USS Surprise (PG-63)
USS Surprise (PG-63)
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History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Heliotrope |
Namesake | Heliotrope (flower) |
Builder | Sunderland |
Laid down | 23 October 1939 |
Launched | 5 June 1940 |
Commissioned | 12 September 1940 |
Decommissioned | 24 March 1942 |
Identification | Pennant number: K03 |
Fate | Transferred to United States Navy |
United States | |
Name | Surprise |
Acquired | 24 March 1942 |
Commissioned | 24 March 1942 |
Decommissioned | 20 August 1945 |
Stricken | 17 September 1945 |
Identification | Hull number: PG-63 |
Fate | Returned to Royal Navy 26 August 1945 |
United Kingdom | |
Name | Heliotrope |
Acquired | 26 August 1945 |
Fate | Sold into civilian service, 1947 |
People's Republic of China | |
Name | Linyi |
Namesake | Linyi |
Acquired | 1949 |
Commissioned | 1949 |
Decommissioned | 1972 |
Fate | Scrapped after retirement |
General characteristics | |
Type | Patrol gunboat |
Displacement |
|
Length | 205 ft 2 in (62.53 m) |
Beam | 33 ft (10 m) |
Draft | 14 ft 7 in (4.45 m) |
Installed power | 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)[4] |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 16.5 kn (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h) |
Complement | 87 officers and enlisted men |
Armament |
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USS Surprise (PG-63), the fourth American naval ship of the name, was a
Design and construction
HMS Heliotrope was built by
Service history
After working up, Heliotrope was assigned to the Western Approaches Escort Force for service as a convoy escort. In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors.
In 18 months service Heliotrope escorted 18 North Atlantic, eight Gibraltar and four South Atlantic convoys,[6][7] assisting in the safe passage of over 750 ships.
She was involved in four major convoy battles: In October 1940 Heliotrope was part of the escort for HX 79, which was attacked by a U-boat "wolfpack", losing 12 ships sunk.[8] In May 1941 she joined HX 126 which saw nine ships sunk and one U-boat damaged.[9] In August 1941 she joined SL 81 which saw five ships sunk, while one U-boat was destroyed and two damaged[10] In October 1941 she was with HG 75 which saw four ships and one escort sunk, and one U-boat destroyed.[11]
Heliotrope was transferred to the U.S. Navy at
Surprise sailed from Lisahally,
Surprise then returned to the United States. In May 1944, she returned to the North Atlantic and, until after the end of World War II in Europe in May 1945, rotated between Newfoundland, Greenland, and Iceland convoy runs and weather patrol duty.
Surprise was
Fate
She was transferred to China in 1947,[13] and, after a period of mercantile service, she was taken into the People's Liberation Army Navy service as Linyi after converting to a gunboat, and finally retired in 1972.
Notes
- ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 156
- ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 156
- ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 156
- ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 156
- ^ Elliott p.187
- ^ Heliotrope: convoy movements at naval-history.net; retrieved 19 July 2020
- ^ Heliotrope: convoy assignments at convoyweb.org.uk; retrieved 19 July 2020
- ^ Blair p.200
- ^ Blair pp.286-7
- ^ Blair pp.332-4
- ^ Blair p.208
- ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 156
- ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 156
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- ISBN 0-304-35260-8.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. New York: Mayflower Books, 1980. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
- Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.
- Hague, Arnold : The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 (2000) ISBN 1-86176-147-3(UK)
External links
- Photo gallery at navsource.org
- USS Surprise at history.navy.mil
- HMS Heliotrope at uboat.net