USS Sturdy (PC-460)

USS Sturdy (PC-460/PYc-50) was a yacht converted to a patrol boat acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of patrolling the coastal waters of the U.S. East Coast during World War II. Her primary task was to guard the coastal area against German submarines.

For other ships with the same name, see USS Sturdy.
History
United States
Ordered: as Elda
Laid down: 1930
Launched: 1930
Acquired: 4 September 1940
Commissioned: 16 October 1940
Decommissioned: 20 November 1944
Stricken: 27 November 1944
Fate: fate unknown
General characteristics
Displacement: 330 tons
Length: 154 ft (47 m)
Beam: 24 ft (7.3 m)
Draught: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Speed: 17 knots

The second ship to be named Sturdy by the Navy, ex-Elda was built in 1930 by the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp., Morris Heights, Bronx, New York. The yacht was purchased from Mr. Arthur Davis of New York City on 4 September 1940 and converted for Navy use by the New York Navy Yard. She was commissioned as PC-460 on 16 October 1940.

World War II service

PC-460 was assigned to the Panama Canal Zone for patrol duty at Balboa and arrived there on 13 November 1940.

On the night of 24 January 1942 PC-460 accidentally rammed and sank the submarine USS S-26. After escorting a division of four S-Class submarines out of the harbor of Balboa, Panama on the Pacific Ocean side of the Panama Canal, PC-460 executed a 180 degree turn to return to port. Although PC-460 did signal her intentions, the message was received by only one submarine in the formation and not the S-26. Although PC-460 noticed S-26 prior the collision and attempted to back her engines and made evasive maneuvers, the two vessels collided. S-26 was struck amidships on her starboard side and sank within seconds. Three men on S-26's bridge survived – the captain, his executive officer and a look-out. Three officers and 43 crew members of S-26 were killed. [1]

On 10 February 1942, PC-460 was assigned to the Panama Sea Frontier.

On 31 January 1943, she sailed to Mobile, Alabama, for extensive repairs after which she returned to Panama. On 15 July 1943, she was named Sturdy and redesignated PYc-50.

Sturdy steamed to Key West, Florida, for repairs and an overhaul in October 1944. She was under repair on the 29th when it was decided that she should be disposed of and all work was ordered stopped. Sturdy was transferred to the 7th Naval District for disposition.

Decommissioning

Sturdy was decommissioned on 20 November 1944 and struck from the Navy list on 27 November 1944.

Awards
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See also

References
  1. "Submarine Casualties Booklet". U.S. Naval Submarine School. 1966. Retrieved 2009-09-08. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entries can be found here and here.

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