HMS Antigua (K501)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Antigua and USS Hammond.

HMS Antigua (K501) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom in commission from 1943 to 1945 ^[3] that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigate USS Hamond (PF-73)^[1] and was transferred prior to completion.

HMS Antigua in 1944.
History
United States
Name	USS Hamond[1]
Namesake	British name assigned in anticipation of ship's transfer to United Kingdom
Builder	Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island
Laid down	3 April 1943[2]
Reclassified	Patrol frigate, PF-73, 15 April 1943
Renamed	Antigua, 1943
Namesake	Antigua
Launched	26 July 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. Louise M. Reddick
Commissioned	never
Fate	Transferred to United Kingdom 4 November 1943
Acquired	Returned by United Kingdom 2 May 1946
Fate	Sold for scrapping
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Antigua (K501)
Namesake	Antigua
Acquired	4 November 1943
Commissioned	4 November 1943[2]
Decommissioned	1945[3]
Fate	Returned to United States, 2 May 1946
General characteristics
Class & type	Colony/Tacoma-class frigate
Displacement	1,264 long tons (1,284 t)
Length	303 ft 11 in (92.63 m)
Beam	37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)
Draft	13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
Propulsion	3 × boilers 2 × turbines, 5,500 shp (4,100 kW) each 2 shafts
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	190
Armament	3 × single 3-inch/50 cal. AA guns 2 × twin 40 mm guns 9 × single 20 mm 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar 8 × Y-gun depth charge projectors 2 × depth charge racks

Construction and acquisition

The ship, originally designated a "patrol gunboat," PG-181, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a United States Navy contract as USS Hamond.^[1] Laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on 3 April 1943,^[2] she was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-73, on 15 April 1943. Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was renamed Antigua by the British prior to launching and was launched on 26 July 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Louise M. Reddick .

Service history

Transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 4 November 1943, the ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS Antigua (K501) on patrol and escort duty until 1945.^[3]

Disposal

The United Kingdom returned Antigua to the United States on 2 May 1946. She soon was sold to the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company of Chester, Pennsylvania, for scrapping.