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Submarine Chaser Photo Archive

SC-716



Call sign:
Nan - Xray - Dog - Victor

ex-PC-716

SC-497 Class Submarine Chaser:

  • Laid down 18 May 1942 by the Fisher Boat Works, Detroit, MI
  • Launched 20 November 1942
  • Commissioned PC-716, 9 January 1943
  • Reclassified SC-716 in April 1943
  • Damaged 17 May 1943 in an explosion of Hedgehog on pier at Port Terminal, Morehead City, NC (See story below)
  • Repaired at Elizabeth City Shipyard, Elizabeth City, NC
  • Grounded at Okinawa during Typhoon Louise 9 October 1945
  • Refloated 5 November 1945
  • Salvaged in 1946 and decommissioned
  • Declared surplus to Navy needs 19 March 1948 and recommended for disposal
  • Acquired in 1952 by Bee and Dee, Inc. of Miami, FL for use as a fishing boat and named El Toro
  • Operated under the Costa Rican flag in 1954
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 148 t.
  • Length 110' 10"
  • Beam 17'
  • Draft 6' 6"
  • Speed 21 kts.
  • Complement 28
  • Armament: One 40mm gun mount, two .50 cal. machine guns, two depth charge projector "Y Gun," and two depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two 1,540bhp General Motors (Electro-Motive Div.) 16-184A diesel engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    SC-716 75k . Historical Collections of the Great Lakes
    SC-716 236k Starboard bow view of damages to 40mm mount, ammunition ready boxes and the pilothouse QMCS Larry Richter, USCGR, Ret.
    SC-716 144k Starboard side view of damages to ammunition ready boxes and the pilothouse. LT James M. Stewart, D-V(G), USNR, Commanding Officer is facing the camera.
    SC-716 414k An unidentified Chief Petty Officer standing near explosion point on pier showing extensive damages.
    SC-716 141k 25 February 1944
    National Archives photo    		 Dan Treadwell
    Commanding Officers
    01LT James M. Stewart, USNR9 January 1943
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    There is no DANFS history available for SC-716
    SC-716 Deck Log Entries for May 1943

    17 May 1943

    0606: Moored at Coaling Dock, Port Terminal, Morehead City, NC

    0920: Commenced fueling.

    0948: Finished fueling - 800 gals.

    1200: Explosion of one or more A/S20 projectiles on dock alongside ship while projectiles were being cleaned. Cause unknown. Killed instantly: Miller, Wilber (n) S2/c (body missing); Williamson, Lee Jr. GM3/c (body missing); Kirmayer, Edward Francis, S2/c; Leatherman, Earl Louis, MoMM2/c and Fowler, Charles Raymond, EM2/c critically injured. Injured: Ens. Les Poyner Thweatt, D-V(G) and Pease, Arthur James, CBM(AA). Slightly injured Lt(jg) George Winthrop Hodges, D-V(S); Smith, Stanley Leroy, MoMM2/c; Hoyt, Donald Y2/c; Austin, Nibert F1/c. Two men attached to Section Base, Morehead City, NC killed instantly, Lewis, C. L. 656-62-75, S1/c, USNR and Brown, R. F2/c, 202-42-91, USN.

    All deaths and injuries with this command and in line of duty. Severe damage to ship and vicinity of pilot house. Little damage to hull proper.

    1207: (approx) 3 A/S20 projectiles, possibly unfuzed and 4 Mk 31 fuzes thrown over the side. Men datailed to search below decks for fire and injured personnel.

    1210: (approx) Ship's generators secured and storage batteries disconnected. Fire hose laid out from adjoining ship.

    1240: Crew mustered on Port Terminal Dock. Wounded and dead removed to Section Base, Morehead City, NC. Leatherman, Earl Louis, MoMM2/c reported dead enroute.

    1255: Uninjured members of crew reported aboard USCG Jackson [WSC 142] and later transported to Section Base, Morehead City, NC for quarters and subsistence.

    1315: Base personnel commenced removing all ammunition from ship and set fire and security watch.

    Approved: s/James M. Stewart

    18 May 1943

    The ship with Section Base personnel aboard was towed to Section Base, Morehead City, NC. Cleaning was started and the watch posted.

    22 May 1943

    0551: Underway.

    1830: Moored Pier 5, Elizabeth City Shipyard, Elizabeth City, NC. - (Log entries end)

    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 Index Back to the 110' Submarine Chaser (SC) Photo Index
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