Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online:
Submarine Chaser Photo Archive

PC-552



Call sign:
Nan - Baker - Uncle - Yoke
PC-461 Class Submarine Chaser:

  • Laid down 20 May 1941 by the Sullivan Dry Dock and Repair Co., Brooklyn, NY
  • Launched 13 February 1942
  • Commissioned 29 July 1942
  • Decommissioned 18 April 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register 5 June 1946
  • Transferred to the War Shipping Administration for disposal 5 December 1946
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 280 t.(lt), 450 t.(fl)
  • Length 173' 8"
  • Beam 23'
  • Draft 10' 10"
  • Speed 20.2 kts.
  • Complement 65
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, one 40mm gun mount, three 20mm guns, two rocket launchers, four depth charge projectors, and two depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two 1,440bhp General Motors 16-258S diesel engines (Serial No. 6327 and 6328), Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    PC-553 177k Keel laying of PC-553. Ship decorated with bunting is probably the PC-552 Bob Daly/PC-1181
    PC-553 222k 13 February 1942
    Ready for launching at the Sullivan D.D. and Repair Company, Brooklyn, New York
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 42710    		 Mike Green
    PC-553 225k 13 February 1942
    Ready for launching at night at the Sullivan D.D. and Repair Company, Brooklyn, New York. Note Searchlight "spotlighting" the christening platform
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 42711
    PC-552 52k c. 1944
    Original photo from the "The Patriot Ledger", Quincy, Massachusetts. January 1945.
    Courtesy E. J. Comeau PC 553/1228    		 Bob Daly/PC-1181
    PC-552 Crew 119k Crew of the PC-552
    Commanding Officers
    01LT Donald McVickers, USNR29 January 1942 - 28 November 1942
    02LT Joseph Ross Pilling, Jr., USNR28 November 1942 - 2 October 1943
    03LTJG Frank E. Pierce, USNR - Awarded the Bronze Star (1944)2 October 1943 - 25 August 1944
    04LT Albert Bradley Moll, USNR25 August 1944 - 28 January 1945
    05LT James Samuel Spielman, USNR28 January 1945 - 8 April 1946
    06LTJG Robert E. Gleason, USNR8 April 1946 - 18 April 1946
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Dave Cary
    There is no DANFS History currently available for PC-552
    Additional Resources and Websites of Interest
    Patrol Craft Sailors Association
    Back to the Main Photo Index Back to the Patrol Craft/Gunboat/Submarine Chaser Ship Index Back to the Submarine Chaser (PC) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
    This page created by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Tom Bateman
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History