| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Manitowoc |
| Namesake | City ofManitowoc, Wisconsin |
| Reclassified | PF-61, 15 April 1943 |
| Builder | Globe Shipbuilding Company,Superior, Wisconsin |
| Laid down | 26 August 1943 |
| Launched | 30 November 1943 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Martin Georgenson |
| Commissioned | 5 December 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 14 March 1946 |
| Fate | Transferred toUS Coast Guard, 14 March 1946 |
| History | |
 United States | |
| Name | Manitowoc |
| Commissioned | 14 March 1946 |
| Decommissioned | 3 September 1946 |
| Fate | Sold to France, 25 March 1947 |
| History | |
 France | |
| Name | Le Brix |
| Namesake | Joseph Le Brix |
| Acquired | 25 March 1947 |
| Reclassified | F715, c. 1952 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1958 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Tacoma-classfrigate |
| 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 |
|
| Speed | 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | 190 |
| Armament |
|
USSManitowoc (PF-61), aTacoma-classfrigate in commission from 1944 to, was the first ship of theUnited States Navy to be named forManitowoc, Wisconsin. After commissioned service in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946. After her Navy service, she served in theUnited States Coast Guard for a few months in 1946. Sold toFrance in 1947, she commissioned into service in theFrench Navy asLe Brix (F715) in 1948 and operated as aweather ship until scrapped in 1958.
Originally designated as a patrol gunboat,PG-169,Manitowoc was reclassified as a patrol frigate,PF-61, on 15 April 1943, and laid down under aMaritime Commission contract by theGlobe Shipbuilding Company inSuperior, Wisconsin, on 26 August 1943;launched on 30 November 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Martin Georgenson; and delivered to theMaritime Commission on 27 September 1944. She was then ferried toNew Orleans, Louisiana via theChicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and theMississippi River for acquisition by the US Navy. She was commissioned on 24 October 1944.
Between 29 October and 5 November 1944,Manitowoc steamed toBoston, Massachusetts, where she was placed out of service on 8 November and converted by theBoston Navy Yard for use as aweather patrol ship. She was then recommissioned at Boston on 5 December, withLieutenant Commander J. A. MartinUSCG commanding and underwentshakedown offBermuda during late December 1944 and early January 1945. After returning to Boston on 20 January 1945, she joinedEscort Division 34 for duty as aweather ship in theNorth Atlantic.
Departing Boston on 2 February, she reachedNS Argentia,Newfoundland on 5 February and the following day undertook her first weather patrol. She relieved theWoonsocket (PF-32) on 8 February and began patrolling her assigned station. Equipped with specialized radio transmitters andmeteorological equipment, she spent two weeks transmitting valuable weather data as the Allies began their final push to defeatNazi Germany. She was relieved on 24 February, returning to Argentia by 26 February.
Before theend of the war in Europe, theManitowoc made two further weather patrols in the North Atlantic, carrying her fromNewfoundland as far east asIceland. She also helped deter the remnants of theKriegsmarinesubmarine fleet from action by patrolling thesea lanes in her area.
After the end of the war in Europe,Manitowoc continued to patrol the North Atlantic, serving primarily as anair-sea rescue ship. Between 29 May 1945 and 10 February 1946 she completed seven such patrols. During a patrol in late July, she provided medical aid for thePanamanian merchantman SSYemasee and on 2 August her medical officer performed an emergencyappendectomy on a crewman from theSwedishmerchant ship SSSan Francisco.
Manitowoc returned from her final patrol on 10 February 1946 and was decommissioned at Boston on 14 March 1946.
Manitowoc was loaned to and immediately recommissioned by theUnited States Coast Guard on the day of her Navy decommissioning with Lieutenant Wesly L. Saunders, USCG, commanding. She then served as a Coast Guard vessel for the next five months, based atNorfolk,Virginia, and New Orleans. The Coast Guard decommissioned her on 3 September 1946.
Manitowoc was sold toFrance on 25 March 1947. After delivery to a representative of theFrench government, she was commissioned in theFrench Navy asLe Brix (F715) and served under the French flag as aweather ship until scrapped in 1958.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
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