HMS Seychelles (K592)

History
United States
Name:	USS Pearl
Namesake:	British name assigned in anticipation of ship's transfer to United Kingdom
Reclassified:	Patrol frigate, PF-88, 15 April 1943
Builder:	Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island
Laid down:	28 September 1943[1] or 30 October 1943[2]
Renamed:	Seychelles, 1943
Namesake:	Seychelles
Launched:	30 October 1943[1] or 12 February 1944[2]
Commissioned:	never
Identification:	PG-196
Fate:	Transferred to United Kingdom 12 February 1944[1] or 27 June 1944[2]
Acquired:	Returned by United Kingdom June 1946
Fate:	Scrapped 1947
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Seychelles
Namesake:	Seychelles
Acquired:	12 February 1944[1] or 27 June 1944[2]
Commissioned:	12 February 1944[1] or 27 June 1944[2]
Identification:	K592
Fate:	Returned to United States 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:	3 × single 3 in (76 mm)/50 cal. AA guns 2 × twin 40 mm guns 9 × single 20 mm 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar 8 × Y-gun depth charge projectors 2 × depth charge racks

HMS Seychelles (K592) 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 Pearl (PF-88) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.

Construction and acquisition

The ship, originally designated a "patrol gunboat," PG-196, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a United States Navy contract as USS Pearl. She was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-88, on 15 April 1943 and laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on, according to different sources, either 28 September 1943^[1] or 30 October 1943^[2] Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was renamed Seychelles by the British prior to launching and was launched on either 30 October 1943^[1] or 12 February 1944,^[2] according to different sources.

Service history

Transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on, according to different sources, either 12 February 1944^[1] or 27 June 1944,^[2] the ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS Seychelles (K592) on patrol and escort duty.

Disposal

The United Kingdom returned Seychelles to the U.S. Navy in June 1946. She was scrapped in 1947.

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Navsource Online: Frigate Photo Archive HMS Seychelles (K 591) ex-Pearl ex-PF-88 ex-PG-196