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Submarine Chaser Photo Archive

SC-449

Call sign:
Nan - Easy - Tare - Nan

ex-PC-449

Mary Gene II call sign (1948):
Able - Zebra - Love - Xray
Experimental Model Submarine Chaser:

  • Laid down 10 July 1939 by the Luders Marine Construction Co., Stamford, CT
  • Launched 14 May 1940
  • Commissioned USS PC-449, 25 September 1940
  • Reclassified SC-449 in April 1943
  • SC-449 was one of three Submarine Chasers built in a design competition. Built as an experimental SC design she had 50% more stability than the production models that were built. In early 1945, she
    was selected by the Navy to be converted into a mock Escort Carrier (CVE) to be used in the invasion of the Japanese homelands (Operation Swiss Navy). Her deck was stripped and rebuilt with plywood to look like a CVE. The Navy liked what they saw but she was very top-heavy, so they shelved that idea, plus the atom bomb put an end to these plans
  • Decommissioned 1 November 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register 19 December 1945
  • Transferred to the War Shipping Administration 29 July 1946 and sold
  • Worked as an Oceanographic Research Vessel at Texas A&M Marine Department
  • Sold to Service Marine Inc. of Galena, TX for use as quarters for dredge crews
  • Registered in 1948 to Parker Brothers and Co., Inc.of Houston, TX as the yacht Mary Gene II
  • Scrapped in 1974.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 86 t.
    121 t.
  • Length 110'
    105.7'
  • Beam 18' 4"
  • Draft 6' 5"
    1948 - 10.3'
  • Speed 15.3 kts.
  • Complement 28
    1948 - Two
  • Armament: One 3"/23 dual purpose mount, two .30 cal. machine guns (replaced by .50 cal. machine guns), one depth charge projector "Y Gun" two Mk 20 Mousetrap depth charge projectors and two
    depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two Superior diesel engines
    Replaced by two 800bhp Cooper Bessemer EN-8 diesel engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS PC-449
    SC-449 1,164k Replacement photo: Photo from U.S. Small Combatants: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman Original photo: E. J. Comeau PC 553/1228
    Replacement photo: Robert Hurst
    SC-449 215k . Original photo: Dan Treadwell
    Replacement photo: Ron Titus
    SC-449 62k Advertisement for Superior diesel engines Tommy Trampp
    SC-449 117k Line drawing by A. D. Baker, III from U.S. Small Combatants: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman Robert Hurst
    SC-449 300k Original photo: c. 1941
    Post card
    Replacement photo: Undated post card    		 Original photo: Richard Leonhardt
    Replacement photo: Tommy Trampp
    SC-449 110k Experimental anti-submarine rocket set up on the SC-449. This was done at Key West in April of 1942. The system was designed by Dr.'s Schilchter and Lauretson of California Institute of Technology. It was the prototype of the later Mouse Traps and Hedge Hog rockets. SCs carried one row of racks and the PC 's had two. The 30 lb. charge of TNT was carried in the war head with a contact detonator on top. The rocket charge was carried in the tail pipe. Most of the time they ignited but once in awhile they didn't. Then some poor sailor had to go forward, pick the rocket up and toss it over the side
    National Archives photo 80-G-21905    		 Bob Daly/PC-1181
    SC-449 55k Bow of SC-449 at Key West on 16 April 1942. Note barrel of 3"/23 gun in foreground
    National Archives photo 80-G-21913
    USS SC-449
    SC-449 115k c. February 1945
    Ocracoke, NC
    Disguised as an Escort Carrier (CVE)
    National Archives photo    		 Ted Treadwell
    SC-449 186k c. 1945
    An aerial view of SC-449 disguised as a CVE
    Commanding Officers
    01LTJG William Squire Maddox, USN - USNA Class of 193425 September 1940 - December 1941
    02ENS/LTJG Stiles M. Decker, Jr., USNRDecember 1941 - March 1942
    03ENS/LTJG/LT Thomas W. Nazro, USNRMarch 1942 - September 1943
    04LTJG Austin W. Scott, Jr., USNRSeptember 1943 - March 1944
    05LTJG/LT Stuart S. Golding, USNRMarch 1944 - March 1945
    06LTJG Conrad S. Young, USNRMarch 1945 - April 1945
    07LTJG Malcolm F. Bren, USNRApril March 1945 - June 1945
    08LTJG Edward N. Railsback, USNRJune 1945 - 1 November 1945
    Courtesy Joe Radigan and Wolfgang Hechler
    There is no DANFS History currently available for SC-449.
    Additional Resources and Web Sites 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 110' Submarine Chaser (SC) Photo Index
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    This page created by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Tom Bateman
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