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Somali (DE 111)
FNS Somali (F-3)

Specifications:
Class: Cannon
Type: DET (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, long hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1240 tons (light), 1620 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 10' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 kts
Range: 10,800 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 2 40mm AA, 10 x 20mm AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Complement: 15 / 201
Somali (DE 111) Building and Operational Data:
  • 23 October 1943: Keel laid by the Dravo Corp., Wilmington, Del.
  • 12 February 1944: Launched
  • 09 April 1944: Transferred under lend/lease to Free France as Somali (T53), (never commisssioned in USN)
  • 14 October 1946: Ownership transferred to the French Navy
  • .. .... 1948: designation changed to Somali (F03)
  • .. .... 1951: designation changed to Somali (F703)
  • 14 May 1952: struck from the NVR, given to France under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program
  • .. .... 1956: disarmed, designation changed to Somali (A607)
  • 01 January 1968: name changed to Arago (A607)
  • 31 August 1972: returned to U.S. custody, scrapped
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Somali 105k date / location unknown (Photo © Marius Bar, Toulon, France Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Somali 49k date / location unknown
    Somali 126k 1958: Port Vendres, France - FN Somali (F.703) entering a small port in the south of France near the Spanish border. Louis Le Coent
    Vannes, France
    Somali 62k date / location unknown, FNS Arago underway Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Somali 114k 1969: Toulon, France - The recently renamed FN Arago (A.607) lays to off the French naval base at Toulon. Louis Le Coent
    Vannes, France
    Somali 264k 14 March 1971: Genoa, Italy - taken while on a port visit to Italy. Carlo Martinelli
    History of FNS Somali (F-3), ex-Somali (DE 111)
    (No U.S. Navy service, History Not Available)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Not Applicable To This Ship
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    Page Last Updated: 31 July 2021