Bangor reported for shakedown training off Bermuda on 3 December 1944, and, after four weeks of intensive drills, set a course for the Norfolk Navy Yard at Portsmouth, Virginia, for post-shakedown repairs. On 21 January 1945, Bangor joined Task Force (TF) 67 on convoy escort duty and, two days later, took station in the antisubmarine screen of a large convoy bound for North Africa. The transatlantic voyage was routine and the ships anchored off Oran, Algeria, on 8 February 1945.
Bangor returned to the United States with another convoy. A German U-boat attacked the Allied ships two days out of Oran. Bangor joined the other escorts in a coordinated depth charge attack, but without success. Bangor made one more round trip transatlantic voyage without incident before undergoing repairs at Bayonne, New Jersey. She resumed her escort duties on 22 April 1945 and joined an Oran-bound convoy out of New York City. Bangor anchored at Mers el Kebir, Algeria, on 9 May 1945 and there received the news that Germany had surrendered. She got underway on 17 May 1945 with another returning convoy.
Slated along with her sister ship USS Annapolis(PF-15) to be the last two of 30 Tacoma-class patrol frigates transferred secretly to the Soviet Navy at Cold Bay in the Territory of Alaska as a part of Project Hula, Bangor was underway in company with Annapolis en route Cold Bay when an order came on 5 September 1945 to suspend all further transfers of ships to the Soviet Union. Bangor and Annapolis proceeded to Cold Bay anyway, where they took aboard American personnel requiring transportation to the continental United States, then steamed to Seattle to disembark them. Bangor and Annapolis were the only two patrol frigates scheduled for transfer under Project Hula not to be transferred.[1]
US Coast Guard, 1946
Bangor next reported to Bremerton, Washington, to serve as a rescue and weather ship for the United States Coast Guard. On 15 April 1946, she was decommissioned by the Navy and recommissioned by the Coast Guard as one of 18 patrol frigates used for weather reporting. Bangor rotated with other ships on weather stations east of the Hawaiian Islands. Generally remaining at sea for six weeks at a time, she also provided navigational information to any aircraft or surface vessel requiring assistance and assumed search and rescue duties for vessels in distress.
As 1946 passed, small seaplane tenders (AVP) replaced the patrol frigates. The Coast Guard decommissioned Bangor on 16 August 1946 and returned her to the Navy. Bangor was then declared excess to the Navy's needs, and her name was struck from the Navy list on 23 April 1947.
Mexican Navy, 1947–1964
On 24 November 1947, the United States sold Bangor to Mexico, which renamed her ARM General José María Morelos for service in the Mexican Navy. Later renamed ARM Golfo de Tehuantepec, the ship was scrapped in 1964.
^Russell, Richard A., Project Hula: Secret Soviet-American Cooperation in the War Against Japan, Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1997, ISBN0-945274-35-1, p. 35.
External links
Photo gallery of USS Bangor at NavSource Naval History
hazegray.org: USS Bangor
January 30, 2023
bangor, united, states, navy, tacoma, class, frigate, commission, from, 1944, 1946, thus, been, only, navy, ship, named, bangor, maine, later, served, united, states, coast, guard, uscgc, bangor, mexican, navy, general, josé, maría, morelos, golfo, tehuantepec. USS Bangor PF 16 was a United States Navy Tacoma class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1946 Thus far she has been the only U S Navy ship named for Bangor Maine She later served in United States Coast Guard as USCGC Bangor and in the Mexican Navy as ARM General Jose Maria Morelos and ARM Golfo de Tehuantepec USS BangorHistoryUnited StatesNameBangor PG 124 NamesakeCity of Bangor MaineReclassifiedPF 16 15 April 1943BuilderAmerican Ship Building Company Lorain OhioYard number843Laid down20 May 1943Launched6 November 1943Sponsored byMrs Ruth R HutchinsCommissioned22 November 1944Decommissioned15 April 1946FateTransferred to US Coast Guard 15 April 1946AcquiredReturned by US Coast Guard 16 August 1946Stricken23 April 1947FateSold to Mexican Navy 24 November 1947United StatesNameBangorAcquired15 April 1946 from US NavyCommissioned15 April 1946Decommissioned16 August 1946FateReturned to US Navy 16 August 1946MexicoNameGeneral Jose Maria MorelosNamesakeJose Maria MorelosAcquired24 November 1947RenamedGolfo de TehuantepecNamesakeGulf of TehuantepecFateScrapped 1964General characteristicsClass and typeTacoma class frigateDisplacement1 430 long tons 1 453 t light 2 415 long tons 2 454 t fullLength303 ft 11 in 92 63 m Beam37 ft 11 in 11 56 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 and commissioning 2 Service history 2 1 US Navy 1944 1946 2 2 US Coast Guard 1946 2 3 Mexican Navy 1947 1964 3 References 4 External linksConstruction and commissioning EditBangor was laid down on 20 May 1943 at Lorain Ohio by the American Shipbuilding Company under a Maritime Commission contract MC hull 1482 She was launched on 6 November 1943 sponsored by Mrs Ruth R Hutchins and delivered to the Navy at New Orleans Louisiana on 25 August 1944 After fitting out at New Orleans she was commissioned there on 22 November 1944 Service history EditUS Navy 1944 1946 Edit Bangor reported for shakedown training off Bermuda on 3 December 1944 and after four weeks of intensive drills set a course for the Norfolk Navy Yard at Portsmouth Virginia for post shakedown repairs On 21 January 1945 Bangor joined Task Force TF 67 on convoy escort duty and two days later took station in the antisubmarine screen of a large convoy bound for North Africa The transatlantic voyage was routine and the ships anchored off Oran Algeria on 8 February 1945 Bangor returned to the United States with another convoy A German U boat attacked the Allied ships two days out of Oran Bangor joined the other escorts in a coordinated depth charge attack but without success Bangor made one more round trip transatlantic voyage without incident before undergoing repairs at Bayonne New Jersey She resumed her escort duties on 22 April 1945 and joined an Oran bound convoy out of New York City Bangor anchored at Mers el Kebir Algeria on 9 May 1945 and there received the news that Germany had surrendered She got underway on 17 May 1945 with another returning convoy Bangor completed repairs at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Philadelphia Pennsylvania early in June 1945 and then headed for the Panama Canal Zone where she arrived on 21 June 1945 For the next month she conducted training exercises with submarines off the Perlas Islands in Panama Bay In mid July 1945 Bangor set course for San Pedro California to prepare for duty in the Western Pacific in the war against Japan but the war ended on 15 August 1945 while she was in drydock at Seattle Washington Her repairs were completed early in September 1945 Slated along with her sister ship USS Annapolis PF 15 to be the last two of 30 Tacoma class patrol frigates transferred secretly to the Soviet Navy at Cold Bay in the Territory of Alaska as a part of Project Hula Bangor was underway in company with Annapolis en route Cold Bay when an order came on 5 September 1945 to suspend all further transfers of ships to the Soviet Union Bangor and Annapolis proceeded to Cold Bay anyway where they took aboard American personnel requiring transportation to the continental United States then steamed to Seattle to disembark them Bangor and Annapolis were the only two patrol frigates scheduled for transfer under Project Hula not to be transferred 1 US Coast Guard 1946 Edit Bangor next reported to Bremerton Washington to serve as a rescue and weather ship for the United States Coast Guard On 15 April 1946 she was decommissioned by the Navy and recommissioned by the Coast Guard as one of 18 patrol frigates used for weather reporting Bangor rotated with other ships on weather stations east of the Hawaiian Islands Generally remaining at sea for six weeks at a time she also provided navigational information to any aircraft or surface vessel requiring assistance and assumed search and rescue duties for vessels in distress As 1946 passed small seaplane tenders AVP replaced the patrol frigates The Coast Guard decommissioned Bangor on 16 August 1946 and returned her to the Navy Bangor was then declared excess to the Navy s needs and her name was struck from the Navy list on 23 April 1947 Mexican Navy 1947 1964 Edit On 24 November 1947 the United States sold Bangor to Mexico which renamed her ARM General Jose Maria Morelos for service in the Mexican Navy Later renamed ARM Golfo de Tehuantepec the ship was scrapped in 1964 References EditThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Russell Richard A Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan Washington D C Naval Historical Center 1997 ISBN 0 945274 35 1 p 35 External links EditPhoto gallery of USS Bangor at NavSource Naval History hazegray org USS Bangor Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Bangor amp oldid 1120949338, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
