USS El Paso (PF-41)

USS El Paso (PF-41) was a Tacoma-class frigate in service with the United States Navy during World War II. Originally designated as a patrol gunboat, PG-153, she was reclassified as a frigate on 15 April 1943. Named after the city of El Paso, Texas, she was launched on 12 February 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California, and commissioned on 28 August 1944, with Commander A. H. Bachman, USCG, in command.

El Paso served as a weather ship in the North Atlantic, providing valuable meteorological data to support Allied operations and transatlantic flights. Her duties included conducting ocean patrols, rescuing downed airmen, and providing navigational aids. She also participated in convoy escort duties.

Following the end of World War II, El Paso was decommissioned on 26 April 1946 and placed in reserve. She was later transferred to the United States Coast Guard on 24 June 1949 and served as the USCGC El Paso (WHEC-309) for many years, continuing her role in weather patrol and search and rescue operations. She was eventually decommissioned from the Coast Guard and sold for scrap. Her service reflects the important role frigates played in both naval and Coast Guard operations during and after the war.