The commissioning ceremonies complete, the captain of the USS Impulse (PG-68) addresses the ship's crew on March 16, 1942 at Albert Docks
Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, by Smith, J.H. (Lt),The commissioning ceremonies complete, the captain of the USS Impulse (PG-68) addresses the ship’s crew on March 16, 1942 at Albert Docks.
USS Courage
Built 1939 as the “Flower Class” corvette HMS Pansy by Harland and Wolff Ltd., Belfast, Northern Ireland
Launched 20 April 1940
Renamed Heartsease (K 15) and commissioned 4 June 1940
Acquired by the U.S. Navy 18 March 1942
Commissioned USS Courage (PG-70), 3 April 1942
Decommissioned 22 August 1945 at Harwich, England and returned to the Royal Navy 23 August 1945
Struck from the Naval Register 17 September 1945
Sold into Merchant service 22 July 1946
Acquired in 1951 by Johan C. Giertsen and Co. A/S of Bergen, Norway and renamed Roskva
Acquired in 1956 by Statius Jansens Rederi A/S of Bergen and renamed Douglas in 1956
Acquired in 1958 by Carrara y Cia of Panama and renamed Seabird in 1958
Lost in December 1958 in an air raid North of Celebes when en route from the Philippines for North Celebes with supplies for rebel forces.
USS Fury
Laid down in 1941 as the “Flower Class” corvette HMS Larkspur (K 82) by Fleming and Ferguson, Paisley, Scotland
Launched 5 September 1940
Transferred to the U.S. Navy and commissioned USS Fury (PG-69), 17 March 1942 at Liverpool, England
Decommissioned 22 August 1945 at Harwich, England and returned to the Royal Navy
Struck from the Naval Register 17 September 1945
Sold in 1946 to Wheelock Marden and Co., Ltd., Hong Kong, BCC and renamed Larkslock
Scrapped at Hong Kong in February 1953.
USS Impulse
Laid down as HMS Begonia (K 66) by Cook, Welton and Gemmill, Hull (Beverly), England
Launched 18 September 1940
Transferred to the U.S. Navy 10 March 1942
Commissioned USS Impulse (PG-68), 16 March 1942 at London, England
Decommissioned 22 August 1945 at Harwich, England and returned to the Royal Navy
Struck from the Naval Register 17 September 1945
Sold 22 July 1946 and renamed Begonlock
Sold in 1949 to Luzuriag Shipyards of Abaltzisketa, Spain and renamed Fundiciones Molinao
Renamed Astiluzu in 1951
Acquired by Naviera Compostela S.A. and renamed Rio Mero in 1956
Ran aground 21 January 1970 off Almeria, Spain and foundered
Scrapped in place.
USS Ready
Laid down 30 October 1939 as the “Flower Class” corvette HMS Calendula (K 28) by Harland and Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Northern Ireland
Launched in February 1940
Transferred to the U.S. Navy and commissioned USS Ready (PG-67), 12 March 1942 at Tilburg, England
Decommissioned 20 August 1945 at Harwich, England
Returned to the Royal Navy 23 August 1945
Struck from the Naval Register 17 September 1945
Sold 22 July 1946 and renamed Viklkla Cisernos
Renamed Villa Bens in 1949
Sold to the Spanish Government in 1963
Fate unknown.
USS Restless
Laid down by Harland and Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Northern Ireland for the French Navy but taken over by Great Britain with the fall of France and named HMS Periwinkle (K 55)
Launched 21 February 1940
Transferred to the U.S. Navy and commissioned USS Restless (PG-66), 15 March 1942
Decommissioned 20 August 1945 at Chatham, England
Returned to the Royal Navy 26 August 1945
Struck from the Naval Register 17 September 1945
Sold into mercantile service in 1947 as SS Perilock
Scrapped in 1953 at Hong Kong.
USS Spry
Laid down in 1941 by Harland and Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Northern Ireland for the French Navy but taken over with the fall of France and named HMS Hibiscus (K 24)
Launched 6 April 1940
Transferred to the U.S. Navy at Leith, Scotland 2 May 1942 and commissioned USS Spry (PG-64) the same day
Decommissioned 20 August 1945 at Chatham, England
Returned to the Royal Navy 26 August 1945
Struck from the Navy Register 17 September 1945
Sold into mercantile service in 1947 by the British and renamed Madonna
Sold for scrap in 1955 at Hong Kong.
USS Surprise
Laid down 23 October 1939 by John Crown and Sons Ltd., Sunderland, England for the French Navy but taken over by Great Britain with the fall of France
Launched 5 June 1940
Commissioned HMS Heliotrope (K 03), 12 September 1940
Transferred to the U.S. Navy at Hull, England 24 March 1942 and commissioned USS Surprise (PG-63) the same day
Rescues survivors of the tanker William Boyce Thompson torpedoed by the German submarine U-185 on 7 July 1943 off the coast of Brazil at 04º00’S, 36º00’W and on 8 July 1943 takes off the remaining crew members and Armed Guard off the freighter Thomas Sinnickson which the U-185 also torpedoed 7 July 1943, then scuttles her
Decommissioned 20 August 1945 at Chatham, England
Returned to the Royal Navy 26 August 1945
Struck from the Navy Register 17 September 1945
Served in the British merchant service as Heliolock in 1946
Sold to Taiwan in 1947 and renamed Ziang Teh
Fell into the hands of the Communist Chinese and renamed Lin I
Broken up in 1950.
USS Temptress
Built by Smith’s Dock Co., Ltd., South Bank-on-Tees, England (YN 1085)
Ordered for the French Navy, 31 August 1939
Taken over by Great Britain with the fall of France
Laid down, 09 July 1940
Launched, 17 October 1940
Placed in service by the Royal Navy as HMS Veronica (K 37), 18 February 1941
Decommissioned and transferred to the US Navy, 16 February 1942
Commissioned USS Temptress (PG-62) in England, 21 March 1942
Decommissioned at Chatham, England, 20 August 1945
Returned to the Royal Navy and recommissioned HMS Veronica (K 37), 26 August 1945
Struck from the Naval Register, 17 September 1945
Decommissioned, 19 September 1945
Sold to Wheelock, Marden & Co., Ltd., London, and converted to cargo vessel, 1946
Entered mercantile service as Verolock (B181525), November 1946
Wrecked in tow at L’Aber Wrac’h, France, 12 January 1947
