HMS Searcher (D40)

	HMS Searcher (D40)
History
United States
Name	USS AVG-22
Builder	Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down	20 February 1942
Launched	20 June 1942
Fate	Transferred to the Royal Navy
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Searcher(D20)’
Commissioned	7 April 1943
Fate	Returned to the US Navy in 1945; Listed for disposal on 7 February 1946; Sold to J & A T Vatis in 1952;
Greece
Name	SS Captain Theo
Owner	J & A T Vatis
Acquired	1952
Identification	IMO number: 6116575
Fate	Sold to Tung Chao Yung in 1966
Taiwan
Name	SS Oriental Banker
Owner	Tung Chao Yung
Acquired	1966
Identification	IMO number: 6116575
Fate	Scrapped on 21 April 1976 in Taiwan
General characteristics
Class & type	Bogue-class escort carrier (USA); Ruler-class escort carrier (UK);
Displacement	As Searcher: 14,400 tons; As Captain Theo: 7129 tons; As Oriental Banker: 10542 tons;
Length	491 ft 6 in (149.81 m)
Beam	69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Draught	26 ft (7.9 m)
Installed power	8,500 shp (6.3 MW)
Propulsion	Steam turbines, 1 shaft
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement	646 officers and men
Armament	2 × 4"/50, 5"/38 or 5"/51 guns; 4 × twin 40 mm Bofors; 20 × single 20 mm Oerlikon;
Aircraft carried	20

HMS Searcher was a Ruler-class escort carrier of the Royal Navy. Built in Seattle as a Bogue-class, she was transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease. Launched in 1942 she served until 29 November 1945. She was sold into merchant service and renamed Captain Theo. In 1966, she was renamed again to Oriental Banker and was finally scrapped in Taiwan in 1976.