The ship was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1489) as Chattanooga on 21 April 1943, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by the Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company. Launched on 7 August 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Cecilia Daniel, and brought to New Orleans, for completion on 4 April 1944. She was renamed Uniontown on 16 August 1944, to free the name Chattanooga for the Fargo-class light cruiser CL-118, and commissioned on 6 October 1944.
Service history
World War II
Following shakedown in the Caribbean and a brief visit to Charleston, South Carolina, Uniontown joined Task Force 61 at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 27 December 1944 for duty as a convoy escort. Two days later, the Coast Guard-manned escort vessel got underway for the first of three round-trip voyages across the Atlantic, escorting convoys to Oran, Algeria, and back. Her first round trip lasted from 29 December 1944 to 11 February 1945; the second round trip commenced on 15 March and ended with the ship's return to New York on 9 April. On 28 April, Uniontown got underway for North Africa and her last wartime convoy escort run.
While en route to Algeria, Uniontown received word that German forces had surrendered at Rheims on 7 May, ending the long European war. Arriving at Oran on the 13th, Uniontown soon got underway for the United States and reached Philadelphia, on 8 June for conversion to a weather ship. On 3 July, outfitted for weather patrol duties, she set out for Newfoundland, and arrived at NS Argentia two days later.
On 13 July, Uniontown commenced operations at Weather Station No. 3 and remained on station until 2 August. The ship returned to Grønnedal, Greenland, from 3 to 20 August in between deployments on weather patrol. The frigate served on Weather Station No. 1 from 22 August to 11 September, and subsequently at Weather Station No. 3 from 2 to 20 October before she returned to the Boston Navy Yard. A month later, Uniontown headed for Hampton Roads and arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, on 30 November 1945.
Postwar
For other ships with the same name, see ARA Sarandi.
After being turned over to the State Department Liquidation Commission, she was then sold to the Argentine government in July 1947, in whose service she was renamed ARA Sarandi (P-33). She served until 1968. Fate unknown.
Photo gallery of Uniontown at NavSource Naval History
hazegray.org: USS Uniontown
Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships: USS Uniontown (PF-65), 1944–1946. Name changed from Chattanooga before completion
January 29, 2023
uniontown, other, ships, with, same, name, chattanooga, tacoma, class, frigate, only, ship, united, states, navy, named, uniontown, pennsylvania, chattanooga, launched, leatham, smith, shipbuilding, company, shipyard, sturgeon, wisconsin, august, 1943, year, b. For other ships with the same name see USS Chattanooga USS Uniontown PF 65 a Tacoma class frigate was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Uniontown Pennsylvania USS Chattanooga PF 65 is launched at the Leatham D Smith Shipbuilding Company shipyard at Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin on 7 August 1943 a year before she was renamed USS Uniontown just prior to commissioning HistoryUnited StatesNameChattanooga 1943 1944 Uniontown 1944 1947 NamesakeCity of Chattanooga Tennessee City of Uniontown PennsylvaniaBuilderLeatham D Smith Shipbuilding Company Sturgeon Bay WisconsinLaid down21 April 1943Launched7 August 1943Commissioned6 October 1944Decommissioned20 December 1945RenamedUniontown 16 August 1944ReclassifiedPF 65 15 April 1943Stricken8 January 1946FateSold to Argentina July 1947ArgentinaNameSarandiAcquiredJuly 1947Decommissioned1968FateUnknownGeneral characteristicsClass and typeTacoma class frigateDisplacement1 264 long tons 1 284 t Length303 ft 11 in 92 63 m Beam37 ft 6 in 11 43 m Draft13 ft 8 in 4 17 m Propulsion2 5 500 shp 4 101 kW turbines 3 boilers 2 shaftsSpeed20 knots 37 km h 23 mph Complement190Armament3 3 50 dual purpose guns 3x1 4 x 40 mm guns 2 2 9 20 mm guns 9 1 1 Hedgehog anti submarine mortar 8 Y gun depth charge projectors 2 Depth charge tracks Contents 1 Construction 2 Service history 2 1 World War II 2 2 Postwar 3 References 4 External linksConstruction EditThe ship was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract MC hull 1489 as Chattanooga on 21 April 1943 at Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin by the Leathem D Smith Shipbuilding Company Launched on 7 August 1943 sponsored by Mrs Cecilia Daniel and brought to New Orleans for completion on 4 April 1944 She was renamed Uniontown on 16 August 1944 to free the name Chattanooga for the Fargo class light cruiser CL 118 and commissioned on 6 October 1944 Service history EditWorld War II Edit Following shakedown in the Caribbean and a brief visit to Charleston South Carolina Uniontown joined Task Force 61 at Hampton Roads Virginia on 27 December 1944 for duty as a convoy escort Two days later the Coast Guard manned escort vessel got underway for the first of three round trip voyages across the Atlantic escorting convoys to Oran Algeria and back Her first round trip lasted from 29 December 1944 to 11 February 1945 the second round trip commenced on 15 March and ended with the ship s return to New York on 9 April On 28 April Uniontown got underway for North Africa and her last wartime convoy escort run While en route to Algeria Uniontown received word that German forces had surrendered at Rheims on 7 May ending the long European war Arriving at Oran on the 13th Uniontown soon got underway for the United States and reached Philadelphia on 8 June for conversion to a weather ship On 3 July outfitted for weather patrol duties she set out for Newfoundland and arrived at NS Argentia two days later On 13 July Uniontown commenced operations at Weather Station No 3 and remained on station until 2 August The ship returned to Gronnedal Greenland from 3 to 20 August in between deployments on weather patrol The frigate served on Weather Station No 1 from 22 August to 11 September and subsequently at Weather Station No 3 from 2 to 20 October before she returned to the Boston Navy Yard A month later Uniontown headed for Hampton Roads and arrived at Norfolk Virginia on 30 November 1945 Postwar Edit For other ships with the same name see ARA Sarandi On 20 December 1945 the warship was decommissioned at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard Portsmouth Virginia and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 8 January 1946 After being turned over to the State Department Liquidation Commission she was then sold to the Argentine government in July 1947 in whose service she was renamed ARA Sarandi P 33 She served until 1968 Fate unknown References EditThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here External links EditPhoto gallery of Uniontown at NavSource Naval History hazegray org USS Uniontown Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images U S Navy Ships USS Uniontown PF 65 1944 1946 Name changed from Chattanooga before completion Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Uniontown PF 65 amp oldid 1121063140, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
