PC-461-class submarine chaser

	USS PC-815, a US PC-461-class submarine chaser that served in World War II
Class overview
Builders	(13 companies in 11 states)
Operators	United States Navy; French Navy; Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela; Brazilian Navy; National Navy of Uruguay; Dominican Navy; Cuban Revolutionary Navy; Israeli Navy; Mexican Navy; Royal Norwegian Navy; Nigerian Navy; People's Liberation Army Navy; Royal Moroccan Navy; Royal Netherlands Navy; Hellenic Navy; Royal Cambodian Navy ; Republic of China Navy; Indonesian Navy; Republic of Korea Navy; Philippine Navy; Portuguese Navy; Republic of Vietnam Navy; Royal Thai Navy;
Preceded by	USS SC-451 and USS SC-452
Succeeded by	PC-1610 class
Built	1941-1944
Planned	403
Completed	343
Cancelled	60
Active	0
Lost	8
General characteristics
Type	Submarine chaser
Displacement	450 tons
Length	173 ft 8 in (53 m)
Beam	23 ft 0 in (7 m)
Draft	6 ft 2.5 in (2 m)
Propulsion	2 × 1,440 bhp (1,070 kW) diesel engines (various models) 2 × shafts
Speed	20.2 knots (37.4 km/h; 23.2 mph)
Range	3000 nautical miles at 12 knots
Complement	65
Armament	Varies over time. Typically 1 3”/50 gun forward , 1 3"/50 or 40mm Bofors aft, 3 or 5 20mm single mount cannons bridge/amidships. 2 or 4 K-guns, 2 depth charge racks.
Aircraft carried	None
Aviation facilities	None

The PC-461-class submarine chasers were a class of 343 submarine chasers constructed mainly for the US Navy and built from 1941 to 1944. The PC-461s were based primarily on two experimental submarine chasers, PC-451 and PC-452. While PC-461 began the series, the first of the class to enter service was PC-471. As part of the Lend-Lease program, 46 ships of this class were transferred to allies of the United States. Fifty-nine PC-461s were converted to other types of patrol vessels. Eight vessels of this class were lost, and one vessel was lost after conversion to a PGM-9-class motor gunboat. Only one of the class, USS PC-566 commanded by Lieutenant Commander (later Captain) Herbert G. Claudius, actually sank a submarine, U-166, during World War II; however, the website 'Patrol Craft Sailors Association' cites PC-461-class ships sinking or assisting sinking up to 6 German and Japanese subs.

PC-461 submarine chasers were used in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean. Numerous PC-461 class vessels were used to aid in amphibious assaults, including the Normandy invasion.

One member of this class, USS PC-1264, was one of only two ships in the US Navy during World War II that had a mostly African-American crew.

An unknown member of the class still survives as of June 17th, 2021 in the Columbia River just north of the Troutdale Airport.

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