SC-718 was delivered to Belfast aboard a Liberty ship in 1943 (above). (US Army photograph) Norwegian lngvald Eidsheim, here aboard the restored Hitra (rig ht}, was the wartime CO of the American-built subchaser as she voyaged between the Shetland Isles and German-occupied Norway. (Photo, courtesy Royal Norweg ian Navy Museum (RNNM} , Horten, Norway)
knots. With their shallow draft and qui et operation they were ideal vesse ls fo r the "Shetlandsbu ssen." Consequently , in August 1943 SC7 18, SC-683 and SC-1061 , stati oned in Mi ami , rece ived secret orders to detach from the ir co mm and a nd re port to Broo kl yn Navy Yard to awa it further orders. One of them, SC-7 18, was destined to become the li ving symbol fo r all the "Shetlandsbussen." A Survivor's Story Her keel of hard white oak was laid 22 September 1942 at the F isher Boat Works in Detroit, Michigan, and in May 1943 SC-7 18 became one of 438 subchasers launched during World War II . On her foredeck she mounted a 40mm Bofors anti aircraft gun and mousetrap rail s fo r ahead-thrown depth charges. Three 20mm Oerlikon guns were mounted am ids hips, and racks for 300-1 b depth charges were mounted at the stern . After shakedo wn she was sent to M iami fo r anti submarine patrol and convoy escort duty, joining several other SCs in thi s acti vity, including 683 and 106 1. When the three subchasers arri ved at Brookl yn Navy Yard, the COs were given strict orders to warn their crews to button their lips about the ir movements and the movements of the vessels. They were told only that the ships had been selected fo r a special purpose, which would be made kno wn in due time. Naturall y much specul ation and ru mor circul ated among crew members. Some of them believed they had been SEA HISTORY 84, SPRING 1998
selected fo r a highl y dangerous miss ion. Their suspicions were re info rced a few days later when giant cranes hoisted the SCs onto three L iberty shi ps and preparati ons began fo r transporting the crews and ships to an undisclosed destination. When the day of departure arrived a pall of uncertainty weighed heavi ly in the minds of the sail ors and loved ones who had come to bid them farewe ll. The scene, always wrenching during wartime, was more poignant than usual. After the ships were underway the men were told they were going to Belfas t in British Northern Ireland . The crossing took six days and was uneventful. In Belfas t the SCs were hoisted back into the water, and on 14 Octobe r 1943 the three vessels crossed the North Channe l and steamed up the F irth of Clyde to an American base at Roseneath, Scotland. The men on the subchasers were not aware that a few days earl ier a group of Norwegian sailors had been sent to Rosenea th and was eagerl y awaiting their arri va l. On the des ignated day the Norwegians gathered on the dock, watching intently as the vessels rounded the headl and in column for mati on and steamed into the Gareloch. When they saw the subchasers the Norweg ians could hardl y contain themselves. They cheered and punched and slapped each other, excited as schoo lboys. To them the SCs looked li ke small destroyers. Not until the ships ti ed up and the skippers reported to their command did the Americans learn the purpose of their
journey, which was to train the Norwegians in the operation of the subchasers, the guns, propul sion equipment and all o th e r m ec ha ni s m s aboard . Up o n completi on of the training they would hand the ships over to the Norwegians. On learning thi s the Americans were dumbfo unded, di sappointed and even indig nant, but there was no choice except to fo ll ow orders. In the end the transition went smoothly, and, despite the language barrier, the men qui ckl y bonded in a sp irit of cooperation. The training period took only a week, the tra nsfer of command was completed, and the Ameri cans were sent back to the States full of whopping stories about their "suic ide mi ss io n." To the Norweg ians, accustomed as they were to the bare bones rigor of their fis hing boats, the SCs were an extrao rdinary windfa ll . Not in their fondest dreams did they expect to take over such " luxury ships." They marveled at the central heating, oil -fired gall ey, refri gerators, water fountain s, hot showers, typewriters and toasters. The electri c generators, enthused one, " would li ght the vill age of Scalloway." 1 After taking command at Roseneath the Norwegians moved their newly acquired "yo ung destroyers" to Londonderry, thence to Sca lloway, fo r fi tting o ut. They removed all depth-charge racks , mousetrap projecto rs and K-guns and install ed an ex tra set of dav its so that in stead of one dinghy each ship carri ed two. The dinghy motors were 17