HMS Pitcairn
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Piflord |
| Namesake | British name assigned in anticipation of ship's transfer to United Kingdom |
| Reclassified | Patrol frigate, PF-85, 15 April 1943 |
| Builder | Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island |
| Laid down | 14 September 1943[1] |
| Renamed | Pitcairn, 1943 |
| Namesake | The Pitcairn Islands |
| Launched | 15 October 1943 |
| Commissioned | never |
| Identification | PG-193 |
| Fate | Transferred to United Kingdom 6 July 1944 |
| Acquired | Returned by United Kingdom 11 June 1946 |
| Stricken | 3 July 1946 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping 5 November 1947 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Pitcairn |
| Namesake | Pitcairn Island |
| Acquired | 6 July 1944 |
| Commissioned | 7 July 1944[1] |
| Identification | Pennant number: K589 |
| Fate | Returned to United States 11 June 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Colony/Tacoma-class patrol frigate |
| Displacement | 1,264 long tons (1,284 t) |
| Length | 303 ft 11 in (92.63 m) |
| Beam | 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m) |
| Draft | 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | 190 |
| Armament |
|
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 frigate USS Pilford (PF-85) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.
Construction and acquisition
[edit]The ship, originally designated a "patrol gunboat," PG-193, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a U.S. Navy contract as USS Pilford. She was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-85, on 15 April 1943 and laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on 14 September 1943.[1] Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was renamed Pitcairn by the British prior to launching and was launched on 15 October 1943.
Service history
[edit]Transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 6 July 1944, the ship was commissioned by the Royal Navy on 7 July 1944[1] as HMS Pitcairn (K589). She served on patrol and escort duty.
Disposal
[edit]The United Kingdom returned Pitcairn to the U.S. Navy on 11 June 1946. She was stricken from the U.S. Naval Vessel Register on 3 July 1946 and transferred for disposal to the U.S. Maritime Commission, which sold her to the John J. Duane Company of Quincy, Massachusetts, on 5 November 1947 for scrapping.
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]Bibliography
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This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.- Navsource Online: Frigate Photo Archive HMS Pitcairn (K 589) ex-Pilford ex-PF-85 ex-PG-193
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