The American Flower-class corvettes were those ships of the Royal Navy's built for, or operated by, the United States Navy during World War II. These were ten ships of the original Flower class, known as the Temptress class in US service, and fifteen Modified Flowers, as the Action class. In US service they were classified as Patrol Gunboats (PG).
Construction history In December 1941, after the US entry into World War II, the USN had a large building programme for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships, but none nearing completion. To overcome this shortfall, the Royal Navy agreed to transfer a number of ASW ships to the USN, including ten s. These ships had already been in commission and had seen action during the Battle of the Atlantic.Elliott p. 420
These ships were classified as Patrol Gunboats, and numbered PG 62 to 71, and were referred to as the Temptress class, after the first ship to be recommissioned.
The USN also placed orders for 15 more Flowers from Canadian shipyards. This was met by transferring a number of vessels on order for the RN to USN. These ships were of the Modified Flower type, a design which consolidated the various modifications developed in the course of building the original Flowers.
In the event the USN only took charge of eight of these ships; the other seven were transferred back to the RN under Lend-Lease arrangements.
The US ships were numbered PG 86 to 100 and were referred to as the Action class.
The Temptress class were armed with a 4-inch gun forward, a /50 dual-purpose (DP) gun aft, two 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, two depth charge racks, and four depth charge throwers. The Action class replaced the 4-inch gun with another 3-inch/50 cal. DP gun, and added a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar.Silverstone, Paul H.(1966): U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company, pg. 243-246
Temptress class The ten ships of the Temptress class were originally built for the Royal Navy and saw service there before transfer to the USN.Elliott p. 421 + Construction data USN name Number RN name Pennant Builder Completed Transferred Fate USS Temptress PG-62 K37 Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees 18 Feb 1941 16 Feb 1942 Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945 USS Surprise PG-63 K03 John Crown & Sons Ltd, Sunderland 12 Sept 1940 24 Mar 1942 Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945 USS Spry PG-64 K24 Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast 21 May 1940 2 May 1942 Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945 USS Saucy PG-65 K73 Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast 5 Apr 1940 30 Apr 1942 Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945 and recommissioned as Snapdragon USS Restless PG-66 K55 Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast 8 Apr 1940 15 Mar 1942 Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945 USS Ready PG-67 K28 Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast 6 May 1940 12 Mar 1942 Returned to RN 23 Aug 1945 USS Impulse PG-68 K66 Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley 8 Mar 1941 10 Mar 1942 Returned to RN 22 Aug 1945 USS Fury PG-69 K82 Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley 4 Jan 1941 17 Mar 1942 Returned to RN 22 Aug 1945 USS Courage PG-70 K15 Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast 4 Jun 1940 3 Apr 1942 Returned to RN 23 Aug 1945 USS Tenacity PG-71 K09 Grangemouth Dry Dock Co., Grangemouth 16 Oct 1940 4 Mar 1942 Returned to RN 26 Aug 1945
Action class The fifteen ships of the Action class were originally ordered for the Royal Navy but transferred before completion to the United States Navy. On completion eight entered service with the USN while the other seven were transferred back to the RN under Lend-lease.Elliott p. 422
Served in USN + Action-class ships transferred to the US Navy USN name Number RN name Pennant Builder Completed To USN Fate PG-86 HMS Comfrey K277 Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood 22 Nov 1942 22 Nov 1942 Sold 6 Feb 1946 PG-87 HMS Cornel K278 Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood 10 Dec 1942 10 Dec 1942 Sold 22 Sept 1945 PG-89 HMS Flax K284 Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston 6 Dec 1942 6 Dec 1942 Sold 18 Oct 1946 PG-92 HMS Mandrake K287 Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland 6 Apr 1943 6 Apr 1943 Sold 1949 PG-93 HMS Milfoil K288 Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland 31 Mar 1943 31 Mar 1943 Sold PG-94 HMS Musk K289 Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland 22 Dec 1942 22 Dec 1942 Sold PG-95 HMS Nepeta K290 Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland 22 Dec 1942 22 Dec 1942 Sold 18 Oct 1946 PG-96 HMS Privet K291 Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland 16 Aug 1943 16 Aug 1943 Sold 1949
Transferred to RN + Action-class ships of the US Navy returned to the Royal Navy USN name Number RN name Pennant Builder Completed To RN Fate USS Beacon PG-88 K279 Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood 31 May 1943 same day Returned to USN 20 Jun 1946 USS Caprice PG-90 K285 Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston 28 Mar 1943 28 Mar 1943 Returned to USN 20 Jun 1946 USS Clash PG-91 K282 Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland 19 Jun 1943 19 Jun 1943 Returned to USN 27 Jul 1946 USS Splendor PG-97 K286 Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood Returned to USN 20 Mar 1946 USS Tact PG-98 K280 Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood 21 Jun 1943 21 Jun 1943 Returned to USN 5 Jan 1946 USS Vim PG-99 K281 Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood 20 Sep 1943 20 Sep 1943 Returned to USN 21 Jun 1946 USS Vitality PG-100 K283 Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland 30 Aug 1943 30 Aug 1943 Returned to USN 11 Jun 1946
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