RN vessels loaned to the USN

C

Collin

Charter Member
There have been a number of instances of RN ships loaned to the USN during WW2. USS Robin in a previous thread, HMS Illustrious similar to Victorious worked alongside USS Saratoga for a short while. But have you heard of the fast minelayer loaned out in 44?

This was HMS Ariadne, an Abdiel class minelayer.

[FONT=&quot]1 9 4 4[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]January Home Fleet deployment in continuation.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Nominated for loan service with US Navy in Pacific.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Embarked mines at Milford Haven.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]February Worked-up for foreign service.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Passage to [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Pearl Harbour via Panama.[/FONT] See Naval Staff History (MINING).
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]March Commenced loan service with US Navy.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]April Prepared for operational duties with 7th US Fleet[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]May Deployed with US 7th Fleet.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Nominated for minelay off [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Wewak[/FONT][FONT=&quot], New Guinea in support of Operation RECKLESS[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] (See WAR WITH [/FONT][FONT=&quot]JAPAN[/FONT] (HMSO).)

[FONT=&quot]June Passage to Manus for deployment with US Task Force 75.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 19th Carried out lay of 146 mines off Wewak.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 20th Returned to Manus on completion.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]July US Navy loan service in SW Pacific in continuation[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]to[/FONT][FONT=&quot] (See HISTORY OF US NAVAL OPERATIONS by Samuel E Morison.)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]August Nominated for use as Assault Troop Carrier during landings in [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Philippines after[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] completion of minelay in Wewak harbour.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Passage to Wewak from Manus.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]September[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 1st Carried out minelay and returned to Manus on completion.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Converted for new role.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]October Deployed with Amphibious Force VH and took part in preparatory exercises.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 20th Took part in landing operations at [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Leyte[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]
to (Note: HM Australian Cruisers AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE, HM Australian​
22nd Destroyers ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, HM Australian Frigate GASCOYNE​
and HM Australian Landing Ships (Infantry) WESTRALIA, MANOORA and​
KANIMBLA also took part. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HM90).)​
[FONT=&quot] 23rd Present during action by US Navy against Japanese warships in [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Gulf of [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Leyte[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] to See above reference.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 26th[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]November Loan service with US Navy in continuation based at Manus.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 15th Embarked [/FONT][FONT=&quot]US troops at Morotai for passage to [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Pegun[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Island in Mapia Group with US[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] destroyers USS SHAW, USS CALWELL and USS WILMARTH to establish a weather[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] and LORAN (Navigational Radio) stations. See above reference.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]December Loan service with US Navy in continuation.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 9 4 5[/FONT]​
​
[FONT=&quot]January Recalled to [/FONT][FONT=&quot]UK[/FONT][FONT=&quot] for RN minelaying duties.[/FONT]
Click to expand...

She was awarded a battle honour for Leyte Gulf.

There's also the 24 trawlers:-
http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?p=112770

"River" class frigates-
HMS Adur - USS Asheville 1/12/42
HMS Annan - USS Natchez

I expect there's more, its just that this has been forgotten except to the crews involved.

regards Collin:ernae:
 
I think I also read some Flower class corvettes were in US service, although I also believe they were manned by USN crews. I'll have to check.:salute:
 
Yep, far as I can tell - "reverse" lend lease for about 20 Flowers and a few River class. The USN called them gunboats. Looks like all were crewed by Yanks and returned to their owners after the war.
 
Yup my Dad a CPO served on-board the USCG Campbell and held a "Filed Commission as a 2nd Lt. in the USMC, 2nd Marine Raider Div" the Campbell another ship "can't remember the name" and the Gun Boat Charleston ran raids up and down the island in the South Pacific.

The Charleston also provided naval gunfire support in the Aleutian Campaign. My Dad was a sporter for her and the Campbell.

Skipsan :kilroy:
 
Pix here Skip - Is this the Charleston he served on?

BTW - Why not post your DP changes on SOH. SimV having issues at the moment:wiggle:
 
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