| History | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Name | USS YP-290 |
| Builder | Campbell Machine, Seattle |
| Laid down | 1937 |
| Launched | 1937 |
| Acquired | acquired by US Navy, 1942 |
| Stricken | 19 December 1945 |
| Honors and awards | |
| Fate | unknown |
| Notes | |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Patrol boat |
| Tonnage | 188 gross register tons [2] |
| Length | 127 ft 9 in (38.94 m) o/a [2] |
| Beam | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
USS YP-290 (ex-Picoroto) was a converted fishing vessel which served as an auxiliary patrol boat in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
She was laid down in 1937 at the Campbell Machine shipyard in Seattle, Washington [2] as a wooden hulled tuna boat and christened the Picoroto. In 1942, soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US government requisitioned 52 of the 79 tuna clippers (including the Picoroto) in the California fleet (49 by the U.S. Navy and 3 by the U.S. Army). [3] Although slow at 10 knots, the wooden hulls of the tuna boats made them ideal for mine sweeping operations and their refrigerated holds suitable for delivery of perishables. [3] In addition, their crews were already seasoned and with minimal training, ready for service. [3] The Picoroto was painted grey and fitted with machine guns and depth charges. [3] and was designated as a yard patrol boat (YP-290). [1] Ships of this class were affectionately known as "Yippies". [3]
She was sent to Hawaii where Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was preparing for the defense of Midway Island. [4] YP-290 along with YP-284 , YP-345 , and YP-350, were assembled into Task Force (TF) 4 and assigned to protect and patrol the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. [4] On 20 May 1942, they set out from Pearl Harbor to posts at the several islets and islands that extended from Hawaii out to Midway Atoll: YP-290 went to Laysan Island while YP-284 to Lisianski Island, YP-345 went to Gardner Pinnacles, and YP-350 to Necker Island. [4] The converted armed yacht Crystal took station at Pearl and Hermes Reef [4] while seaplane tenders Thornton and Ballard , both converted destroyers, were stationed at French Frigate Shoals. [5] The ships were tasked with patrolling their area of control, serving as a lookout for any enemy activity, and the rescuing of downed airman. [4] The YPs also carried aviation gasoline, food, and water if needed at Midway Island. [6] Nimitz had correctly surmised that the Japanese had used the outer Hawaiian Islands to refuel seaplanes to reconnoiter Pearl Harbor. [5] In fact, the Japanese had on two occasions flown Kawanishi H8K "Emily" seaplanes to French Frigate Shoals where they met awaiting submarines to refuel. [5] By denying the Japanese access, the Japanese were forced to cancel "Operation K" which entailed flying four H8Ks from Jaluit and Wotje in the Marshall Islands to the French Frigate Shoals and refueling them from submarines I-121 and I-123 so they could then fly on to Pearl Harbor and ascertain if the American carriers remained in port. [5] If they had been successful, they would have found out that the American carriers had already departed Pearl Harbor. [5]
On 19 December 1945, she was struck from the Naval List. [1] In 1946, she was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission. [1]
The French Frigate Shoals is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Its name commemorates French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse, who nearly lost two frigates when attempting to navigate the shoals. It consists of a 20-mile-long (32 km) crescent-shaped reef, twelve sandbars, and the 120-foot-high (37 m) La Pèrouse Pinnacle, the only remnant of its volcanic origins. The total land area of the islets is 61.508 acres (24.891 ha), while the total coral reef area of the shoals is over 232,000 acres (94,000 ha). Tern Island, with an area of 26.014 acres (10.527 ha), has a landing strip and permanent habitations for a small number of people. It is maintained as a field station in the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The French Frigate Shoals are about 487 nautical miles northwest of Honolulu. Among the shoals are Tern, which is unique in having an airstrip and is protected by a seawall, and La Perouse Pinnacle, a tall and rocky island in the center of the shoals. The two largest islands after Tern, East and Trig have mostly washed away, with East being about half the size from storms, but are famed as breeding grounds for turtles. East was also home to Coast Guard base in the late 20th century. The islands are surrounded by a coral reef, and the islands themselves are noted breeding ground for turtles, seals, and birds. Habitation is difficult with little vegetation and no fresh water. In the 20th century the French Frigate Shoals are also called Lalo as part of the marine nature reserve, and along with other islands are visited periodically for research. The highest point in the shoals is on La Perouse Pinnacle which is a volcanic rock that rises 122 ft (37 m) above the surrounding lagoon.
USS Wright (AZ-1/AV-1) was a one-of-a-kind auxiliary ship in the United States Navy, named for aviation pioneer Orville Wright. Originally built as a kite balloon tender, she was converted into a seaplane tender after kite balloons were no longer used.
Operation K was a Japanese naval operation in World War II, intended as reconnaissance of Pearl Harbor and disruption of repair and salvage operations following the surprise attack on 7 December 1941. It culminated on 4 March 1942, with an unsuccessful attack carried out by two Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boats. This was the longest distance ever undertaken by a two-plane bombing mission, and one of the longest bombing sorties ever planned without fighter escort.
USCGC Onondaga (WPG-79), a United States Coast Guard cutter, was built by Defoe Boat Works in Bay City, Michigan, commissioned on 11 September 1934. From its commissioning until 1941, Onondaga was stationed at Astoria, Oregon, where she performed important law enforcement duties and rendered much assistance to ships in distress. Each year she patrolled the annual pelagic seal migration to the Pribilof Islands, and she attempted to prevent out of season halibut fishing.
I-15 was an Imperial Japanese Navy B1 type submarine commissioned in 1940 that served during World War II. She supported the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, operated off the United States West Coast, and took part in Operation K-1, the Aleutian Islands campaign, and the Guadalcanal campaign, including the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, before she was sunk in November 1942 during her fourth war patrol.
Yard Patrol craft are used by the United States Navy for training and for research purposes. They are designated as YP in the hull classification symbol system. They were nicknamed "Yippy boats" after the "YP" classification symbol.
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I-75, later I-175, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaidai-type cruiser submarine of the KD6B sub-class commissioned in 1938. During World War II, she took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal campaign, the Aleutian Islands campaign, and the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign and operated off Australia, before she was sunk in 1944 during her tenth war patrol. She is best known for sinking the United States Navy escort carrier USS Liscome Bay on 24 November 1943.
USS YP-284 was a converted fishing vessel which served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was sunk in action with Japanese destroyers on 25 October 1942.
PT-20 was the first PT-20-class motor torpedo boat of the United States Navy that served during World War II. Her first post was at Pearl Harbor PT Boat Base.
PT-30 was a PT-20-class motor torpedo boat of the United States Navy American that served during World War II.
PT-29 was a PT-20-class motor torpedo boat of the United States Navy American that served during World War II.
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USS YP-345 was a converted fishing vessel which served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
I-71, later I-171, was a Kaidai-class cruiser submarine of the KD6 sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the 1930s. She served in World War II, and took part in operations supporting the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, and the Aleutian Islands campaign. She was sunk in February 1944.
I-121, laid down in 1924 as Submarine No. 48 and known as I-21 from November 1924 to June 1938, was an I-121-class submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy that served during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. During the latter conflict, she conducted operations in support of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the bombing of Darwin, the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, and the New Guinea campaign. She surrendered at the end of the war in 1945 and was scuttled in 1946.
I-122, laid down in 1925 as Submarine No. 49 and known as I-22 from her construction period until June 1938, was an I-121-class submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy that served during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. During the latter conflict, she conducted operations in support of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the bombing of Darwin, the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, and the New Guinea campaign. From mid-1943 she served as a training ship in Japanese waters until she was sunk during a training voyage in 1945.
I-123, originally named Submarine No. 50 then renamed I-23 from before her construction began until June 1938, was an I-121-class submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy that served during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. During the latter conflict, she conducted operations in support of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal campaign, and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. She was sunk in 1942.
US FWS Henry O'Malley was an American fisheries science research vessel in commission from 1949 to 1951 in the fleet of the United States Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service. She was the first U.S. fisheries science vessel to explore the central Pacific Ocean in search of commercially valuable populations of fish. Her career was cut short by a requirement for cost-prohibitive repairs.
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YPs with aviation gasoline, food and water stationed along island chain at following positions: YP 284 at LISIANSKI; YP 290 at LAYSAN; YP 345 at GARDNER'S PINNACLES; YP 350 at NECKER ISLAND.
