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NavSource Online: Frigate Photo Archive

Bath (PF 55)



Call sign:
November - Zulu - Yankee - Tango

ex-PG-163


Bath served the Navies of the United States, the Soviet Union and Japan
Tacoma Class Patrol Frigate:

  • (MC Type T. S2-S2-AQ1) The second Bath was originally authorized as Patrol Gunboat, PG-163
  • Redesignated as a Patrol Frigate, PF-55, 15 April 1943
  • Laid down 23 August 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract at Froemming Brothers Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Launched 14 November 1943
  • Commissioned USS Bath (PF-55), 1 September 1944
  • Decommissioned 12 July 1945 at Cold Harbor, Alaska
  • Transferred under the Lend-Lease Program 13 July 1945 to the Soviet Union and reclassified EK-29
  • Assigned to the Pacific Fleet 25 September 1945
  • Returned to U.S. custody 15 November 1949 at Yokosuka, Japan and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet Yokosuka
  • Transferred on loan to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force 23 December 1953 and renamed Maki (PF 298)
  • Struck from the Navy Register 1 December 1961
  • Permanently transferred to Japan 28 August 1962
  • Reclassified as an Auxiliary Training Craft, YTE-9, 31 March 1966
  • Decommissioned 31 March 1969
  • Returned to U.S. custody 12 July 1971
  • Sold for scrap 13 December 1971 to Chin Ho Fa Steel and Iron Co., Ltd, of Taiwan.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 1,430 t.
  • Length 303' 11"(oa)
  • Beam 37' 6"
  • Draft 13' 8"
  • Speed 20.3 kts.
  • Complement 190
  • 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 3-drum express boilers, two 5,500 iHP J. Hendy Iron Works engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Discription Source
    Allentown 123k Post card, postmarked 14 November 1943, Milwaukee, WI Paul Petosky
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR John Rupert Stewart, USCG9 September 1944 - 1945
    02LT Charles E. Vautrain, Jr., USCGR1945 - 12 July 1945
    Courtesy Joe Radigan and Wolfgang Hechler
    View the Bath (PF 55)
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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