French frigate Somali
Warning: Display title "French frigate <i>Somali</i>" overrides earlier display title "French frigate<i> Somali</i>" (help).
| Destroyer d'escorte Somali Destroyer d'escorte Somali (T53)
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Somali (DE-111) |
| Builder | Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, Delaware |
| Laid down | 23 October 1943 |
| Launched | 12 February 1944 |
| Fate | Transferred to Free France, 9 April 1944 |
| Stricken | 14 May 1952 |
| History | |
 Free France | |
| Name | FFL Somali (T-53) |
| Namesake | Somali |
| Acquired | 9 April 1944 |
| History | |
 France | |
| Name | Somali (T-23) |
| Acquired | 14 October 1946 |
| Renamed | Arago (A-607), for Jacques Arago, 1968 |
| Reclassified | list error: <br /> list (help) Somali (F03) 1948 Somali (F703) 1951 Somali (A607) 1956 |
| Fate | 31 August 1972 Returned to the United States of America |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type | Cannon-class destroyer escort |
| Displacement | list error: <br /> list (help) 1,240 long tons (1,260 t) standard 1,620 long tons (1,646 t) full |
| Length | list error: <br /> list (help) 306 ft (93 m) o/a 300 ft (91 m) w/l |
| Beam | 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m) |
| Draft | 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) |
| Propulsion | 4 × GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6,000 shp (4,474 kW), 2 screws |
| Speed | 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) |
| Range | 10,800 nmi (20,000 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement | 15 officers and 201 enlisted |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 3 × single Mk.22 3"/50 caliber guns 1 × twin 40 mm Mk.1 AA gun 8 × 20 mm Mk.4 AA guns 3 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 1 × Hedgehog Mk.10 anti-submarine mortar 8 × Mk.6 depth charge projectors 2 × Mk.9 depth charge tracks |
Somali, was a frigate in the Free French Naval Forces during World War II and the French Navy post-war. The ship was originally built as USS Somali (DE-111), an American Cannon-class destroyer escort.[2]
History
World War II
During World War II, Somali was transferred to the Free French Naval Forces under lend lease on 9 April 1944, and retained the name Somali. Ownership of the vessel was transferred to France on 21 April 1952 under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program.
Somali would take join TG 80.6 in Operation Anvil-Dragoon in August 1944.[3]
First Indochina War
In August 1945, Somali arrived in French Indochina to help in the area. Somali was sent to Nhabe, Soirap, Vaico and Bing Trung. Somali also visited Saigon and Singapore to help restore French rule in these areas. On 25 January 1946, Somali participated in Operatioin Gaur.[3]
Post War
In 1956 Somali was disarmed and used as an experimental ship with the hull number changed to A607. On 1 January 1968 Somali was renamed Arago.[3]
References
- ^ "Destroyer Escorts built for the Free French". Desausa.org. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ^ a b c "SOMALI - destroyer d'escorte - Classe "CANNON"". Alamer.fr. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
External links
- Photo gallery of 'Arago (A-607)/Somali (F-703)/Somali' (DE-111) at NavSource Naval History
.jpg){kind=link}
 | This article about a specific military ship or boat of France is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |