SC-497-class submarine chaser

USS SC-661
Class overview
Operators:
Preceded by: Protoytpe submarine chaser USS SC-453
Succeeded by: SC-1466 class
Built: 1941-1944
Planned: 475
Completed: 438
Cancelled: 37
Active: 0
Lost: 17
Preserved: 1
General characteristics
Type: Submarine chaser
Displacement: 98 tons
Length: 110 ft 10 in (34 m)
Beam: 17 ft 11.5 in (5 m)
Draft: 10 ft 10 in (3 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × 1,540 or 880 hp (1,150 or 660 kW) General Motors 8-268A 2-stroke diesel engines
  • 2 × shafts
Speed: 15.6 or 21 knots (28.9 or 38.9 km/h; 18.0 or 24.2 mph)
Complement: 3 officers, 25 enlisted
Armament: Varies over time
Armor: Wooden hull

The SC-497-class submarine chasers were a class of 438 submarine chasers built primarily for the United States Navy from 1941-1944.[1] The SC-497s were based on the experimental submarine chaser, USS SC-453. Production began in 1941 and continued until they were succeeded by the SC-1466-class submarine chaser in 1944.

History

The SC-497s were off-shore patrol and anti-submarine warfare vessels. Seventy of the SC-497s were converted into patrol control crafts (SCC), 18 were converted into coastal minesweepers (AMC), and 8 were converted into patrol gunboats, motor (PGM).[2]

Sixteen SC-497s were lost and another one was lost after her conversion into a PGM-1-class motor gunboat.[2][3]

Despite the large number of SC-497s, none are credited with destroying an enemy ship. (USS SC-669 is sometimes incorrectly credited with sinking the Japanese submarine RO-107 on 29 May 1943,[2] but RO-107 was still active on 6 July 1943.[4])

During World War II, 142 SC-497-class submarine chasers were lent to allies of the United States as part of the Lend-Lease program. Seventy-eight were sent to the Soviet Union, 50 to France, 8 to Brazil, 3 to Norway, and 3 to Mexico.[2][1] The three Norwegian examples served with distinction on the Shetland bus service, running agents, refugees and weapons past the German blockade between occupied Norway and Britain.

Survivors

HNoMS Hitra (ex-USS SC-718) is preserved at the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum. Some remains of HNoMS Hessa (ex-USS SC-683) and HNoMS Vigra (ex-USS SC-1061) can be seen near the coast of Sweden.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Submarine Chaser (SC) Index, retrieved 21 March 2009
  2. 1 2 3 4 Information on WWII SCs, retrieved 21 March 2009
  3. ↑ Submarine chasers: SC-497 class, retrieved 21 March 2009
  4. ↑ HIJMS Submarine RO-107: Tabular Record of Movement, retrieved 21 March 2009
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