USS Rockville

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This article is about the United States patrol boat. For for other ships, see ARC San Andres.
USS Rockville.jpg
USS Rockville seen in port sometime in the 1960s or 1970s.
History
United States
NameRockville
NamesakeSmall towns in Connecticut and Maryland
OperatorUnited States Navy
OrderedJune 1943
BuilderPullman Standard Car Company, Chicago, Illinois
Laid down18 October 1943
Launched22 February 1944
Commissioned15 May 1944
Decommissioned12 April 1946
Recommissioned22 November 1950
Decommissioned21 December 1968
Renamed15 February 1956
Reclassified15 October 1951
Stricken21 December 1968
Homeport1951: Washington, D.C.
Honours and
awards		3 battle stars
FateTransferred to Colombian Navy
History
Colombia
NameARA San Adres (BO 151)
Acquired5 June 1969
In serviceColombian Navy: 1969-1986
FateTransferred to Colombian Coast Guard
General characteristics
Class and typePCE-842-class patrol boat
Type1944: patrol craft escort rescue 1951: experimental patrol craft escort rescue
Displacement903 Long tons
Length184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam33 ft 1 in (10.08 m)
Draft9 ft 5 in (2.87 m)
Propulsion2 × 6-cylinder, 300 hp (224 kW) General Mortors 12-278A diesel engines providing 2,000 bhp via two shafts
Speed16.4 knots at trial
Range3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) At max. speed: 2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi)
Boats & landing
craft carried		One whaleboat
Capacity57 patients
Complement
  • 1944: 98 crewmembers and 11 medical staff
  • 1951: 5 officers, 55 enlisted, 12 research staff
  • 1973: 60
  • 1979: 50
ArmamentAt launch:

1 3" naval gun, 2 40mm., 6 20mm., 2 depth charge projectors, 2 depth charge tracks

1951: None
NotesMedical facilities: A surgery, X-ray equipment, 65 hospital beds, accommodations for 57 patients

USS Rockville (EPCER-851), previously USS PCE(R)-851, PCER-851 and later ARC San Andres (BO 151),[1] was a PCE-842-class patrol craft of the United States and Colombian navies. Named after small towns in Maryland and Connecticut, she was the only U.S. naval vessel to bear the name.

Design and construction[]

USS Rockville was laid down as USS PCER-851 on 18 October 1943[2] as one of thirteen designed[3] patrol craft escort rescue (PCER) ships by the Pullman Standard Car Company of Chicago, Illinois. She was launched on 22 February 1944 and commissioned on 15 May 1944 as a medical rescue ship.[2] The PCER ships were designed as a variation of the PCE-842-class design, specializing in personnel transport and medical evacuation. They were originally planned to be Convoy Rescue Transports designated as APR, yet this was abandoned before construction even started.[3] Her commissioning party was made up of Harriet Lowden Madlener and Florence Lowden Miller.[4]

As a medical ship, she was built with an onboard surgery, pharmacy, 65 hospital beds and equipped with x-ray devices with accommodations for 57 patients.[5] The added facilities would be crewed by an additional 11 medical staff, being the total crew to 107.[6] This space was facilitated by a longer forecastle, which extends for most of the ship's length. The added forecastle weight was compensated with lighter anti-aircraft and anti-submarine weapons.[3]

A common criticism of the design was the lack of any long range surface detection equipment, forcing the crew to manually watch for aircraft. This became exceptionally problematic after the first appearances of kamikazes. This was also furthered by the lack of a TBS, meaning the ship was not able to get any warnings of incoming aircraft. This also had the effect of having the crew feel like they were alone in the ocean as they at times had no communication with other vessles.[7]

All patrol craft escort ships had four more 40mm guns compared to the rescue variant, with a total of 2.[6]

Service history[]

World War II[]

Atlantic service[]

After commissioning, the then PCER-851 reported with Task Group 26.1 on 10 July 1944 at Bermuda where she would patrol the area for the next month. In that time, she escorted allied submarines from Norfolk, Virginia to the British West Indies and transferred the captured crew of U-505 to Newport News, Virginia.[5]

Pacific service[]

On 20 August the ship left the Atlantic, reporting to the US Pacific Fleet on 15 September at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Here, she was loaded with additional medical equipment and was boarded by more medical personal. The following day she sailed West, arriving at Milne Bay, Papa New Guanine sometime in October. After her arrival she arrived at Manus before joining Task Force 79.11.3 at Leyte Gulf to escort transports.[5] Afterwards, the ship laid idle before the commanding officers of PCER-851 and 852 went ashore and explained the purpose and capabilities of their ship to the beach-master,[7] where as the ships were than ordered to receive casualties from Dulag Beach on the 20th to 25th in support of an amphibious landing as a part of a "casualty care" mission.[5] After the first few boatloads of wounded were on board, the vessel received a message requesting assistance from a Liberty ship. Instead of sending a ship's whaleboat to ferry men ship to ship, the small and manurable PCER pulled up alongside the transport, taking onboard several P-38 Army pilots shotdown by friendly fire. This tactic would become standard for all other rescues when weather allowed.[7] On the 25th she was instructed to join Task Group 78.2 at Talcloban. In the afternoon shrapnel detonated one of the ship's 20mm magazines leading to four onboard injuries.[5]

For the next month she would continue to serve as a part of a "casualty care" missions near Leyte Gulf.[5] After the Battle off Samar, the ship handled the injured and survivors of Taffey 3 after the Navy was aware of its nearby presence. PCER-851 and sister ship PCER-852 began operating in coordination with each other, sharing men and supplies while anchoring together to combine anti-air capabilities. USS Montpelier (CL-57), New Orleans (CA-32), and Lamson (DD-367) were a few naval and merchant ships aided during this time.[7]

The ship accompanied forces going to Ormoc Bay in December before joining Task Group 78.3 as a rescue and evacuation ship during the Mindoro amphibious assaults on December 15.[5] By this time, she was the only rescue ship in the Philippine islands. She suffered a friendly waterline shell hit[7] en route before shooting down a Japanese aircraft, and later on aided in firefighting and survivor rescue.[5] Minor damage was also sustained while pulling alongside the burning USS LST-472.[7] She returned to Leyte the same day before making for Hollandia, New Guinea, where she would remain until February for repairs.[5][7] On February 3 she left for Saipan and arrived eight days later in preparation for the Iwo Jima landings. On the February 15 she made for the Volcano Islands to screen the area en route before focusing on beach patrolling after arrival to Iwo Jima. On 1 March she departed to return to Leyte[5] escorting a landing ship, tank.[7]

PCER-851 left Leyte for Okinawa on 27 March apart of the Southern Attack Force[5] with Destroyer Squadron 60 with the purpose of screening the main invasion force. Her low speed made it difficult to follow the force at all, so she was reassigned to escort a crippled landing ship dock which was falling behind.[7]

At 0610 on 1 April about ten miles off Hagushi Beach a Zeke kamikaze took the crew by surprise before diving on the ship and barley overshooting, crashing stern.[5][7] The type of ship and the large amount of kamikazes lead to a different approach to dealing with the threat. Kamikazes would often follow the tracer fire of ships at dark, so it was decided that no guns would be fired at incoming aircraft to deny them path of approach. To decrease the human loss of attacks, the crew would be spaced out above the waterline and off the deck when an aircraft was spotted. To further bolster anti-air capabilities, the ship gunnery officer was able to trade medical whiskey for single and twin 50 caliber machine guns with aviation personnel.[7]

She would continue patrolling duties until the 6th were she rescued survivors and bodies from kamikaze damaged ships. , Maryland (BB-46), Laffey (DD-724), Morrison (DD-560) and Ingraham (DD-694) were among the ships aided.[5] The fact that the rescue ships were not designed to come along other ships became apparent when half of the port stanchions and gun tub supports were ripped off when pulling away from the damaged USS Laffey. Due to the damage, 4x4 wood planking was used to shore up the gun platforms until they could be properly tended to by a repair ship.[7]

PCER-851 left the island chain on 28 June where she would dock at Saipan on 4 July where she would escort USS Rockwall (APA-230) to Pearl Harbor, pulling in on the 19th. She would undergo repairs there until mid-August when action ended. In total, the vessel earned three battle stars during the war.[5]

Post World War II service[]

East Coast service[]

In mid-October PCER-851 left Peral Harbor for the US East Coast, arriving at Norfolk in late November. In January 1946 the ship sailed to New London, Connecticut for operations with the Underwater Sound Laboratory. She left in March before going to Boston, Massachusetts on March 19. On 12 April the ship was decommissioned and entered service as a Naval Reserve Training Ship to train Naval Reserve sailors of the 1st Naval District until 1950. In June 1950 she was placed in reserve as a commissioned ship. On 22 November 1950 the PCER was recommissioned and served the rest of the year in New England.[5]

On 15 October 1951 she was re-designated as EPCER-851, or experimental patrol craft escort rescue, for use out of Washington DC with the Naval Research Laboratory.[5] At some point with the designation, she was disarmed. Her complement would also change to 5 officers, 55 enlisted, and 12 technical/scientific personnel.[8]

On 15 February 1956 the ship was renamed Rockville after small towns in Connecticut and Maryland followed by being fitted with an electronics laboratory and workshop.[5] The Rockville conducted sonar testing[9] from the Caribbean to Newfoundland until January 1965. She was later stationed out of Norfolk to continue her mission with members of the Western Electric Company on board. In 1968 Rockville was ordered inactive, decommissioned and struck from the Navy list on 21 December 1968.[5]

Colombian service[]

On 5 June 1969 Rockville was transferred to the Colombian Navy, becoming ARC (Armada Republica de Colombia) San Andres (BO 151) as a survey ship before being transferred to the Colombian Coast Guard in the 1980s. Sometime later in the 1980s she was once again retired.[10] She was no longer listed as being a part of the Colombian Navy in 1986.[11] In 1986 ARC San Andres (BO 154) was commissioned into the Navy as a replacement for BO 151.[12]

References[]

  1. ^ In this usage, ARC stands for Armada Republica de Colombia.
  2. ^ a b Silverstone, Paul. The Navy of World War II, 1922-1947. p. 192.
  3. ^ a b c Sayers, Ken. US Navy Patrol Vessels. p. 111.
  4. ^ "The Pullman History Site : Pullman War Service : Pullman Goes to War -- PCE(R)". www.pullman-museum.org. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Dictionary of American Fighting Ships". 31 August 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b Francis E. Mccurtie (1989). Jane's fighting ships of World War II. New York: Military Press, Distributed by Crown Publishers. p. 295. ISBN 978-0-517-67963-0.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Risky Rescue". U.S. Naval Institute. 1951-04-01. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  8. ^ Sayers, Ken. US Navy Patrol Vessles. p. 114.
  9. ^ Frieman, Norman (1987). U.S. Small Combatants, Including PT Boats, Subchasers, and the Brown-Water Navy: An Illustrated Design History.
  10. ^ Sayers, Ken. US Navy Patrol Vessles. p. 498.
  11. ^ Jane's fighting ships 1987-88. London & New York: Jane's Pub. 1987. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-7106-0842-0.
  12. ^ Sharpe, Richard (1988). Jane's fighting ships. London: Jane's. p. 118. ISBN 978-0-7106-0858-1.
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