HMS Sarawak (K591)

HMS Sarawak (K591) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigate USS Patton (PF-87) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.

History
United States
Name: Patton
Namesake: British name assigned in anticipation of ship's transfer to United Kingdom
Reclassified: Patrol frigate, PF-87, 15 April 1943
Builder: Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island
Laid down: 29 September 1943
Renamed: Sarawak, 1943
Namesake: Sarawak
Launched: 25 October 1943
Identification: PG-195
Fate: Transferred to United Kingdom, 7 February 1944
Acquired: Returned by United Kingdom, 31 May 1946
Fate: Scrapped, 1947
United Kingdom
Name: Sarawak
Namesake: Sarawak
Commissioned: 7 February 1944
Decommissioned: 1945
Identification: Pennant number: K591
Fate: Returned to United States, 31 May 1946
General characteristics
Class and type: Colony/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-195, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a United States Navy contract as USS Patton. She was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-87, on 15 April 1943 and laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on 29 September 1943.[1][Note 1] Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was renamed Sarawak by the British prior to launching and was launched on 25 October 1943.[3] She was completed on 7 February 1944.[1]

Service history

Transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 7 February 1944, the ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS Sarawak (K591)[1][Note 2] until decommissioned in 1945.[4]

Disposal

The United Kingdom returned Sarawak to the U.S. Navy on 31 May 1946. She was scrapped in 1947.[1]

References

Notes
  1. Uboat.net and Friedman give 28 September 1943.[2][3]
  2. Friedman gives a date of 25 July 1944.[3]

Citations
  1. Lenton 1998, p. 291
  2. uboat.net HMS Sarawak (K 591)
  3. Friedman 1987, p. 466
  4. According to uboat.net HMS Sarawak (K 591), Sarawak 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
  • Friedman, Norman (1987). U.S. Small Combatants, including PT-Boats, Subchasers and the Brown-Water Navy: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-713-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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