USS Charlottesville

History
USA
Name	USS Charlottesville
Ordered	as PG-133
Builder	Walter Butler Shipbuilding Company, Superior, Wisconsin
Laid down	12 May 1943
Launched	30 July 1943
Commissioned	10 April 1944
Decommissioned	12 July 1945
Reclassified	PF-25, 15 April 1943
Honors and awards	2 battle stars (World War II)
Fate	Loaned to the Soviet Union 1945-1949 Loaned to Japan, 1953-1972
History
USSR
Name	EK-1
Acquired	13 July 1945
Fate	Returned to United States, 17 October 1949
History
Japan
Name	Matsu (PF-286)
Acquired	14 January 1953
Decommissioned	31 March 1969
Reclassified	YAS-36 (Auxiliary Service Craft), 31 March 1966
Fate	Returned to United States, 12 July 1972
General characteristics
Class and type	Tacoma-class frigate
Displacement	1,430 long tons (1,453 t) light 2,415 long tons (2,454 t) full
Length	303 ft 11 in (92.63 m)
Beam	37 ft 11 in (11.56 m)
Draft	13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
Propulsion	2 × 5,500 shp (4,101 kW) turbines 3 boilers 2 shafts
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	190
Armament	• 3 × 3"/50 caliber guns (3×1) • 4 × 40 mm guns (2×2) • 9 × 20 mm guns (9×1) • 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar • 8 × Y-gun depth charge projectors • 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Charlottesville (PF-25), a Tacoma-class frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Charlottesville, Virginia.

Charlottesville (PF-25) was launched on 30 July 1943 by Walter Butler Shipbuilding Company in Superior, Wisconsin, under a Maritime Commission contract, sponsored by Mrs. J. E. Gleason, wife of the mayor of Charlottesville; and commissioned on 10 April 1944, with Lieutenant W. F. Cass, USCG, in command.

Service history

World War II, 1944–1945

Departing New York City on 18 August 1944, Charlottesville arrived at Finschhafen, New Guinea, on 29 September by way of Bora Bora in the Society Islands. She operated on convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol duty between New Guinea and the Philippines until 6 March 1945 when she departed Leyte for Seattle, Washington, arriving there on 15 June.

Soviet Navy, 1945–1949

Following the training of Russian personnel in the operation of the ship, Charlottesville was decommissioned on 12 July 1945 and transferred to the Soviet Union the next day under Lend-Lease. The ship was returned to United States custody on 17 October 1949 at Yokosuka, Japan, and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Yokosuka.

Japanese Navy, 1953–1972

Charlottesville was lent to Japan on 14 January 1953 and renamed Matsu. Decommissioned on 31 March 1969, she was returned to U.S. custody on 12 July 1972. Fate unknown.

Charlottesville received two battle stars for service in World War II.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Charlottesville at NavSource Naval History
• hazegray.org: USS Charlottesville