PC-461 class submarine chaser

Class overview
Operators:  United States Navy
 French Navy
 Brazilian Navy
 Uruguayan Navy
 Royal Norwegian Navy
 Royal Netherlands Navy
 Hellenic Navy
Preceded by: Protoytpe submarine chasers USS SC-451 and USS SC-452
Succeeded by: PC-1610 class submarine chaser
Built: 1941-1944
Planned: 403
Completed: 343
Cancelled: 60
Active: 0
Lost: 8
General characteristics
Type: Submarine chaser
Displacement: 450 tons
Length: 173 ft 8 in (53 m)
Beam: 23 ft 0 in (7 m)
Draft: 6 ft 2.5 in (2 m)
Propulsion:

2 x 2,880 bhp diesel engines

2 x shafts
Speed: 20.2 knots
Complement: 65
Armament: Varies over time
Armor: Steel hull

The PC-461 class submarine chasers were a class of 343 submarine chasers built mainly for the US Navy built from 1941-1944. The PC-461s were based primarily on two experimental submarine chasers, the PC-451 and PC-452. While PC-461 began the series, the first of the class to enter service was the PC-471. As part of the Lend-Lease program, 46 ships of this class were transferred to allies of the United States. Fifty-nine PC-461s were converted to other types of patrol vessels. Eight vessels of this class were lost, and one vessel was lost after conversion to a PGM-9 class motor gunboat. Only one PC-461 actually sank a submarine during World War II.

One member of this class, the USS PC-1264, was one of only two ships in the Navy during World War II that had a mostly African-American crew.

Contents

Lend-Lease program

As part of the Lend-Lease program enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a total of 46 PC-461s were lent to allies of the United States. Thirty-two were sent to France, 8 to Brazil, 1 to Uruguay, 1 to Norway, 1 to the Netherlands, and 1 to Greece.

Conversions

Twenty-four PC-461s were converted to patrol gunboats, motor (PGM) and 35 were converted into amphibious control craft (PCC).

See also

References

PC-461-class submarine chaser