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This Coast Guard manned patrol frigate of the US Navy is named after El Paso, a city situated in Western Texas and along the border with New Mexico and Chihuahua, Mexico.
El Paso (PF - 41) was launched 16 July 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Wilmington, CA, under a Maritime Commission contract. She was sponsored by Mrs. J. L. Kaster and commissioned 1 December 1943. CDR R. J. Borromey, USCG, was given command.
Sailing from San Diego 20 February 1944, El Paso arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea, 4 April after training at Pearl Harbor and convoy escort duty to the Gilberts and Espiritu Santo en route. The frigate patrolled in the New Guinea area, and carried out several bombardment missions. On 25 May she shelled enemy positions at Maffin Bay, and 2 days later in company with two DEs, bombarded Wakde Island. On the night of 14 June she provided fire support at Aitape, and on the 25th blasted the edge of the airfield on Wakde. The next mission was a combination scouting, salvage, and rescue job at Pagan and Fanildo Islands on 25 August. In September 1944, El Paso joined the screen of the forces landing at Morotai, then operated between this newly won base and New Guinea during the buildup for the invasion of the Philippines. On 29 October, 9 days after the initial landings, El Paso arrived at Leyte for patrol and screen duty. She returned to New Guinea in November to bombard Sarmi Point and Mount Makko on the 11th, then was assigned to escort duty between New Guinea and the Philippines until the year's end.
El Paso departed Humboldt Bay (Hollandia), 6 January 1945, and sailed to New York for overhaul during which she was converted to a weather ship. Her conversion was interrupted by a convoy escort voyage to Oran, Algeria, in April and May 1945.
When the war ended the frigate was on the way back to the Pacific, and arriving at Leyte 23 September, served as a weather station ship in the Philippines until 16 April 1946. She returned to the west coast, was decommissioned at Seattle, Wash., 18 July 1946, and sold 14 October 1947. The USS El Paso received three battle stars for World War II service.
Builder: Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Wilmington, CA Length: 303' 11" Beam: 37' 6" Draft: 12' 8" fl Displacement: 2,230 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); 9 x 20mm; 1 x Hedgehog, 8 x depth charge projectors; 2 x depth charge racks.For those frigates fitted out for weather patrol duty, the after 3-inch gun was removed and a weather balloon hanger was added aft.
The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Vol. V, No. 1.
Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1992, pp. 148-149.
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. II, pp. 345-346.
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