The Asheville-class gunboats were originally designated PGM motor gunboats, but were reclassified in 1967 as PG patrol combatant ships.[4]
The Asheville class employed a combined diesel or gas turbine (CODOG) propulsion system; twin Cummins diesel engines for endurance, and a GE LM1500 gas turbine for high-speed dash. Engine controls were operated by pneumatics. The controllable reversible pitch propeller allowed them to stop in less than two ship lengths from full speed. They were the first gas turbine ships in the US Navy, as well as the first with aluminum hulls and fiberglass superstructures.
History
Originally designed for the Caribbean patrols, the Asheville class were deployed into Southeast Asia. They proved successful in coastal work, intercepting small boats attempting to transport arms along the Vietnam coast. Attempts to use them on the inland rivers proved disastrous to the small lightly armored ships, USS Canon was severely damaged by over eight rocket strikes, resulting in half of the crew being wounded.[5]
USS Surprise and USS Defiance were deployed in the Mediterranean to counter the Soviet gunboats.
Five of the gunboats were fitted with various missile systems replacing the 40mm guns. Benicia conducted test firings in the spring of 1971 of a modified AGM-12 Bullpup surface-to-surface missile system and Antelope and Ready were fitted with two launch cells aft plus reload boxes on deck. Grand Rapids and Douglas were fitted with an improved AGM-78 Standard ARM missile.[6]
Ships
A total of 17 Asheville-class gunboats were built between 1966 and 1971.
During the Third Cod War between Iceland and Great Britain in 1975–1976 the Icelandic Coast Guard, through the Minister of Justice Ólafur Jóhannesson (the political leader of the Coast Guard), requested the loan of one or more Asheville boats from the United States Navy. With their high speed they were considered ideal for the Icelanders to counter the British frigates protecting fishing trawlers on the Icelandic fishing banks. The U.S. Secretary of StateHenry Kissinger categorically turned down the Icelandic request.[7] This hardly came as a great surprise to the Icelanders, as the request for the Asheville boats was probably a political ploy, intended to show how serious Iceland was in overcoming the Royal Navy in the struggle for the fishing banks.[8] The seaworthiness of the Ashevilles in the rough seas of the North Atlantic around Iceland has to be considered doubtful, at best.
Original commission
The following Asheville-class gunboats were commissioned for the U.S. Navy.[9][10]
Two of the ships were transferred to the navy of Greece; both ships were in reserve from April 1977 before being refitted and transferred. The gas-turbine propulsion engines were removed prior to transfer and the ships were reclassified as coastal patrol craft.
Tolmi (ΤΟΛΜΗ) (ex-Green Bay) transferred 30 October 1989[11] recommissioned on 18 June 1991.
Ormi (ΟΡΜΗ) (ex-Beacon) transferred 30 October 1989[12] recommissioned on 18 June 1991.
Colombian National Armada
USSTacoma(PGM-92) officially released to Colombia on 20 September 1995,[13] renamed ARC Quita Sueño (P-111).[14]
USSWelch(PGM-93) officially released to Colombia on 20 September 1995,[15] renamed ARC Albuquerque (P-112).[14]
The Tacoma class was a class of 96 patrol frigates which served in the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War. Originally classified as gunboats (PG), they were reclassified as patrol frigates (PF) on 15 April 1943. The class is named for its lead ship, Tacoma, a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) S2-S2-AQ1 design, which in turn was named for the city of Tacoma, Washington. Twenty-one ships were transferred to the British Royal Navy, in which they were known as Colony-class frigates, and twenty-eight ships were transferred under Lend-Lease to the Soviet Navy, where they were designated as storozhevoi korabl, during World War II. All Tacoma-class ships in US service during World War II were manned by United States Coast Guard crews. Tacoma-class ships were transferred to the United States Coast Guard and various navies post-World War II.
USS Pasco (PG-114/PF-6), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945, has thus far been the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pasco, Washington. She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-12 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Kashi (PF-3/PF-283) and as YAC-12.
USS Tacoma (PG-92) was an Asheville-class gunboat of the U.S. Navy and the fourth ship to be named after the city of Tacoma, Washington. Tacoma was the first in a series of revised Asheville-class gunboats. Some sources call these revised boats Tacoma- or PG-92-class, but the U.S. Navy officially designates them as Asheville-class. The keel of Tacoma was laid 24 July 1967 at the Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, in her namesake city. She was launched on 13 April 1968, sponsored by Mrs. Arne K. Strom, and was commissioned on 14 July 1969.
USS Marathon (PGM-89/PG-89) was an Asheville-class gunboat acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of high speed patrolling in shallow waterways.
USS Asheville (PGM-84/PG-84) was an Asheville-class gunboat acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of high speed patrolling in shallow waterways. The third ship to be named Asheville by the Navy, the vessel was laid down on 15 April 1964 at Tacoma, Washington, by the Tacoma Boatbuilding Company and launched on 1 May 1965, sponsored by Mrs. R. E. Harris. Asheville was commissioned on 6 August 1966.
USS Gallup (PGM-85/PG-85) was an Asheville-class gunboat acquired by the United States Navy for the task of high speed patrolling in shallow waterways.
USS Chehalis (PGM-94/PG-94) was an Asheville-class gunboat of the U.S. Navy and the second ship to be named Chehalis. Chehalis was launched 8 June 1968 at the Tacoma Boatbuilding Company. She was commissioned 8 November 1969. The vessel was named in honor of Chehalis, a city in Washington state. Later, she was transferred to Naval Sea Systems Command and renamed Research Vessel Athena. Athena was scrapped in 2016.
USS Asheville (PF-1) was an Asheville-class patrol frigate of the United States Navy that served during World War II. She was laid down on 10 March 1942 by Canadian Vickers Ltd. in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as the River-class frigate HMS Adur (K296) to serve in the British Royal Navy. She was launched on 22 August 1942 but due to a lack of American vessels for convoy protection she was transferred to the United States Navy prior to completion. On 1 December 1942, she was commissioned in Montreal as USS Asheville (PG-101), a patrol gunboat. She was reclassified PF-1 on 15 April 1943.
USS Defiance (PGM-95/PG-95) was a gunboat in the United States Navy and later transferred to Turkey. She was an Asheville-class gunboat, and the third ship to be named Defiance, in honor of the city of Defiance, Ohio.
USS Antelope (PGM-86/PG-86) was an Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy.
The second USS Crockett (PGM-88/PG-88) was a Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.
The first USS Canon (PGM-90/PG-90) was a Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. She is currently on donation hold.
The second USS Welch (PGM-93/PG-93) was a Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.
The second USS Benicia (PGM-96/PG-96) was a Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy commissioned in 1970. She later served in the South Korean Navy as Paek Ku 51 (PGM-351).
The second USS Grand Rapids (PGM-98/PG-98) was an Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.
USS Beacon (PGM-99/PG-99) was an Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. She was transferred to the Hellenic Navy where she serves as PG Hormi.
USS Green Bay (PG-101) was an Asheville-class gunboat in the United States Navy. She has since been transferred to the Hellenic Navy under the name HS Tolmi (P-229).
HMS St. Helena (K590) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigateUSS Pasley (PF-86) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion. After the British returned her to the United States in 1946, she briefly carried the name USS St. Helena (PF-86).
HMS Pitcairn (K589) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigateUSS Pilford (PF-85) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.
USS Douglas (PG-100) was an Asheville-class gunboat which served in the United States Navy from 1971 to 1977.
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