< Lapeer PC-1138

Lapeer PC-1138

 

Lapeer
(PC-1138 dp. 295, 1. 173'8", b. 23', dr. 8'; s. 20 k.; cpl. 66; a. 1 3", 1 40mm., 5 20 mm., 2 dct., 2 dcp., 2 rkt.; cl.PC-461 )

PC-1138 was laid down by Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Mich., 9 January 1943; launched 19 April 1943, and commissioned at New Orleans' La., 17 September 1943, Lt. Gilbert N. Cooper in command.

After shakedown off Florida, PC-1138 departed New Orleans 14 November escorting LSTs to Coco Solo, arriving 22 November. She sailed 8 December escorting Lueon (ARG-2) to Funafuti, then continued on to the New Hebrides on convoy escort duty. Escort runs from Funafuti continued until 1 May, when she sailed for the Solomons, arriving Florida Island the 6th. She operated on patrol and escort in the Solomons, occasionally sailing to islands to the south, until departing for Ulithi, where she arrived 14 December.

Between December 1944 and July 1945, PC-1188 provided essential escort for ship movements related to the Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns, sailing from Ulithi to the Palaus, Eniwetok, and Guam. She arrived in Pearl Harbor 8 August, and operated out of there until sailing for the west coast 20 May 1946. Atter calling in San Francisco, she reached Astoria, Oreg., 21 June, and there decommissioned 13 September 1946. While berthed in reserve in the Columbia River, she w as named La peer 1 February 1956. Her name was struck from the Naval Register on April 1959 and she was subsequently sold.