped in 1972 at Portsmouth, Virginia. [3]

Legacy

USS Somersworth Park is located in the city that the ship was named for—Somersworth, New Hampshire—at the intersection of Main Street and Market Street. [12] A memorial to crew members who served on the ship is located in Stein Park on Main Street. [13]

On July 17, 2004, a reunion of 32 personnel who had served on the ship, including four former captains, was held in Somersworth. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) use a hull classification symbol to identify their ships by type and by individual ship within a type. The system is analogous to the pennant number system that the Royal Navy and other European and Commonwealth navies use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somersworth, New Hampshire</span> City in New Hampshire, United States

Somersworth is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2020 census. Somersworth has the smallest area and third-lowest population of New Hampshire's 13 cities.

BRP <i>Magat Salamat</i>

BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20) is one of several Miguel Malvar class of patrol corvettes in service with the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS Gayety (AM-239), an Admirable-class minesweeper with a similar hull to the PCE-842-class patrol craft produced during World War II. In 1962 she was transferred to South Vietnam for service in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as RVNS Chi Lang II (HQ-08). She was acquired by the Philippine Navy in April 1976 and later on commissioned as Magat Salamat. Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she is considered one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today.

BRP <i>Miguel Malvar</i>

BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) is the lead ship of the Miguel Malvar class of corvettes of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS Brattleboro PCE(R)-852, a PCE(R)-848-class rescue patrol craft escort for the United States Navy during World War II. In 1966 she was transferred to South Vietnam for service in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as RVNS Ngọc Hồi (HQ-12). She was acquired by the Philippine Navy in April 1976 and later on commissioned as Miguel Malvar after Miguel Malvar y Carpio. The ship is in active service. Along with other World War II-era ships of the Philippine Navy, Miguel Malvar is one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today.

BRP <i>Sultan Kudarat</i>

BRP Sultan Kudarat (PS-22) was a Miguel Malvar-class corvette of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE-881, a PCE-842-class patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II. In 1961 she was transferred to South Vietnam for service in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as RVNS Đống Đa II (HQ-07). She was acquired by the Philippine Navy on April 1976, and was commissioned later on as RPS Sultan Kudarat (PS-22). Along with other World War II-era ships of the Philippine Navy, Sultan Kudarat was considered one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world, until her retirement in July 5, 2019.

BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-23) was a Malvar-class corvette of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE(R)-853, a PCE(R)-848-class patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II. She was renamed USS Amherst on 15 February 1956. In February 1970, Amherst was decommissioned and transferred to South Vietnam for service in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as RVNS Vạn Kiếp II (HQ-14). She remained in South Vietnamese service until the collapse of that country in 1975. Vạn Kiếp II was one of several ships that fled from South Vietnam to the Philippines. She was then commissioned into the Philippine Navy on 5 April 1976 and named in honor of Datu Marikudo. Along with other World War II-era ships of the Philippine Navy, Datu Marikudo was considered one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world until her decommissioning.

BRP <i>Cebu</i>

BRP Cebu (PS-28) was a Miguel Malvar-class corvette of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE-881, a PCE-842-class patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II and patrolled the Alaskan coast during that war. She was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy and transferred to the Philippine Navy in July 1948 and renamed RPS Cebu (E-28) after the Philippine province of the same name. The ship was decommissioned on 1 October 2019. Along with other World War II-era ships of the Philippine Navy, Cebu was considered one of the world's oldest fighting ships during her active service.

BRP <i>Negros Occidental</i>

BRP Negros Occidental (PS-29) was a Miguel Malvar-class corvette of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE-884, a PCE-842-class patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II. She was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy and transferred to the Philippine Navy in July 1948 and renamed Negros Occidental after the Philippine province of the same name. Along with other World War II-era ships of the Philippine Navy, Negros Occidental was considered one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world until its decommissioning.

BRP <i>Pangasinan</i>

BRP Pangasinan (PS-31) was a Miguel Malvar-class corvette of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE-891, a PCE-842-class patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II. She was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy and transferred to the Philippine Navy in July 1948 and renamed RPS Pangasinan (E-31).

BRP <i>Iloilo</i>

BRP Iloilo (PS-32) was a Miguel Malvar-class corvette of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE-897, a PCE-842-class patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II. She was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy and transferred to the Philippine Navy in July 1948 and renamed RPS Iloilo (E-32) after the Philippine province of the same name. Along with other World War II-era ships of the Philippine Navy, Iloilo was considered one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world, being in continuous service for over seven decades.

<i>Malvar</i>-class corvette

The Malvar class is a ship class of patrol corvettes of the Philippine Navy and are currently its oldest class of corvettes. These ships were formerly used by the US Navy as Admirable-class minesweepers, and PCE-842-class and PCE(R)-848 class patrol craft, which were both based on the Admirable-class hull. In the Philippine Navy, the vessels have undergone upgrades and modifications, and have been re-categorized as corvettes. One ship, the ex-USN USS Quest was supposedly a member of this class but was converted into a non-combatant Presidential Yacht by the Philippine Navy in 1948 as RPS Pag-asa (APO-21)

USS <i>Fairview</i> Patrol vessel of the United States Navy

USS Fairview was a United States Navy PCE(R)-848-class Patrol Craft Escort (Rescue), in commission from April 1944 to May 1968. It was named after Fairview, New Jersey. The ship was present at the surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay at the end of World War II.

<i>PCE-842</i>-class patrol craft Patrol craft escorts of the United States Navy

The PCE-842-class patrol craft were United States Navy patrol craft escorts designed during World War II that were intended for coastal and convoy escort. The design was derived from the 180-foot (55 m) Admirable-class minesweeper as a substitute for the 173-foot (53 m) PC-461-class submarine chasers that were used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) in coastal areas. At 185 feet long and 640 tons, the PCE is more than twice the displacement of the PC and thus and in combination with a less powerful engine also much slower. It has a crew complement of 99 officers and men.

USS <i>Rexburg</i>

USS Rexburg was built as a PCE(R)-848-class rescue escort patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II. She was unnamed until 1956. After working through the 1950s and 60s as an oceanographic research vessel for the Navy Electronics Laboratory, Rexburg was decommissioned in 1970 and sold to the Church of Scientology as MV Excaliber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Roy McGregor (admiral)</span> United States Navy officer (1907–2000)

Robert Roy McGregor, was an American submarine commander during World War II who reached the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. After his retirement, McGregor worked as the technical advisor on the film Run Silent, Run Deep.

USS <i>Havre</i>

USS Havre was a United States Navy PCE-842-class patrol craft escort in commission from 14 February 1944 to 1 July 1970. She served in the Central Pacific during World War II, supporting invasions of Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, and was present in Tokyo Bay for the formal Surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945. Unlike other ships from this class, which were scrapped or sold to other nations, the vessel stayed the property of the United States Navy, which transferred ownership to the United States Navy Reserve as Naval Reserve Training Ship for 9th Naval District (Chicago) in April 1954. She was renamed USS Havre (PCE-877) on 15 February 1956 as part of a Navy-wide initiative to provide names to all numbered ships. Havre served on the Great Lakes until struck from Navy List on 1 July 1970.

USS <i>Rockville</i> Patrol craft turn research ship of the US and Columbia

USS Rockville (EPCER-851), also named USS PCE(R)-851,PCER-851 and ARC San Andres, was a PCE-842-class patrol craft of the United States Navy, Colombian Navy, and Columbian Coast Guard. Throughout its service, she served a multitude of roles, including as a hospital ship, survey ship, evacuation ship, and research ship between 1943 and 1986.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Somersworth". Naval History and Heritage Command. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ "PCE Boat First To Enter Dock Of Tokyo". Daily Calumet . Chicago. September 19, 1945. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Somersworth (EPCE[R] 849)". navsource.org. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Victory over Japan: Veterans Who Were There Still Remember – Willis Gathright". The Victoria Advocate . Victoria, Texas. August 14, 2005. p. 13A. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Allied Ships Present in Tokyo Bay During the Surrender Ceremony, 2 September 1945". history.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  6. ↑ "Jap Civilian Greets Yanks by Bowing Self Off Dock". The Boston Globe . AP. September 11, 1945. p. 6. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Officials To Inspect Ship Named After Town". Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut. AP. June 26, 1957. p. 41. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 "Ship in Port with Bodies from Blast". South Bend Tribune . South Bend, Indiana. INS. July 18, 1957. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 3 "Delaware Seaman Loses Leg in Blast Aboard Navy Ship". The Marion Star . Marion, Ohio. AP. July 19, 1957. p. 19. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "TNT Blast Kills 3 on Navy Craft". Press-Telegram . Long Beach, California. AP. July 18, 1957. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Officers Censured for Blast". Independent . Long Beach, California. UP. May 20, 1958. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "USS Somersworth". somersworth.com. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  13. ↑ Holmes, Jenne (April 29, 2021). "Simply Somersworth: USS Somersworth is part of proud past" . Foster's Daily Democrat . Dover, New Hampshire. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  14. ↑ Wagner, Bill (October 31, 2004). "Shipmates Hold Reunion; Recall 1957 Sea Tragedy". The Sunday Times. Scranton, Pennsylvania. p. B11. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021– via newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.