HMS Tracker (D24)
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Tracker in circa. 1944 - note the Swordfish with folded wings; a solitary aircraft, probably a Seafire, is at the rear of the flight deck
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | HMS Tracker |
| Builder: | Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation |
| Laid down: | 3 November 1941 |
| Launched: | 7 March 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 31 January 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 2 November 1946 |
| Fate: | Sold into merchant service as the Corrientes. Scrapped in 1964. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Bogue class escort carrier |
| Displacement: | 14,400 tons |
| Length: | 492 ft (150 m) |
| Beam: | 102 ft 6 in (31.24 m) |
| Draught: | 26 ft 3 in (8.00 m) |
| Propulsion: | Steam turbines, one shaft, 8,500 shp (6.3 MW) |
| Speed: | 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 646 officers and men |
| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | 16-21 |
| Service record | |
| Operations: | Battle of the Atlantic, Normandy Landings |
| Victories: | Sank U-288 |
HMS Tracker (D24) was a Attacker class escort carrier that was built in the United States, but served in the Royal Navy during World War II.
Tracker was constructed in the US by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding in Tacoma, she was originally intended to be the 2nd replacement merchant ship Mormacmail for Moore-McCormack Lines, Inc.. However, before completion, the vessel was purchased by the US Navy; in 1942 she was given the designation BAVG-6 and converted into an escort carrier at Willamette Iron & Steel, Portland, Oregon. Upon completion in early 1943, she was transferred to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Tracker.
Tracker served as an escort during 1943-44 for North Atlantic and Arctic convoys. She originally carried Swordfish torpedo-bombers and Seafire fighters of 816 Naval Air Squadron; in January 1944 switching to the Grumman Avengers and Grumman Wildcats of 846 Naval Air Squadron. In April 1944 her aircraft, together with those from HMS Activity were responsible for the sinking of a German U-boat U-288 east of Bear Island, during convoy JW-58.
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