USS ''YP-422'' was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

yard patrol (YP) boat that served the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

from 1942 to 1943. Built in 1941 as the fishing trawler ''Mist'', she was acquired by the

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

in June 1942 and was converted for naval use by

George Lawley & Son George Lawley & Son was a shipbuilding firm operating in Massachusetts from 1866 to 1945. It began in Scituate, then moved to Boston. After founder George Lawley (1823–1915) retired in 1890, his son, grandson and great-grandson upheld the busin ...

of Neponset, Massachusetts. She was commissioned on 28 July 1942 and was put into service to patrol the waters around the

Boston Navy Yard The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of t ...

. The vessel was lightly armed with a 3-inch gun and two .30 caliber machine guns.

Service history

''YP-422'' was briefly commanded by Lieutenant

L. Ron Hubbard Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (March 13, 1911 – January 24, 1986) was an American author, primarily of science fiction and fantasy stories, who is best known for having founded the Church of Scientology. In 1950, Hubbard authored '' Dianeti ...

, later known as the controversial founder of

Scientology Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It has been variously defined as a cult, a Scientology as a business, business, or a new religious movement. The most recent ...

. Hubbard was assigned to Lawley & Son Shipyard, in the Neponset area of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Massachusetts in connection with the conversion of the ''YP-422'' from 25 June to 28 July 1942, when she was placed in commission with Hubbard in command. Hubbard was relieved of his command on 1 October 1942, a few weeks after ''YP-422'' underwent a 27-hour training exercise in August 1942. A dispatch sent by the Commandant of the

on 25 September 1942 described Hubbard as "not temperamentally fitted for independent command". Ironically, Hubbard was then given command of the submarine chaser USS ''PC-815'' which also resulted in his being officially reprimanded and relieved of command. In early 1943, ''YP-422'' was dispatched to the Pacific theater of operations to support the

Solomon Islands campaign The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, ...

. However, she was lost on 23 April 1943 after striking Tumbo Reef, three miles south-east of the entrance to North Bulari Passagea break in the reefs near

Nouméa Nouméa () is the capital and largest city of the French special collectivity of New Caledonia and is also the largest francophone city in Oceania. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and ...

, New Caledonia.

References

World War II patrol vessels of the United States 1941 ships L. Ron Hubbard Yard patrol boats of the United States Navy {{US-mil-ship-stub

Service history

See also

References