American Flower-class corvettes

The American Flower-class corvettes were those ships of the Royal Navy's Flower class built for, or operated by, the United States Navy during World War II. These were ten ships of the original Flower class, known as the Temptress class in US service, and fifteen Modified Flowers, as the Action class. They were classified as Patrol Gunboats (PG)

Class overview
Name: Flower class
Operators:
Completed: 10 (original), 15 (modified)
Lost: none during World War II

Construction history

In December 1941, after the US entry into World War II, the USN had a large building programme for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships, but none nearing completion. To overcome this shortfall, the Royal Navy agreed to transfer a number of ASW ships to the USN, including ten Flower-class corvettes. These ships had already been in commission and had seen action during the Battle of the Atlantic.[1]

These ships were classified as Patrol Gunboats, and numbered PG 62 to 71, and were referred to as the Temptress class, after the first ship to be recommissioned.

The USN also placed orders for 15 more Flowers from Canadian shipyards. This was met by transferring a number of vessels on order for the RN to USN. These ships were of the Modified Flower type, a design which consolidated the various modifications developed in the course of building the original Flowers.

In the event the USN only took charge of eight of these ships; the other seven were transferred back to the RN under Lend-Lease arrangements.

The US ships were numbered PG 86 to 100 and were referred to as the Action class.

The Temptress class were armed with a 4-inch gun forward, a 3 in (76 mm)/50 dual-purpose (DP) gun aft, two 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, two depth charge racks, and four depth charge throwers. The Action class replaced the 4-inch gun with another 3-inch/50 cal. DP gun, and added a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar.[2]

Temptress class

The ten ships of the Temptress class were originally built for the Royal Navy and saw service there before transfer to the USN.[3]

USN name Number RN name Pennant Builder Completed Transferred Fate Notes
USS TemptressPG-62HMS VeronicaK37Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees18 Feb 194116 Feb 1942Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS SurprisePG-63 HMS HeliotropeK03John Crown & Sons Ltd, Sunderland12 Sept 194024 Mar 1942Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS SpryPG-64 HMS HibiscusK24Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast21 May 19402 May 1942Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS SaucyPG-65 HMS ArabisK73Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast5 Apr 194030 Apr 1942Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945 and recommissioned as Snapdragon

[4][5]

USS RestlessPG-66 HMS PeriwinkleK55Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast8 Apr 194015 Mar 1942Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS ReadyPG-67 HMS CalendulaK28Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast6 May 194012 Mar 1942Returned to RN 23 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS ImpulsePG-68HMS BegoniaK66Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley8 Mar 194110 Mar 1942Returned to RN 22 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS FuryPG-69HMS LarkspurK82Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley4 Jan 194117 Mar 1942Returned to RN 22 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS CouragePG-70HMS HeartseaseK15Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast4 Jun 19403 Apr 1942Returned to RN 23 Aug 1945[4][5]
USS TenacityPG-71HMS CandytuftK09Grangemouth Dry Dock Co., Grangemouth16 Oct 19404 Mar 1942Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945[4][5]

Action class

The fifteen ships of the Action class were originally ordered for the Royal Navy but transferred before completion to the United States Navy. On completion eight entered service with the USN while the other seven were transferred back to the RN under Lend-lease.[6]

Served in USN

USN name Number RN name Pennant Builder Completed To USN Fate Notes
USS ActionPG-86HMS ComfreyK277Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood22 Nov 1942same daySold 6 Feb 1946[4][5]
USS AlacrityPG-87HMS CornelK278Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood10 Dec 1942"Sold 22 Sept 1945"
USS BriskPG-89HMS FlaxK284Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston6 Dec 1942"Sold 18 Oct 1946"
USS HastePG-92HMS MandrakeK287Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland6 Apr 1943"Sold 1949"
USS IntensityPG-93HMS MilfoilK288Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland31 Mar 1943"Sold"
USS MightPG-94HMS MuskK289Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland22 Dec 1942"Sold"
USS PertPG-95HMS NepetaK290Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland22 Dec 1942"Sold 18 Oct 1946"
USS PrudentPG-96HMS PrivetK291Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland16 Aug 1943"Sold 1949"

Transferred to RN

USN name Pennant RN name Pennant Builder Completed To RN Fate Notes
USS BeaconPG-88HMS DittanyK279Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood31 May 1943same dayReturned to USN 20 Jun 1946[4][5]
USS CapricePG-90HMS HonestyK285Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston28 Mar 1943"Returned to USN 20 Jun 1946"
USS ClashPG-91HMS LinariaK282Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland19 Jun 1943"Returned to USN 27 Jul 1946"
USS SplendorPG-97HMS RosebayK286Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwoodf"Returned to USN 20 Mar 1946"
USS TactPG-98HMS SmilaxK280Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood21 Jun 1943"Returned to USN 5 Jan 1946"
USS VimPG-99HMS StaticeK281Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood20 Sep 1943"Returned to USN 21 Jun 1946"
USS VitalityPG-100HMS WillowherbK283Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland30 Aug 1943"Returned to USN 11 Jun 1946"

Notes

  1. Elliott p. 420
  2. Silverstone, Paul H.(1966): U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company, pg. 243-246
  3. Elliott p. 421
  4. "USN ship index". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy. Archived from the original on 19 August 2000. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  5. "NavSource ship index". Service Ship Photo Archive. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  6. Elliott p. 422

References

  • Conway : Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 (1980) ISBN 0-85177-146-7
  • Elliott, Peter: (1977) Allied Escort Ships of World War II ISBN 0-356-08401-9
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