| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Holmes |
| Namesake | A British name assigned in anticipation of delivery of the ship to the United Kingdom |
| Reclassified | Patrol frigate, PF-81, 15 April 1943 |
| Builder | Walsh-Kaiser Company,Providence,Rhode Island |
| Laid down | 17 August 1943[1] |
| Renamed | Hong Kong, 1943 |
| Namesake | Hong Kong |
| Renamed | Tobago, 1943 |
| Namesake | Tobago |
| Launched | 27 September 1943 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. D. W. Ambridge |
| Commissioned | never |
| Identification | PG-189 |
| Fate | Transferred to the United Kingdom, 12 August 1944 |
| Acquired | Returned by United Kingdom 13 May 1946 |
| Fate |
|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSTobago |
| Namesake | Tobago |
| Acquired | 12 August 1944 |
| Commissioned | 12 August 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 1945[2] |
| Identification | K585 |
| Fate | Returned to United States, 13 May 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Colony/Tacoma-classpatrol frigate |
| Displacement | 1,264long 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 |
|
The fourthHMSTobago (K585), ex-Hong Kong, was aColony-classfrigate of the United Kingdom which served in theRoyal Navy duringWorld War II. She originally was ordered by theUnited States Navy as theTacoma-class patrol frigateUSSHolmes (PF-81) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.
The ship, originally designated a "patrolgunboat,"PG-189, was ordered by theUnited States Maritime Commission under aUnited States Navy contract as the first USSHolmes. She was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-81, on 15 April 1943 andlaid down by theWalsh-Kaiser Company atProvidence,Rhode Island, on 17 August 1943.[1] Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was first renamedHong Kong and thenTobago by the British prior tolaunching and was launched on 27 September 1943, sponsored by Mrs.D. W. Ambridge of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Transferred to the United Kingdom underLend-Lease on 12 August 1944, the ship served in theRoyal Navy as HMSTobago (K585) on patrol and escort duty until 1945.[2]
The United Kingdom returnedTobago to the U.S. Navy on 13 May 1946. She subsequently was sold to theBoston Metals Company ofBaltimore, Maryland, for scrapping, but her scrapping was cancelled and in 1950 she was resold toKhedivial Mail Lines of Alexandria, Egypt, for use as a civilian passenger vessel. She was sunk as ablockship in theSuez Canal in 1956.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
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