HMCS Milltown (pennant J317) was a Bangor-class minesweeper constructed for the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. Laid down on 18 August 1941 by Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. in Ontario, she was launched on 27 January 1942 and commissioned on 18 September 1942. Measuring 180 feet in length with a beam of 28 feet 6 inches and a draught of 9 feet 9 inches, Milltown displaced approximately 672 long tons. She was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines supplied by Admiralty three-drum boilers, producing 2,400 indicated horsepower, which allowed her to reach a maximum speed of 16.5 knots. The vessel's armament included a forward 12-pounder gun, a 2-pounder (later replaced by twin 20 mm Oerlikon guns), and initially two depth charge launchers with four chutes for 40 depth charges, reflecting her dual role in minesweeping and convoy escort duties. Initially assigned to Halifax Force, Milltown participated in local patrols before transferring to the Western Local Escort Force in March 1943, serving as a convoy escort during the Battle of the Atlantic. Later, she moved to Gaspé Force, tasked with convoy protection through the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Saint Lawrence River. In November 1943, she returned to Halifax Force, then was deployed to Europe in 1944 for the Normandy invasion. As part of the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, she played a crucial role in sweeping and marking channels through German minefields leading into the invasion beaches, particularly Channel 3 on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Throughout June, she operated in the wider Channel 14 area, clearing paths for Allied ships. Following the invasion, Milltown continued clearing shipping lanes between the UK and Europe until late 1944, after which she was used as a cross-channel convoy escort. Returning to Canada in March 1945, she underwent a refit and rejoined European waters until September. Decommissioned on 16 October 1945 at Sydney, Nova Scotia, she was placed in reserve and later reactivated briefly in 1952 during the Korean War era, re-designated as a coastal escort (FSE 194). However, she never returned to active service and was sold for scrap in 1959, ending her maritime career.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.