HMS Antigua (K501)

HMS Antigua (K501) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom in commission from 1943 to 1945 [3] that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigate USS Hamond (PF-73)[1] and was transferred prior to completion.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Antigua and USS Hammond.

HMS Antigua in 1944.
History
United States
Name: USS Hamond[1]
Namesake: British name assigned in anticipation of ship's transfer to United Kingdom
Builder: Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island
Laid down: 3 April 1943[2]
Reclassified: Patrol frigate, PF-73, 15 April 1943
Renamed: Antigua, 1943
Namesake: Antigua
Launched: 26 July 1943
Sponsored by: Mrs. Louise M. Reddick
Commissioned: never
Fate: Transferred to United Kingdom 4 November 1943
Acquired: Returned by United Kingdom 2 May 1946
Fate: Sold for scrapping
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Antigua (K501)
Namesake: Antigua
Acquired: 4 November 1943
Commissioned: 4 November 1943[2]
Decommissioned: 1945[3]
Fate: Returned to United States, 2 May 1946
General characteristics
Class and type: Colony-class frigate/Tacoma-class patrol frigate
Displacement: 1,264 long tons (1,284 t)
Length: 303 ft 11 in (92.63 m)
Beam: 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)
Draft: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
Propulsion:
  • 3 × boilers
  • 2 × turbines, 5,500 shp (4,100 kW) each
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 190
Armament:

Construction and acquisition

The ship, originally designated a "patrol gunboat," PG-181, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a United States Navy contract as USS Hamond.[1] Laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on 3 April 1943,[2] she was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-73, on 15 April 1943. Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was renamed Antigua by the British prior to launching and was launched on 26 July 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Louise M. Reddick .

Service history

Transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 4 November 1943, the ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS Antigua (K501) on patrol and escort duty until 1945.[3]

Disposal

The United Kingdom returned Antigua to the United States on 2 May 1946. She soon was sold to the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company of Chester, Pennsylvania, for scrapping.

References
Notes
  1. Sources differ on the spelling of the ship's name, with the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: Hamond article spelling it Hamond and Navsource Online: Frigate Photo Archive HMS Antigua (K 501) ex-Hamond ex-PF-73 ex-PG-181 repeating it; other sources (e.g., uboat.net HMS Antigua (K 501)) spell it Hammond.
  2. uboat.net HMS Antigua (K 501)
  3. According to uboat.net HMS Antigua (K 501), Antigua is not listed as an active unit on the October 1945 Navy List, strongly implying that the Royal Navy decommissioned her sometime earlier that year.
Bibliography
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