HMS Sarawak (K591) 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 Patton (PF-87) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Patton |
| Namesake | British name assigned in anticipation of ship's transfer to United Kingdom |
| Reclassified | Patrol frigate, PF-87, 15 April 1943 |
| Builder | Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island |
| Laid down | 29 September 1943 |
| Renamed | Sarawak, 1943 |
| Namesake | Sarawak |
| Launched | 25 October 1943 |
| Identification | PG-195 |
| Fate | Transferred to United Kingdom, 7 February 1944 |
| Acquired | Returned by United Kingdom, 31 May 1946 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1947 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Sarawak |
| Namesake | Sarawak |
| Commissioned | 7 February 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 1945 |
| Identification | Pennant number: K591 |
| Fate | Returned to United States, 31 May 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 |
|
Construction and acquisition
editThe ship, originally designated a "patrol gunboat," PG-195, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a United States Navy contract as USS Patton. She was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-87, on 15 April 1943 and laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on 29 September 1943.[1][Note 1] Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was renamed Sarawak by the British prior to launching[citation needed] and was launched on 25 October 1943.[3] She was completed on 7 February 1944.[1]
Service history
editTransferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 7 February 1944, the ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS Sarawak (K591)[1][Note 2] until decommissioned in 1945.[4]
Disposal
editThe United Kingdom returned Sarawak to the U.S. Navy on 31 May 1946. She was scrapped in 1947.[1]
References
editNotes
editCitations
edit- ^ a b c d Lenton 1998, p. 291
- ^ uboat.net HMS Sarawak (K 591)
- ^ a b c Friedman 1987, p. 466
- ^ According to uboat.net HMS Sarawak (K 591), Sarawak is not listed as an active unit on the October 1945 Navy List, strongly implying that the Royal Navy decommissioned her sometime earlier that year.
Bibliography
edit- Friedman, Norman (1987). U.S. Small Combatants, including PT-Boats, Subchasers and the Brown-Water Navy: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-713-5.
- Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
