HMS Pitcairn (K589)

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.

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: 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:
  • 3 × boilers
  • 2 × turbines, 5,500 shp (4,100 kW) each
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 190
Armament:

Construction and acquisition

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

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

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

Notes
  1. uboat.net HMS Pitcairn (K 589)

Bibliography
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