Built 1941-1944 Completed 343 | Planned 403 | |
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Operators United States Navy French Navy Brazilian Navy Royal Cambodian Armed Forces National Navy of Uruguay Royal Norwegian Navy Royal Netherlands Navy Hellenic Navy Republic of China Navy Republic of Korea Navy Philippine Navy Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela Republic of Vietnam Navy Succeeded by PC-1610 class submarine chaser | ||
The PC-461 class submarine chasers were a class of 343 submarine chasers built mainly for the US Navy built from 1941-1944. The PC-461s were based primarily on two experimental submarine chasers, the PC-451 and PC-452. While PC-461 began the series, the first of the class to enter service was the PC-471. As part of the Lend-Lease program, 46 ships of this class were transferred to allies of the United States. Fifty-nine PC-461s were converted to other types of patrol vessels. Eight vessels of this class were lost, and one vessel was lost after conversion to a PGM-9 class motor gunboat. Only one PC-461, USS PC-566 commanded by Lieutenant Commander (later Captain) Herbert G. Claudius, actually sank a submarine, U-166, during World War II.
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One member of this class, the USS PC-1264, was one of only two ships in the Navy during World War II that had a mostly African-American crew.
Lend-Lease program
As part of the Lend-Lease program enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a total of 46 PC-461s were lent to allies of the United States. Thirty-two were sent to France, 10+(3 to cannibalized for spare parts+1 to private owner -George Simmonuti- as yacht in 1967) to Venezuela, 8 to Brazil, 1 to Uruguay, 1 to Norway, 1 to the Netherlands, and 1 to Greece.
Post-WWII importance
Following the end of World War II, many PC-461 class ships were placed into reserve squadrons or brought out of active service. Many more however were furnished to American allies around the world, most notably the Republic of Korea.
The first vessel to join the new ROK Navy was former USS PC-823, transferred to the Republic of Korea Navy and renamed ROKS "Baekdusan" (PC-701). The vessel played a major part in the Battle of Korea Strait, the small naval battle fought on the first day of the Korean War in June 1950.
Conversions
Twenty-four PC-461s were converted to patrol gunboats, motor (PGM) and 35 were converted into amphibious control craft (PCC).