USS Long Beach, PF-34
Builder: Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, 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. For those frigates fitted out for weather patrol duty, the after 3-inch gun was removed and a weather balloon hanger was added aft.
History:
The second Long Beach (PF-34) was laid down 19 March 1943 as PG-142, for the Maritime Commission, by Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, CA. Reclassified PF-34 on 15 April 1943, she was launched 5 May 1943 and was sponsored by Mrs. Walter Boyd. The Navy acquired and commissioned her on 8 September 1943 under the command of LCDR T. H. Midtlying, USCG.
Following shakedown off California, Long Beach departed San Diego 12 January 1944 for Cairns, Australia, arriving 17 February. After towing two LCSs from Milne Bay to Cape Sudest, she sailed 16 March escorting Carter Hall (LSD-3) to the landings on Manus in the Admiralties destined to be an essential base for aiding in the ultimate victory over Japan. Returning to Cape Sudest 18 March, Long Beach screened ships around New Guinea and on 19 April took part in the invasion of Aitape. She sailed for the Schoutens 6 August for patrol and shore bombardment duty during cleanup operations against Japanese holdouts in the Biak area, returning to local operations off New Guinea 31 August.
On 5 November Long Beach sailed for newly invaded Leyte guarding a resupply convoy of LSTs, arriving at Leyte Gulf 15 November and returning to New Guinea 21 November. She steered for home 15 December, calling in Panama and reaching Boston 25 January 1945. After overhaul, she left for Alaska 27 March, training enroute at Balboa, Canal Zone. She decommissioned at Cold Bay, Alaska 12 July 1945 and was transferred to the Soviet Navy who commissioned her as the EK-2.
Returned to the United States at Yokosuka, Japan, she lay idle until loaned to Japan for service in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force in November 1953 as Shii (PF-17). On 15 February 1957, the name Long Beach was canceled in order that the name could be reassigned to a powerful nuclear guided-missile cruiser that was then under construction. On 1 September, Shii was reclassified PF-297. Struck from the US. Naval Vessel Register 1 December 1961, PF-34 was transferred to Japan outright 28 August 1962. PF34 saw continuous service in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force as Shii until decommissioned and scrapped in 1967.
Long Beach received four battle stars for World War II service.
Sources:
The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Vol. V, No. 1.
Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1992, pp. 148-149.
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. IV, p. 138.
Richard A. Russell. Project Hula: Secret Soviet-American Cooperation in the War Against Japan. [The U.S. Navy in the Modern World Series, No. 4.] Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center/U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997, pp. 39-40.