Ordered as Elda Acquired 4 September 1940 Decommissioned 20 November 1944 Construction started 1930 Length 47 m Displacement 299,400 kg | Laid down 1930 Commissioned 16 October 1940 Struck 27 November 1944 Launched 1930 Weight 335.3 tons Draft 2.59 m | |
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USS Sturdy (PC-460/PYc-50) was a yacht converted to a patrol boat acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of patrolling the coastal waters of the U.S. East Coast during World War II. Her primary task was to guard the coastal area against German submarines.
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The second ship to be named Sturdy by the Navy, ex-Elda was built in 1930 by the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp., Morris Heights, Bronx, New York. The yacht was purchased from Mr. Arthur Davis of New York City on 4 September 1940 and converted for Navy use by the New York Navy Yard. She was commissioned as PC-460 on 16 October 1940.
World War II service
PC-460 was assigned to the Panama Canal Zone for patrol duty and arrived there on 13 November 1940. On 24 January 1942 PC-460 mistook submarine USS S-26 (SS-131) at night for a German U-boat. PC-460 rammed and sank her in the Gulf of Panama, with the loss of 46 men. Three men in S-26's conning tower survived - the captain, his executive officer and a look-out. On 10 February 1942, she was assigned to the Panama Sea Frontier.
On 31 January 1943, she sailed to Mobile, Alabama, for extensive repairs after which she returned to Panama. On 15 July 1943, she was named Sturdy and redesignated PYc-50.
Sturdy steamed to Key West, Florida, for repairs and an overhaul in October 1944. She was under repair on the 29th when it was decided that she should be disposed of and all work was ordered stopped. Sturdy was transferred to the 7th Naval District for disposition.
Decommissioning
Sturdy was decommissioned on 20 November 1944 and struck from the Navy list on 27 November 1944.