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Submarine Chaser Photo Archive

PCE-1604


PC-1604 was built for The Netherlands



Call sign:
Papa - Alpha - Zulu - Xray
PCE-1604 Class Patrol Craft Escort/Roofdier (Predator) Class Corvette:

  • Laid down 18 December 1952 as PCE-1604 by General Shipbuilding and Engineering Works, Boston, MA
  • Launched, 30 July 1953
  • Commissioned, 4 May 1954 as the Dutch Corvette HNLMS Fret [Ferret] (F 818)
  • Scrapped in 1988.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 640 t.
  • Length 180' 6"
  • Beam 33'
  • Draft 9' 8"
  • Speed 15 kts.
  • Complement 63
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose mount, two 40mm mounts, two 20-mm mounts (Between 1959 and 1962 the ship was armed with a Mk15 Hedgehog rocket launchers, four depth charge projectiles and
    two depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two 900bhp General Motors 12-567A diesel engines, Falk single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    PCE-1604 101k 7 June 1954
    Norfolk, VA.
    Still wearing her U.S. Navy hull number
    National Archives photo 80-G-640306    		 Dan Treadwell
    PCE-1604 163k 7 June 1954
    Men aboard the Fret undergoing training with the Fleet Training Group, Chesapeake Bay, Norfolk, VA. Gun crew on the 3"/50 goes to General Quarters.
    National Archives photo 80-G-640310
    PCE-1604 142k 7 June 1954
    Signaling on the bridge is M.C.V. Gelder, QSM2, left, and G. V .D. Horst, QSM2.
    National Archives photo 80-G-640311
    PCE-1604 212k 7 June 1954
    Prepare to lower the life boat during abandon ship drill.
    National Archives photo 80-G-640312
    PCE-1604 158k 7 June 1954
    Lt. W. J. Flynn, USN, Liaison Officer, gives a lecture on the use of headphones.
    National Archives photo 80-G-640313
    PCE-1604 89k Royal Dutch Navy Photo Royal Dutch Navy
    PCE-1604 98k Den Helder Naval Base
    Fret docked at pier 13.    		 Pim van Wijngaarden
    PCE-1604 192k . Pieter Bakels
    PCE-1604 152k
    PCE-1604 128k Main deck, looking aft at 3"/50 mount and Pilot House
    PCE-1604 72k c. 1957
    Royal Netherlands Navy photo from the 1958/1959 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships    		 Robert Hurst
    PCE-1604 147k c. 1980/1981
    Ostend, Belgium
    Photo by Gilbert Gyssels    		 Gilbert Gyssels
    PCE-1604 90k c. May 1981
    Photo by L & L Grinderen from "Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995", Conway Maritime Press    		 Robert Hurst
    There is no DANFS history available for PCE-1604
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Patrol Craft Sailors Association
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To the Patrol Craft/Gunboat/Submarine Chaser Ship Index Back to the Patrol Craft Escort (PCE) Photo Index
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
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