USS Tacoma (PF-3) — service history

Named for the city and port on the coast of Puget Sound in the west central part of the state of Washington. Tacoma is the seat of Pierce County.

1943

The third Tacoma was laid down on 10 March 1943 at Richmond, Calif., by Kaiser Cargo, Inc., under a Maritime Commission contract (M.C. Hull 1421) as PG-111; redesignated PF-3 on 15 April 1943; named Tacoma on 5 May 1943; launched on 7 July 1943; sponsored by Mrs. A. R. Bergersen; and commissioned on 6 November 1943, Lt. Cmdr. Adrian F. Werner, USCG, in command.

1944

After completing shakedown training off the California coast in December, Tacoma reported for duty as a training ship in January 1944. She trained prospective frigate crews until 27 June, when she was ordered to proceed to Alaskan waters upon completion of sea trials. However, she was plagued by unsuccessful trials and a boiler room fire and, consequently, did not report for duty at Kodiak, Alaska, until 21 October. For the next four months, Tacoma conducted antisubmarine patrols and escorted supply ships and transports along the Alaskan coast and between the various islands of the Aleutians chain, visiting Attu, Adak, Dutch Harbor, and other smaller Alaskan ports.

1945

On 23 February 1945, she departed Dutch Harbor and sailed south for an extensive overhaul, first at San Francisco, then at Bremertown, Wash. to prepare her for transfer to the Soviet Union. On 10 July, the frigate returned to Alaska, at Cold Bay, and began familiarization training with her prospective Russian crew. She was decommissioned at Cold Bay on 16 August and transferred to the Soviet Navy, in which she served over four years as EK-12.

1949

The frigate was returned to the United States on 16 October 1949 at Yokosuka, Japan. She remained there out of commission, in a caretaker status, until the outbreak of hostilities in Korea late in June 1950. She began preparations for activation in August and went back into commission on 1 December at Yokosuka. The next day, she began 15 days of shakedown training out of Yokosuka in Sagami Wan and Tokyo Bay. From the 18th to the 25th, she underwent post-shakedown availability at Yokosuka and put to sea the following day bound for Sasebo, Japan. On the 28th, Tacoma headed for the east coast of Korea.

1951

For the next few months, the frigate operated with the UN Blockading and Escort Squadron, Task Force (TF) 95. On 30 January 1951, she joined in the bombardment phase of the amphibious feint at Kansong; and, the following afternoon, she performed the same duty at Kosong. She put in at Pusan on 1 February, then headed for Sasebo two days later. By 5 February, she was back off Korea's eastern coast at Kangnung for a two-day bombardment mission there. On the 7th and 8th, her gunners trained their sights on Yangyang, and then on Hwangpo on the 9th and 10th. When not pounding Hwangpo, Tacoma patrolled off Chikute Island. She returned to Sasebo on 13 February and remained there until the 19th, when she headed for Won-san harbor in North Korea. She arrived off Wonsan on 22 February and, for the next four days, joined in the operations which resulted in the successful landing of 110 Re.public of Korea marines on Sin Do on the 24th. The following day, Tacoma cleared Wonsan channel to return to Sasebo. She arrived at Sasebo on 27 February and remained there until 10 March, when she got underway for Yokosuka and a restricted availability which lasted until 23 April.

On 3 April 1951, the United States Naval Forces, Far East (NavFE) organization was restructured. As a result, the Service Forces, previously fragmented among separate 7th Fleet and NavFE groups, were consolidated into a new Logistics Group, designated TF 92. When Tacoma emerged from the yard at Yokosuka in late April, she was assigned to the new task organization as an escort; and she served in that capacity for the remainder of her United States naval career. From then until September, the frigate escorted supply ships between Japanese and Korean ports and to stations along the Korean coast where she replenished Allied warships. She also conducted antisubmarine patrols and participated in occasional shore bombardments.

On 9 October 1951, Tacoma was transferred to the Republic of Korea (ROK). She served in the ROK Navy as Taedong (PF-63) until 28 February 1973, when she was decommissioned and returned to the United States Navy. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 2 April 1973, and she was subsequently donated to the ROK Navy as a museum and training ship.