HMS Morecambe Bay ( K624 ) HMS " Morecambe Bay " ( K624 ) was a anti - aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy , named after Morecambe Bay on the north western coast of England . In commission from 1949 until 1956 , she saw active service in the Korean War , and was sold to Portugal in 1961 to serve as NRP " Dom Francisco de Almeida " ( F479 ) until 1970 . Construction . The ship was originally ordered from William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd . of Southwick , Sunderland , on 19 January 1943 as the " Loch Heilen " . However , the contract was then changed , and the ship was laid down on 30 April 1944 to a revised design as a Bay - class . Admiralty Job No . J4802 ( Yard No . 266 ) was launched as " Morecambe Bay " on 1 November 1944 . Work on the ship was suspended in August 1945 after the cessation of hostilities , and she ship was laid up at the builder ' s yard . Finally , in 1948 , the ship was towed to the shipyard of J . Samuel White at Cowes where she was completed . Service history . Malaya . " Morecambe Bay " was commissioned on 22 February 1949 under the command of Lieutenant - Commander K . R . S Leadley . However post - war demobilisation meant that there was a shortage of personnel , and it was not until July that she had her full complement . In August she was assigned to Far East service under the command of Commander C . C . B . Mackenzie , and sailed for Malta in September . She exercised with Mediterranean Fleet ships in October , before sailing to Singapore , arriving on 21 November to join the 4th Frigate Flotilla in patrols and anti - insurgent operations on the coast of Malaya during the Malayan Emergency . Korea . On the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 " Morecambe Bay " was nominated for service with the United Nations Naval Task Force based at Sasebo , Japan . She was deployed in October for bombardment and patrol duties off the west coast of Korea with other Commonwealth ships , including the frigates , and and . In November she was deployed with Task Group 95 . 13 in minesweeping operations off the west coast , and in December was deployed in support of evacuation of Inchon with CTG 95 . 12 , while under the command of Commander J . J . E . Famol . In January 1951 she left Korean waters and rejoined the flotilla at Hong Kong for Yangtze Patrol and flotilla exercises . In June " Morecambe Bay " began her 2nd Operational Tour off Korea , supporting raids by Korean troops in the Haeju and Chojin area . In July she was attached to United States Navy Task Group 95 . 12 to assist in bombardments off the east coast of Korea in support of military operations , receiving a congratulatory signal from the Commander of the U . S . 7th Fleet Vice Admiral Harold M . Martin . She was then transferred to the Royal Navy Task Group on the west coast , and employed in operations off the Han River with the frigates and in support of military operations to ensure access to Seoul , and in shore bombardments . Relieved from UN duties " Morecambe Bay " rejoined the flotilla in September for further anti - insurgent patrol duties , then refitted at Singapore in December . In January 1952 she carried out patrols of the Malacca Strait and supported of anti - insurgent operations . In February she sailed to Sasebo for her 3rd Operational UN Tour , deployed with CTG 95 . 22 in the Sonjin and Chojin areas off the east coast . In March she was transferred to RN Task Group for service on west coast for patrol duties and gunfire support , returning to Hong Kong in May . In July Commander J . A . H . Hamer took command and she sailed in August to Sasebo for her 4th Korean Tour . In September she was deployed off the west coast for island patrols and support , then off the East coast in October , and returned to Hong Kong in November . " Morecambe Bay " returned to Korea in May 1953 , and while operating off Ch ' o do Island off the west coast of North Korea with a US Navy Landing Ship , came under enemy fire , while counter - fire was provided by the battleship . In June she provided a Guard for the rededication of War Grave cemetery at Kobe in Japan . In August her tour in Korea ended and she sailed to Hong Kong to refit . After exercises , she was deployed as guardship at Pangyong Do from 31 October , and carried out patrol and gunfire support duties . On 9 December she was relieved by the destroyer and took passage to Kure , then to Hong Kong for Fleet exercises . In January 1954 she was deployed in operations and patrols off Malaya , taking part in Fleet Exercises in February , before sailing to Hong Kong for maintenance , and a new CO , Commander A . C . Tupper . In April she patrolled the Pearl River , and the Formosa Strait , returning to Korea at the end of May for patrol and guardship duties , before returning to Singapore for a major refit in July , during which the crew were temporarily transferred to HMS " Terror " - the naval barracks at Singapore Naval Base . West Indies . In September , after a shakedown cruise off Singapore , " Morecambe Bay " sailed for the Caribbean to join the West Indies Squadron , calling at Yokosuka , Pearl Harbour , San Francisco , San Diego , Acapulco , Puerto San José , Guatemala , and Balboa , Panama , before transiting the Panama Canal on 20 December , arriving at Kingston , Jamaica three days later . In January 1955 she joined the cruisers and , the frigates and , and other NATO warships for exercises , then returned to the UK , arriving back at Portsmouth on 2 February . After an extensive refit she was put back in commission in 31 July for service on America and West Indies Station under the command of Commander T . C . Meyrick . After trials and weapons calibration she sailed for Bermuda , arriving on 30 September . In October and November she visited various Caribbean island ports , then in December she took part in joint exercises with the cruiser and ships of the United States . The year 1956 was spent in an extensive series of visits to ports in Central America , and of the United States , as well as a major multi - national exercise in June with USN , RN , Canadian and Dutch ships . Finally , in September , " Morecambe Bay " returned to the UK , was decommissioned on 19 November 1956 , and was laid up in Reserve at Portsmouth . Later she was transferred to Barrow and placed on the Disposal List . Sold to Portugal . On 9 May 1961 the frigate was sold to Portugal and renamed " Dom Francisco de Almeida " . After a refit by John I . Thornycroft & Company at Woolston , Southampton , she was handed over to the Portuguese Navy on 3 August 1961 . She served until scrapped in September 1970 .