USS Pocatello, PF-9

March 18, 2021 PRINT | E-MAIL

USS Pocatello, PF-9 

Photo of Pocatello

Photo taken of USS Pocatello from CGC Haida during Haida’s relief of Pocatello on Weather Station Able (1500 miles west of the Strait of Juan de Fuca) in 1944.  Photo provided by Peter K. DeSomma whose father, Anthony E. DeSomma, was a Pocatello plankowner. He served aboard her from the time Pocatello was under construction through her decommissioning and scrapping after the war.

A city in Bannock County, southeast Idaho. 

Builder:  Kaiser Cargo, Inc., Richmond, CA

Length:  303' 11"

Beam:  37' 6"

Draft:  12' 8" fl

Displacement: 2,415 tons

Propulsion:  2-shaft VTE, 3 boilers

Range:  9,500 nm at 12 knots

Top speed:  20 knots

Complement:  190

Armament: 3 x 3"/50; 4 x 40mm (2x2); 4 x 20mm;    

HISTORY:

The frigate Pocatello (PF-9), originally classified as a PG, was laid down 17 August 1943 at Kaiser Yard No. 4, Richmond, California.  She was launched 17 October 1943 and was sponsored by Miss Thelma Dixey, a great granddaughter of Chief Pocatello.  She was commissioned at Richmond 18 February 1944 and LCDR S. C. Guill, USCG was placed in command.  LCDR H. H. Horrocks, Jr., USCGR assumed command on 7 May 1945 and he in turn was replaced with LCDR John D. Winn on 6 September 1945.

After fitting out at General Engineering and Drydock Co., Alameda, Calif. and shakedown out of San Diego through 28 April Pocatello was assigned to Commander, Western Sea Frontier, and directed to commence weather station operations out of Seattle, Wash.  Departing San Francisco 17 May, she arrived Seattle 22 June.  One month later she commenced her first patrol on Weather Station Able. Pocatello's weather station was approximately 1,500 miles west of Seattle. Patrols consisted of thirty days at sea followed by ten days in port at Seattle.  Pocatello alternated on station with the Coast Guard cutter Haida, and had completed a dozen patrols by the war's end.  Pocatello was then laid up on the west coast.  Scheduled for disposal, she shifted to Charleston, S.C., arriving 6 April 1946, and decommissioning there 2 May.  Pocatello was subsequently sold at Charleston to J,C, Berkwit and Co. of New York.

SOURCES:

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. V, p. 334.

The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Vol. V, No. 1, p. 141.