| Career (United States) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS Caravan (AMc-134) |
| Builder: | Willamette Iron and Steel Works |
| Reclassified: | AM-157, 21 February 1942 |
| Laid down: | 16 May 1942 |
| Launched: | 27 October 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 21 January 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 16 August 1945 |
| Fate: | Transferred to the Soviet Union, 16 August 1945 |
| Reclassified: | MSF-157, 7 February 1955 |
| Struck: | 1 January 1983 |
| Career (Soviet Union) | |
| Name: | T-597 |
| Acquired: | 16 August 1945 |
| Fate: | probably scrapped, 1956 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Admirable-class minesweeper |
| Displacement: | 650 tons |
| Length: | 184 ft 6 in (56.24 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draft: | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × ALCO 539 diesel engines, 1,710 shp (1.3 MW) Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear 2 shafts |
| Speed: | 14.8 knots (27.4 km/h) |
| Complement: | 104 |
| Armament: | 1 × 3"/50 caliber gun DP 2 × twin Bofors 40 mm guns 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar 2 × Depth charge tracks |
| Service record | |
| Part of: | US Pacific Fleet (1944-1945) |
USS Caravan (AM-157) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. In 1945, she was transferred to the Soviet Navy under Lend-Lease as T-597. The Soviets scrapped T-597, probably in 1956, never having returned her to U.S. custody. Because of the Cold War, the U.S. Navy was unaware of this fate and the vessel remained on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was struck on 1 January 1983.
Caravan was launched 27 October 1942 by Willamette Iron and Steel Works, Portland, Oregon, and commissioned 21 January 1944, Lieutenant C. E. Walden, USNR, in command.
Caravan stood out of San Francisco, California, 25 March 1944, bound for Pearl Harbor, Majuro, and Eniwetok. The minesweeper arrived at Eniwetok on 25 April to operate on patrol, lifeguard for aviators downed in carrier strikes, and convoy escort. Her escort duties took her throughout the Marianas, and in September she was based at Guam. Riding out a severe typhoon en route, Caravan sailed to Ulithi in October, to begin operations in the Palaus as well as the Marianas.
Caravan's effective support of fleet operations ended in May 1945, when she reported at Portland, Oregon for overhaul. In July she arrived at Cold Bay, Alaska, to train a Soviet crew, and on 16 August 1945, she was decommissioned and transferred to the Soviet Navy under Lend-Lease as T-597. The Soviets scrapped T-597, probably in 1956, never having returned her to U.S. Navy custody.
Unaware of the ship's fate, the U.S. Navy reclassified her as MSF-157 on 7 February 1955, and kept her on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was stricken on 1 January 1983.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.