USS Machias (PF-53)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Machias.

File:USS Machias (PF-53) at anchor.jpg USS Machias ca. March 1944
History
USA
Name	USS Machias
Namesake	Machias, Maine
Builder	Froemming Brothers, Inc., Milawukee, Wisconsin
Laid down	8 May 1943
Launched	22 August 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. W. Richard Bernays
Commissioned	29 March 1944
Decommissioned	12 July 1945
Reclassified	From patrol gunboat, PG-161, to patrol frigate, PF-53, 15 April 1943
Stricken	1 December 1961
Honors and awards	Two battle stars for World War II
Fate	Loaned to the Soviet Union, 13 July 1945-October 1949 Loaned to Japan, 14 January 1953-28 August 1962 Transferred to Japan 28 August 1962
History
USSR
Name	EK-9
Acquired	13 July 1945
Fate	Returned to United States October 1949
History
Japan
Name	Nara (PF-2)
Acquired	On loan 14 January 1953 Via outright transfer 28 August 1962
Decommissioned	31 March 1966
Reclassified	PF-282 1 September 1957 YTE-3 31 March 1966
Fate	Sold for scrapping 1969
Notes	In non-commissioned service as non-self-propelled pierside training ship from 31 March 1966
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 6 in (11.43 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

The second USS Machias (PF-53) was a United States Navy Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 which later served in the Soviet Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Construction and commissioning

Machias originally was authorized as a patrol gunboat with the hull number PG-161, but she was redesignated as a patrol frigate with the hull number PF-53 on 15 April 1943. She was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract as a Maritime Commission Type T.S2-S2-AQ1 hull on 8 April 1943 by Froemming Brothers, Inc., at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was launched on 22 August 1943, sponsored by Mrs. W. Richard Bernays, and commissioned on 29 March 1944.

Service history

World War II, 1944-1945

Ready for sea duty by 17 July 1944, Machias patrolled off the Middle Atlantic states and escorted a convoy to Aruba in the Netherlands West Indies before joining Escort Division 33 at Norfolk, Virginia, on 13 August 1944. With that division, she steamed to New York City to become a unit of Task Group 70.7, then assembling to depart for the Pacific Ocean.

The task group departed New York on 16 August 1944, and by 28 August 1944 it had transited the Panama Canal en route to Bora Bora. On 25 September 1944, Machias left the convoy to escort the Royal Navy infantry landing ships HMS Empire Arquebus and HMS Empire Battleaxe to the New Hebrides Islands and the Solomon Islands to disembark troops. She rejoined her escort division at Morotai on 23 October 1944 and commenced antisubmarine patrols in the waters surrounding the Molucca Islands.

On 15 November 1944, following a brief stay at Mios Woendi for boiler repairs, Machias steamed with her escort division for the Philippine Islands. She arrived on 18 November 1944 and, after further repairs, took up antisubmarine patrols off Mindanao, primarily in Surigao Strait. She continued in this role until 4 December 1944, when she returned to convoy escort duty. For the next three months she escorted ships and carried military personnel to and from New Guinea, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, and the Caroline Islands.

Machias departed Eniwetok for Seattle, Washington, on 19 March 1945 for an overhaul at Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Washington. Upon completion of her overhaul in mid‑June 1944, she proceeded to Cold Bay, Territory of Alaska. She was decommissioned at Cold Bay on 12 July 1945 in anticipation of her transfer to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease.

Soviet Navy, 1945–1949

On 13 July 1945, Machias was transferred to the Soviet Union. She served in the Soviet Navy as the patrol vessel EK-9 until October 1949, when she was returned to the custody of the U.S. Navy at Yokosuka Naval Base at Yokosuka, Japan.

Japanese Navy, 1953–1971

Machias remained at Yokosuka, in a caretaker status, until 14 January 1953, when she was loaned to Japan. She served the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force as Nara (PF-2). Nara was redesignated PF-282 on 1 September 1957.

Machias's name was stricken from the Navy List on 1 December 1961, and Nara was transferred outright to Japan on 28 August 1962. Decommissioned on 31 March 1966, Nara was redesignated YTE-3 that day and entered non-commissioned service as a non-self-propelled pierside training ship. She was sold for scrapping in 1969.

Honors and awards

Machias earned two battle stars for World War II aervice.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships: USS Machias (PF-53), 1944-1953
• NavSource Online: Frigate Photo Archive: Machias (PF 53) ex-PG-161