USS Grand Forks (PF-11)

USS "Grand Forks" (PF-11), a "Tacoma"-class frigate, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Grand Forks, North Dakota.

"Grand Forks" was launched at the Kaiser Company shipyard in Richmond, California on 27 November 1943, sponsored by Mrs. T. H. Thoreson; and commissioned on 18 March 1944, with Lieutenant Commander Christian W. Peterson, USCG, in command.

After shakedown, on 7 August 1944 "Grand Forks" sailed from San Francisco, California, to take station in the Northern Pacific off the California coast as a plane guard ship, returning to San Francisco on 3 September. She continued on this duty until decommissioning, spending an average of 3 weeks at sea and 2 in port. Late in the night 11 October 1944, "Grand Forks" picked up a distress call from a PB2Y about to make an emergency landing. Sending up flares and star shells to guide the plane through the dark, "Grand Forks" rescued 15 crewmen and passengers from the sea, as well as 114 sacks of mail.

While in port from guard duty on 31 May 1945, "Grand Forks" was toured by several members of the American delegation to the San Francisco Peace Conference, including Secretary of State and Mrs. Edward Stettinius, Nelson Rockefeller, and Alger Hiss.

She continued on plane guard duty until 19 March 1946 and then sailed from San Francisco to Charleston, South Carolina, where she decommissioned on 16 May 1946. "Grand Forks" was stricken from the Navy Register on 19 June 1946; sold to J. C. Berkwit & Company of New York on 19 May 1947, and scrapped starting on 1 November 1947.

References

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/g7/grand_forks.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Grand Forks"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/08011.htm navsource.org: USS "Grand Forks"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/patrol/pf11.htm hazegray.org: USS "Grand Forks"]