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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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  • Boats-Ships--Support Ships
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  • Ship History
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Houghton
(PC-588: dp. 295; l. 174'; b. 23'; dr. 8'; s. 20 k.; cpl. 65; a. 1 3", 5 20mm., 2 rkt, 2 dcp.; cl. PC-461)

Communities in northwestern Michigan and southwestern New York.

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The bark A. Houghton (q.v.) was incorrectly called Houghton and Van Houghton.

I

PC-588 was laid down by Leathern D. Smith Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wis., 22 November 1941; launched 3 May 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Joshua L. Johns; and commissioned 22 June, Lt. J. R. Hinton in command.

After shakedown off Florida, PC-588 was assigned to patrol and escort duty out of Key West and in the Gulf of Mexico. In late September 1942 she joined a convoy en route to the Pacific; after touching California ports, she arrived Pearl Harbor 28 November. From November 1942 until January 1944 the submarine chaser performed patrol and escort duty in the Hawaiian Islands.

Departing Pearl Harbor 18 January 1944, PC-588 escorted SS Richard Yates to Makin, Gilbert Islands. For the remainder of World War II, she operated on patrol and escort duty in the South Pacific. Her efforts played an effective role in keeping the supply lines open during the final months of the war. PC-588 returned to the United States in late 1945, decommissioned at Puget Sound 29 July 1946, and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

While berthed with the Columbia River Group, PC-588 was named Houghton 15 February 1956. She was struck from the Navy List and sold to Geomarine Services, Inc., 11 March 1960.

Published: Mon Jul 20 10:09:18 EDT 2015