USS Tacoma, PF-3

A city and port on the coast of Puget Sound in the west central part of the state of Washington. Tacoma is the seat of Pierce County.

Builder:  Kaiser Cargo, Inc., Richmond, CA

Length:  303' 11"

Beam:  37' 6"

Draft:  12' 8" fl

Displacement: 2,230 tons

Propulsion:  2-shaft VTE, 3 boilers

Range:  9,500 nm at 12 knots

Top speed:  20 knots

Complement:  190

Armament: 3 x 3"/50; 4 x 40mm (2x2); 9 x 20mm; 1 x Hedgehog, 8 x depth charge projectors; 2 x depth charge racks.

HISTORY:

The third naval vessel named Tacoma was laid down at Richmond, Calif., on 10 March 1943 by Kaiser Cargo, Inc., under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1421) as PG-111; redesignated PF-3 on 15 April 1943; named Tacoma on 5 May 1943; launched on 7 July 1943; sponsored by Mrs. A. R. Bergersen ; and commissioned on 6 November 1943, Lt. Comdr. Adrian F. Werner, USCG, in command.

After completing shakedown training off the California coast in December, Tacoma reported for duty as a training ship in January 1944. She trained prospective frigate crews until 27 June, when she was ordered to proceed to Alaskan waters upon completion of sea trials. However, she was plagued by unsuccessful trials and a boiler room fire and, consequently, did not report for duty at Kodiak, Alaska, until 21 October. For the next four months, Tacoma conducted antisubmarine patrols and escorted supply ships and transports along the Alaskan coast and between the various islands of the Aleutians chain, visiting Attu, Adak, Dutch Harbor, and other smaller Alaskan ports.

On 23 February 1945, she departed Dutch Harbor and sailed south for an extensive overhaul, first at San Francisco, then at Bremerton, Wash., to prepare her for transfer to the Soviet Union.  On 10 July, the frigate returned to Alaska, at Cold Bay, and began familiarization training with her prospective Russian crew. She was decommissioned at Cold Bay on 16 August and transferred to the Soviet Navy, in which she served over four years as EK-12.

The frigate was returned to the United States on 16 October 1949 at Yokosuka, Japan. She remained there out of commission, in a caretaker status, until the outbreak of hostilities in Korea late in June 1950.  She then served off Korea with a US Navy crew during the war.  On 9 October 1951, Tacoma was transferred to the Republic of Korea (ROK). She served in the ROK Navy as Taedong (PF--63) until 28 February 1973, when she was decommissioned and returned to the United States Navy. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 2 April 1973, and she was subsequently donated to the ROK Navy as a museum and training ship.

SOURCES:

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. VII, p. 8.