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NavSource Online: Frigate Photo Archive

Casper (PF 12)



Call sign:
Nan - Yoke - Xray - Victor

ex-PG-120

Tacoma Class Patrol Frigate:

  • (MC Type T. S2-S2-AQ1) Originally designated a Patrol Gunboat PG-120
  • Reclassified as a Patrol Frigate, PF-12, 15 April 1943
  • Laid down 17 October 1943 under a Maritime Commission Contract, (MC hull 1430), at Kaiser Cargo, Inc., Richmond, CA
  • Launched 27 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS Casper (PF-12), 31 March 1944
  • Decommissioned 16 May 1946 at Charleston, SC
  • Sold for scrap 20 May 1947.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 1,430 t.
  • Length 303' 11"(oa)
  • Beam 37' 6"
  • Draft 13' 8"
  • Speed 20.3 kts.
  • Complement 194
  • Armament: Three 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts, two twin 40mm gun mounts , nine 20mm guns, one Hedgehog depth charge projector, eight Y-gun depth charge projectors, and two depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two - three drum expansion boilers, two 5,500 iHP J. Hendy Iron Works vertical triple expansion engines, no reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Grand Forks 252k Aft plan view of Grand Forks (PF 11) at Mare Island near the completion of outfitting on 20 April 1944. The Casper is outboard of Grand Forks
    U.S. Navy Photo 2416-44
    		 Darryl L. Baker
    Grand Forks 239k Grand Forks at Mare Island near the completion of outfitting on 20 April 1944. The Casper is outboard of Grand Forks
    U.S. Navy Photo 2417-44
    Casper 229k Amidships plan view of Casper at Mare Island on 5 May 1944
    U.S. Navy photo 2756-44
    Casper 203k Forward plan view of Casper at Mare Island on 5 May 1944
    U.S. Navy photo 2757-44
    Casper 69k Shown off Mare Island Navy Yard on 6 May 1944. She has completed outfitting/repairs at the shipyard from 3 April to 7 May 1944. She was in dry dock No. 2 from 4 to 8 April 1944
    U.S. Navy Photo 2759-44
    Casper 353k 6 May 1944
    Off Mare Island Navy Yard
    Photo from Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum
    Photo added 16 January 2022
    Casper 220k Underway in the eastern North Pacific (position 48 33'N, 129 34'W - [Off the southwest coast of British Columbia, Canada]) on 4 October 1944
    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1974
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 7899    		 Mike Green
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR Fred Jacob Scheiber, USCG31 March 1944
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    View the Casper (PF-12)
    DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Website
    Back to the Main Photo Index Back to the Patrol Craft/Gunboat/Submarine Chaser Ship Index Back to the Patrol Gunboat (PG) Photo Index Back to the Patrol Frigate (PF) Photo Index
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    This page created by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Tom Bateman
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