Gloucester, originally classified PG-130, was launched on 12 July 1943, at the Walter Butler Shipbuilding Company in Superior, Wisconsin, under a Maritime Commission contract, sponsored by Mrs. Emily K. Ross. The US Navy acquired and simultaneously commissioned the ship on 10 December 1943.
Service historyedit
U.S. Navy, World War II, 1943-1945edit
Following shakedown, Gloucester was employed in training frigate crews at Galveston, Texas. On 16 June 1944 she was attached to Escort Division 38. Earmarked in 1945 for transfer to the Soviet Navy in Project Hula, a secret program for the transfer of U.S. Navy ships to the Soviet Navy in anticipation of the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan, Gloucester proceeded to Cold Bay in the Territory of Alaska in the late summer of 1945.[1]
Soviet Navy, 1945–1949edit
Following the completion of training for her new Soviet crew, Gloucester was decommissioned on 4 September 1945 at Cold Bay and transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease immediately along with her sister shipsUSS Newport (PF-27), USS Bath (PF-55), and USS Evansville (PF-70), the last of 28 patrol frigates transferred to the Soviet Navy in Project Hula. Commissioned into the Soviet Navy immediately, Gloucester was designated as a storozhevoi korabl ("escort ship") and renamed EK-26 in Soviet service.[2]
On 5 September 1945, all ship transfers to the Soviet Union were ordered stopped, although training for ships already transferred was allowed to continue. Accordingly, EK-26 remained at Cold Bay along with EK-28 (ex-Newport), EK-29 (ex-Bath), and EK-30 (ex-Evanvsille) for additional shakedown and training until 17 September 1945, when all four ships departed in company bound for Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the Soviet Union, the last four of the 149 Project Hula ships to do so. Arriving too late to see World War II combat with the Soviet Navy, EK-26 served as a patrol vessel in the Soviet Far East.[3]
In February 1946, the United States began negotiations for the return of ships loaned to the Soviet Union for use during World War II. On 8 May 1947, United States Secretary of the NavyJames V. Forrestal informed the United States Department of State that the United States Department of the Navy wanted 480 of the 585 combatant ships it had transferred to the Soviet Union for World War II use returned, EK-26 among them. Negotiations for the return of the ships were protracted, but on 31 October 1949 the Soviet Union finally returned EK-26 to the U.S. Navy at Yokosuka, Japan.[4]
U.S. Navy, Korean War, 1950–1952edit
Returning to her original name, Gloucester lay idle in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Yokosuka until recommissioned on 11 October 1950 for service in the Korean War. She departed Yokosuka on 27 November 1950 bound for Korea and conducted patrol and anti-submarine warfare duties at Wonsan, Pusan, Inchon, and Kusan until returning to Yokosuka on 21 January 1951. Gloucester subsequently engaged in patrol and escort duties at Wonsan and saw combat on 18 June 1951, when with other ships, she blasted gun emplacements at Wonsan. She continued her duties in Korean waters through the fall of 1951. On 11 November 1951 while cruising off Kojo during a duel with shore batteries, Gloucester took a direct hit that killed Storekeeper Third Class Louis Jaramillo and wounded 11 others. Following repairs in Japan, she returned to Korean waters to continue support of United Nations forces ashore. Arriving at Yokosuka on 5 September 1952, she was decommissioned there on 15 September 1952.
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, 1953–1969edit
The United States loaned Gloucester to Japan on 1 October 1953 for service in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, where she served as JDS Tsuge (PF-12) (つげ (PF-12), "buxus microphylla").[5]Tsuge was redesignated PF-292 on 1 September 1957.[5] The United States struck her from the Navy List on 1 December 1961 and transferred her to Japan outright in March 1962.
Japan decommissioned Tsuge on 31 March 1968 and returned her to U.S. custody on 31 March 1969 for disposal. Her final disposition is unknown.
^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.
^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, pp. 35, 39.
^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, pp. 34, 35, 39.
^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, pp. 37–38, 39.
Photo gallery of USS Gloucester at NavSource Naval History
"The Naval Database: JMSDF Kusu class patrol frigate (PF292) Tsuge" (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 September 2014.
January 01, 1970
gloucester, other, ships, with, same, name, gloucester, tacoma, class, frigate, commission, from, 1943, 1945, second, ship, united, states, navy, named, gloucester, massachusetts, later, served, soviet, navy, japan, maritime, self, defense, force, tsuge, tsuge. For other ships with the same name see USS Gloucester USS Gloucester PF 22 a Tacoma class frigate in commission from 1943 to 1945 was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Gloucester Massachusetts She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK 26 and in the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force as JDS Tsuge PF 12 and JDS Tsuge PF 292 USS Gloucester PF 22 History United States NameGloucester PG 130 NamesakeCity of Gloucester Massachusetts BuilderWalter Butler Shipbuilding Company Superior Wisconsin Yard number19 Laid down4 March 1943 ReclassifiedPF 34 15 April 1943 Launched12 July 1943 Sponsored byMrs Emily K Ross Commissioned10 December 1943 Decommissioned3 September 1945 FateTransferred to Soviet Navy 4 September 1945 AcquiredReturned by Soviet Navy 31 October 1949 Recommissioned11 October 1950 Decommissioned15 September 1952 FateTransferred to Japan Maritime Self Defense Force 1 October 1953 Stricken1 December 1961 AcquiredReturned by Japan Maritime Self Defense Force 31 March 1969 FateFinal disposition unknown Soviet Union NameEK 26 Acquired4 September 1945 Commissioned4 September 1945 FateReturned to United States 31 October 1949 Japan NameTsuge Acquired1 October 1953 Decommissioned31 March 1968 FateReturned to United States 31 March 1969 General characteristics Class and typeTacoma class frigate Displacement1 430 long tons 1 453 t light 2 415 long tons 2 454 t full Length303 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 shafts Speed20 knots 37 km h 23 mph Complement190 Armament3 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 U S Navy World War II 1943 1945 2 2 Soviet Navy 1945 1949 2 3 U S Navy Korean War 1950 1952 2 4 Japan Maritime Self Defense Force 1953 1969 3 Awards 4 References 5 External linksConstruction and commissioning editGloucester originally classified PG 130 was launched on 12 July 1943 at the Walter Butler Shipbuilding Company in Superior Wisconsin under a Maritime Commission contract sponsored by Mrs Emily K Ross The US Navy acquired and simultaneously commissioned the ship on 10 December 1943 Service history editU S Navy World War II 1943 1945 edit Following shakedown Gloucester was employed in training frigate crews at Galveston Texas On 16 June 1944 she was attached to Escort Division 38 Earmarked in 1945 for transfer to the Soviet Navy in Project Hula a secret program for the transfer of U S Navy ships to the Soviet Navy in anticipation of the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan Gloucester proceeded to Cold Bay in the Territory of Alaska in the late summer of 1945 1 Soviet Navy 1945 1949 edit Following the completion of training for her new Soviet crew Gloucester was decommissioned on 4 September 1945 at Cold Bay and transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend Lease immediately along with her sister ships USS Newport PF 27 USS Bath PF 55 and USS Evansville PF 70 the last of 28 patrol frigates transferred to the Soviet Navy in Project Hula Commissioned into the Soviet Navy immediately Gloucester was designated as a storozhevoi korabl escort ship and renamed EK 26 in Soviet service 2 On 5 September 1945 all ship transfers to the Soviet Union were ordered stopped although training for ships already transferred was allowed to continue Accordingly EK 26 remained at Cold Bay along with EK 28 ex Newport EK 29 ex Bath and EK 30 ex Evanvsille for additional shakedown and training until 17 September 1945 when all four ships departed in company bound for Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky in the Soviet Union the last four of the 149 Project Hula ships to do so Arriving too late to see World War II combat with the Soviet Navy EK 26 served as a patrol vessel in the Soviet Far East 3 In February 1946 the United States began negotiations for the return of ships loaned to the Soviet Union for use during World War II On 8 May 1947 United States Secretary of the Navy James V Forrestal informed the United States Department of State that the United States Department of the Navy wanted 480 of the 585 combatant ships it had transferred to the Soviet Union for World War II use returned EK 26 among them Negotiations for the return of the ships were protracted but on 31 October 1949 the Soviet Union finally returned EK 26 to the U S Navy at Yokosuka Japan 4 U S Navy Korean War 1950 1952 edit Returning to her original name Gloucester lay idle in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Yokosuka until recommissioned on 11 October 1950 for service in the Korean War She departed Yokosuka on 27 November 1950 bound for Korea and conducted patrol and anti submarine warfare duties at Wonsan Pusan Inchon and Kusan until returning to Yokosuka on 21 January 1951 Gloucester subsequently engaged in patrol and escort duties at Wonsan and saw combat on 18 June 1951 when with other ships she blasted gun emplacements at Wonsan She continued her duties in Korean waters through the fall of 1951 On 11 November 1951 while cruising off Kojo during a duel with shore batteries Gloucester took a direct hit that killed Storekeeper Third Class Louis Jaramillo and wounded 11 others Following repairs in Japan she returned to Korean waters to continue support of United Nations forces ashore Arriving at Yokosuka on 5 September 1952 she was decommissioned there on 15 September 1952 Japan Maritime Self Defense Force 1953 1969 edit The United States loaned Gloucester to Japan on 1 October 1953 for service in the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force where she served as JDS Tsuge PF 12 つげ PF 12 buxus microphylla 5 Tsuge was redesignated PF 292 on 1 September 1957 5 The United States struck her from the Navy List on 1 December 1961 and transferred her to Japan outright in March 1962 Japan decommissioned Tsuge on 31 March 1968 and returned her to U S custody on 31 March 1969 for disposal Her final disposition is unknown Awards editCombat Action Ribbon American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal with seven battle stars Korean Presidential Unit Citation United Nations Service Medal Korean Defense Service Medal Korea References edit nbsp This 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 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 pp 35 39 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 pp 34 35 39 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 pp 37 38 39 a b The Naval Database External links editPhoto gallery of USS Gloucester at NavSource Naval History The Naval Database JMSDF Kusu class patrol frigate PF292 Tsuge in Japanese Retrieved 22 September 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Gloucester PF 22 amp oldid 1199158794, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
