HMS Goodson

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For other ships with the same name, see USS George.

History
United States
NameUSS George
NamesakeEugene F. George
BuilderBoston Navy Yard
Laid down20 May 1943
Launched8 July 1943
FateTransferred to Royal Navy, 9 October 1943
United Kingdom
NameHMS Goodson
Acquired9 October 1943
Fate
  • Returned to the USN, 21 October 1944
  • Sold 9 January 1947.
General characteristics
Class & typeEvarts-class destroyer escort
Displacement1,190 long tons (1,210 t) (standard)
Length289 ft 5 in (88.2 m)
Beam35 ft 2 in (10.7 m)
Draught10 ft 1 in (3.1 m)
Installed power6,000 shp (4,500 kW) electric motors
Propulsion2 shafts; 4 diesel engines
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement198
Sensors &
processing systems
Armament

HMS Goodson (K480), originally USS George (DE-276), was an Evarts-class destroyer escort, assigned to the United Kingdom under the lend-lease.

Description

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The Evarts-class ships had an overall length of 289 feet 5 inches (88.2 m), a beam of 35 feet 2 inches (10.7 m), and a draught of 10 feet 1 inch (3.1 m) at full load. They displaced 1,190 long tons (1,210 t) at (standard) and 1,416 long tons (1,439 t) at full load.[1] The ships had a diesel–electric powertrain derived from a submarine propulsion system[2] with four General Motors 16-cylinder diesel engines providing power to four General Electric electric generators which sent electricity to four 1,500-shaft-horsepower (1,100 kW) General Electric electric motors which drove the two propeller shafts. The destroyer escorts had enough power give them a speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and enough fuel oil to give them a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). Their crew consisted of 198 officers and ratings.[3]

The armament of the Evarts-class ships in British service consisted of three single mounts for 50-caliber 3-inch (76 mm)/50 Mk 22 dual-purpose guns; one superfiring pair forward of the bridge and the third gun aft of the superstructure. Anti-aircraft defence was intended to consisted of a twin-gun mount for 40-millimetre (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) guns atop the rear superstructure with nine 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns located on the superstructure, but production shortages meant that that not all guns were fitted, or that additional Oerlikons replaced the Bofors guns. A Mark 10 Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar was positioned just behind the forward gun. The ships were also equipped with two depth charge rails at the stern and four "K-gun" depth charge throwers.[4]

Construction and career

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The ship was laid down as George on 20 May 1943 at the Boston Navy Yard, and named after Eugene Frank George, posthumously awarded the Navy Cross at Guadalcanal. She was assigned to the United Kingdom under the lend-lease on 22 June 1943; launched on 8 July 1943; transferred to the United Kingdom on 9 October 1943; and commissioned in the British Royal Navy as HMS Goodson.[5]

During the remainder of World War II, she served on escort and patrol duty in the Atlantic and along the English coast. The ship supported the Allied Invasion of Europe at Normandy on 6 June 1944.[5] Damaged on 25 June by U-984 commanded by Heinz Sieder and declared a constructive total loss,[6] she was returned to the United States Navy on 21 October. On 9 January 1947 she was sold for scrap to John Lee of Belfast, Northern Ireland.[5]

Citations

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  1. ^ Whitley, p. 152
  2. ^ Friedman, p. 143
  3. ^ Lenton, pp. 199–200
  4. ^ Friedman, p. 478
  5. ^ a b c "George (DE-697)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  6. ^ "HMS Goodson (K 480) of the Royal Navy - British Frigate of the Captain class". uboat.net. Retrieved 7 July 2025.

References

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  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben & Bush, Steve (2020). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (5th revised and updated ed.). Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-9327-0.
  • Friedman, Norman (2005). U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised ed.). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-442-3.
  • Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
  • Whitley, M. J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.