Lithuanian warship Prezidentas Smetona

History
German Empire
Name	SMS M59
Builder	Deschimag-Werk Seebeck
Launched	October 31, 1917
Fate	Sold to Lithuania, 1927
History
Lithuania
Name	Prezidentas Smetona
Namesake	Antanas Smetona, President of Lithuania
Acquired	purchased, 1927
Commissioned	August 2, 1935
Homeport	Klaipėda, later Šventoji
Fate	Seized by the Soviet Union, 1940
History
Soviet Union
Name	Пирмӯнас
Acquired	June 15, 1940
Renamed	Коралл
Fate	Sunk, 11 January 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	<i>M57</i>-class minesweeper
Displacement	525–586 tons
Length	56 m (183 ft 9 in), wl 59.3 m (194 ft 7 in), oa
Beam	7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
Draft	2.2–2.3 m (7 ft 3 in – 7 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	2 Schulz coal-fired boilers
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h)
Complement	48
Armament	2 × 4.1-inch (100 mm) guns 3 × machine guns

Lithuanian warship Prezidentas Smetona was the only warship in Lithuanian Navy during the years of the First Republic of Lithuania from 1918 to 1940. It was named after the first President of Lithuania, Antanas Smetona.

Built by Deschimag-Werk Seebeck and launched on October 31, 1917 in Germany, the ship started its career as German minesweeper M59. In 1927 it was purchased by Lithuania for 289,000 litas.^[1] It was used to safeguard Lithuanian shores against smugglers and as a training facility for the navy. In 1939–1940 Lithuania ordered more ships, including submarines, from France.^[1]

The 525–586-ton Prezidentas Smetona was 60 metres (197 ft) in length and was powered by two Schulz coal-fired boilers providing a top speed of 16 knots. A complement of 48 manned two 3-inch (7.6 cm) guns and three machine-guns. The ship was reconstructed and was officially launched as a warship on August 2, 1935 by captain Antanas Kaškelis.^[1]

After the German ultimatum to Lithuania in March 1939, Lithuania lost the port of Klaipėda and Prezidentas Smetona had to be docked in Šventoji.^[2]

Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union on June 15, 1940 and the vessel became part of the Soviet Navy. Prezidentas Smetona was renamed first as Пирмӯнас (Pirmūnas, Пирмунас) and later as Коралл (Korall). The warship was reconverted in 1943 to a minesweeper and on 29 August 1944 renamed as T-33.^[3] It was sunk on 11 January 1945 when it departed from the port of Helsinki.^[3] Circumstances of the sinking are unclear: some claim that it was sunk by German U-745,^[4][3] others argue that it hit a naval mine, or, according to the diary of a German sailor, was hit by a German torpedo.^[1]

Estonian researchers had announced several times in the press that they have located the wreckage in the Gulf of Finland.^[5]

In 2018, a large original flag of the warship was handed to the Lithuanian Sea Museum by Lithuanian descent collector Henry Gaidis.^[6]

References

This page was last edited on 17 November 2023, at 08:38