USS Flagstaff

Last updated • 7 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
USS Flagstaff (PGH 1).jpg
As USCGC Flagstaff (WPBH 1) undergoing Coast Guard evaluations.
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Flagstaff
Namesake Flagstaff, Arizona
Laid down1 June 1966
Launched15 July 1966
Christenedby Zilpha A. Wheeler, wife of Flagstaff, Arizona Mayor Rollin Wheeler
Commissioned
  • 14 September 1968 (USN);
  • 8 November 1974 (USCG on loan from USN);
  • 2 March 1977 (USCG)
Decommissioned30 September 1978
FateReturned to USN and scrapped
General characteristics
Class and typenone
TypeHydrofoil gunboat
Displacement67 long tons (68 t)
Length
Beam21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
Draft
  • 4 ft 4 in (1.32 m) (foils retracted)
  • 18 ft (5.5 m)(foils extended)
Propulsion
SpeedMax: at least 45  kn (52 mph; 83 km/h) (foil-borne)
Complement12 (1974); 13 (1977)
Sensors and
processing systems		Navigation-type radar
Armament1 × 40 mm Bofors AA gun, 1 × 81 mm (3.2 in) mortar, 2 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun
Flagstaff top, experimental coastal patrol and interdiction craft at center, and the PTF-23 bottom, off the coast of southern California in August 1974 USS Flagstaff and PTF-23 - 1974.jpg
Flagstaff top, experimental coastal patrol and interdiction craft at center, and the PTF-23 bottom, off the coast of southern California in August 1974

USS Flagstaff (PGH-1) was the only Flagstaff-class patrol gunboat (hydrofoil) and was acquired by the United States Navy because of her relatively low cost and very high speed. She was later loaned by the Navy to the U.S. Coast Guard, as USCGC Flagstaff (WPBH-1). The Coast Guard’s interest in the craft was the craft’s speed and its ability to interdict smugglers and other suspicious craft approaching the U.S. coast.

Contents

History of evaluation of high speed craft

In the mid-1970s, the Coast Guard explored options to replace the aging 95 ft (29 m) cutters. There was also considerable interest in developing new "high-speed ways" to combat narcotics smuggling by sea, conduct search and rescue operations, fisheries enforcement, and marine environmental protection. The Coast Guard, of course, looked for the most inexpensive way to test new platforms and when the Navy offered the use of some of their hydrofoils at "virtually no cost", the Coast Guard jumped on the opportunity. The Navy loaned the Coast Guard both USS Flagstaff (PGH-1) and USS High Point (PCH-1) for a short period of time beginning in late 1974. Flagstaff was scheduled for evaluation first and High Point was scheduled for evaluation in early 1975. While under Coast Guard ownership, Flagstaff was armed only with small arms.

Service with the U.S. Navy in Vietnam

Flagstaff was developed by the Navy as an experimental vessel under project SCB 252 [1] and was built by Grumman Aerospace Corporation of Bethpage, New York. She was delivered to the Navy in September 1968. After an operational evaluation period, she was deployed to South Vietnam with Tucumcari.[ citation needed ] The two ships formed Coastal Squadron 3, and were based in Cam Ranh Bay. [2] She conducted patrol missions there until 1970.[ citation needed ]Flagstaff and Tucumcari were too mechanically complex for the repair facilities in Vietnam, and as a result were ultimately withdrawn from combat. [2] Upon her return to the U.S. in 1970, she was assigned to the Amphibious Forces of the Pacific Fleet where she participated in numerous readiness trials and training exercises and was also used as a test-bed for various craft subsystems, such as the Navy's Advanced Hydrofoil Development Program. [3]

Evaluation of the craft by the U.S. Coast Guard

Both Flagstaff and High Point were scheduled for evaluation by the Coast Guard Hydrofoil Test and Evaluation Team, under guidance from the Coast Guard Research and Development Center, which was formed on 15 August 1974 and remained in existence until 6 May 1975. The Coast Guard commissioned Flagstaff on 8 November 1974 after having her hull painted white and the Coast Guard hull-stripe added. Her first commanding officer was Lieutenant Douglas F. Gehring, USCG. She operated out of San Diego, California, and other Californian ports during the Coast Guard's evaluation.

Search and rescue operation

During her evaluation, Flagstaff was involved in a number of search and rescue cases. She was dispatched from Long Beach, California, to investigate a report of a burning boat about 50 mi (80 km) away. In one hour, the ship was on scene and quickly located a family of three who had jumped into the water to escape the flash fire that had engulfed the cabin of their 40 ft (12 m) boat. Flagstaff's speed in arriving on scene was "a major factor in saving the lives of the three".

Problems encountered during test and evaluation

Ultimately, the evaluation demonstrated that she showed promise in both anti-smuggling operations and as a rapid response search and rescue vessel. But machinery breakdowns, a lack of spare parts for her Rolls-Royce turbine, and a collision with a gray whale off the Point Loma Lighthouse that caused $250,000 in damage to her aft strut gearing assembly (and killed the whale) soured the Coast Guard's hopes for her use. It was continually noted in reports that her operation was more like that of an airplane than a ship, particularly her wiring systems which were similar to the wiring used in aircraft. Concerns about weight, habitability, fuel consumption, and overall costs were also prevalent. Her evaluation period ended on 18 February 1975 and she was returned to the Navy.

Second assessment and evaluation by the Coast Guard

The Coast Guard once again acquired Flagstaff from the Navy on 29 September 1976 in San Diego, California, for further evaluation "in a fully operational environment". She was transported to the U.S. East Coast for testing in the "adverse weather conditions" that prevailed in the waters off the New England in the hope of having her conduct actual operational missions. She was home-ported at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The emphasis for this evaluation was to test her capabilities to enforce the new 200 mi (320 km) fisheries economic zone, in addition to the traditional Coast Guard missions. The testing period was initially set to last 12 months.

In-commission special status

After arriving on the East Coast, she required numerous repairs to her aging machinery, which was done in Boston, Massachusetts. She was placed "In-Commission-Special" status as a Coast Guard cutter (WPBH-1) on 2 March 1977 after again receiving the Coast Guard livery. Her commanding officer was Lt. Terrance Hart, USCG. Two days later, she transited from Boston to Woods Hole. She was under the operational control of the First District and the plan was to have her operate as a "normal district resource." It was thought that such use would permit comparison of her capabilities to the other District resources, i.e. HH-52As, HU-16Es, and surface craft. USCGC Flagstaff was placed "In-Commission Active" status on 17 July 1977.

Disappointing test and evaluation results

Her use this time, however, was more problematic than the first testing period in 1974. She continually suffered mechanical breakdowns, including problems with her turbine, and the lack of spare parts forced the Coast Guard to extend her period of evaluation from 12 months to 16 months.[ citation needed ] Her crew spent more of their time attempting to repair her rather than patrolling and one officer likened her operation to that of an aircraft, requiring frequent maintenance; the difference being that an aircraft has a flight crew to operate the aircraft and a maintenance crew for its upkeep.[ citation needed ] The crew of Flagstaff, however, had to do both, and were "overwhelmed with the maintenance workload," and their morale consequently suffered. From 26 May 1977 – 27 October 1977, Flagstaff only managed 305.2 hours of operating time, including only 71.6 hours of foil-borne time.[ citation needed ] In March 1978, she suffered a transmission failure and the nail in her coffin was the deterioration of her turbine. The only solution to the latter problem was to replace the turbine, and the cost of that was prohibitive. The Coast Guard decided to decommission her due to "the high cost of repairs and the fact that the CG feels sufficient information has been gained from the E.P. [Evaluation Period]." During this period of inoperability, she was located at the Coast Guard's aids to navigation station in Bristol, Rhode Island.[ citation needed ]

Decommissioned and returned to the Navy

She was decommissioned at Woods Hole on 30 September 1978 and returned to the Navy. The Coast Guard noted that: "sufficient information on the use of hydrofoils has been gathered from the evaluation program." The escalating costs of repair, and the fact that she needed an engine replacement too, figured into the decision to return her to the Navy. She was later surplussed and found in a boatyard in Tuckahoe, NJ. around 1999. The Flagstaff was sand blasted, plumbing repaired and electrical system being checked. The original turbine was in place but without diesel motor and water pump for standard operation. Was for sale ($30,000.00) and bought by company in Arkansas. Where vessel is located and condition is now unknown.

Awards


Footnotes

  1. ↑ Friedman, Small Combatants, pp. 257
  2. 1 2 Cutler, p. 91
  3. ↑ Plankowner Flagstaff PGH 1 31 Aug 1969 RECTAD COMCOSDIV 12 NAVSUPPACT DANANG We operated out of Danang Until Feb.1970 Just to set the records straightat. At which time we returned to Boat support unit one San Diego Calif 21Mar 1970.

Related Research Articles

The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) use a hull classification symbol to identify their ships by type and by individual ship within a type. The system is analogous to the pennant number system that the Royal Navy and other European and Commonwealth navies use.

USS <i>Saipan</i> (CVL-48) Saipan-class light aircraft carrier of the US Navy

The first USS Saipan (CVL-48/AVT-6/CC-3) was a light aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class of carrier. She was later selected for conversion into a command ship in 1963–1964, but instead of becoming a command ship she was converted to the Major Communications Relay Ship Arlington (AGMR-2) in 1965.

USS <i>Berkeley</i> Charles F. Adams-class destroyer

USS Berkeley (DDG-15) was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Major General Randolph C. Berkeley, USMC (1875–1960), a Medal of Honor recipient for actions during the U.S. occupation of Veracruz (1914).

USS <i>Tripoli</i> (LPH-10) United States Navy amphibious assault ship

USS Tripoli (LPH-10), an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship, was laid down on 15 June 1964 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation; launched on 31 July 1965; sponsored by Jane Cates, the wife of General Clifton B. Cates, former Commandant of the Marine Corps; and commissioned on 6 August 1966 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Tripoli was the second US Navy ship named for the Battle of Derna in 1805. It was the decisive victory of a mercenary army led by a detachment of US Marines and US Army soldiers against the forces of Tripoli during the First Barbary War and was the first recorded land battle of the United States fought overseas.

USS <i>Preble</i> (DDG-88) U.S. Navy Destroyer

USS Preble (DDG-88) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the sixth U.S. Navy ship named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble, who served in the American Revolutionary War and was one of the early leaders of the Navy.

USS <i>Absecon</i> (AVP-23) Tender of the United States Navy

The second USS Absecon (AVP-23) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1947, converted during construction to serve as a catapult training ship during World War II. The ship was in commission in the United States Coast Guard as the cutter USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374), later WHEC-374, from 1949 to 1972. Transferred to South Vietnam in 1972, she served in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-15) until she was captured by North Vietnam at the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975. After that, she served in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's Vietnam People's Navy as PRVSN Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-01).

<i>Pegasus</i>-class hydrofoil Class of U.S. Navy patrol boats

The Pegasus-class hydrofoils were a series of fast attack patrol boats employed by the United States Navy. They were in service from 1977 until 1993. These hydrofoils carried the designation "PHM" for "Patrol Hydrofoil, Missile." The Pegasus-class vessels were originally intended for NATO operations in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Subsequently, participation by other NATO navies, including Germany and Italy, ceased and the U.S. Navy proceeded to procure six PHMs, which were highly successful in conducting coastal operations, such as narcotics interdiction and coastal patrol, in the Caribbean basin.

USS <i>High Point</i>

USS High Point (PCH-1) was a High Point-class patrol craft of the United States Navy in commission from 1963 to 1975. She subsequently was in commission in the United States Coast Guard briefly in 1975.

USS <i>Warrington</i> (DD-843) Gearing-class destroyer

USS Warrington (DD-843) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the U.S. Navy from the end of World War II to the Vietnam War, when she was damaged by two underwater explosions, causing her to be listed as "beyond repair" and excessed to the Navy of the Republic of China.

USS <i>Tucumcari</i>

The USS Tucumcari (PGH-2) was a Boeing-built hydrofoil. Named after Tucumcari, New Mexico, it was the basis for the technology used in the subsequent Pegasus-class patrol boats and the Jetfoil ferries. Its unique feature was a waterjet propulsion and a computer-controlled fully submerged foil configuration of one foil at the bow and foils on the port and starboard sides. The Tucumcari was one of two prototype boats contracted by the Navy under project SCB 252 for the purpose of evaluating the latest hydrofoil technology. The second boat was the rival Grumman-built USS Flagstaff (PGH-1).

USS <i>Plainview</i> Hydrofoil

USS Plainview (AGEH–1) was, in its time, the world's largest hydrofoil. Named after the cities of Plainview, New York and Plainview, Texas, she was also the United States Navy's first hydrofoil research ship. Plainview was designed under project SCB 219; laid down 8 May 1964 by the Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle, Washington; launched 28 June 1965; sponsored by Mrs. John T. Hayward; and placed in service on 3 March 1969. She cost $21 million to construct.

USS <i>Savage</i>

USS Savage (DE-386) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Kretchmer</i>

USS Kretchmer (DE-329) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.

Patrol gunboat (hydrofoil) was a type of vessel built by the U.S. Navy in the 1970s and tested by the U.S. Coast Guard.

USCGC <i>Owasco</i> Naval vessel

USCG Owasco (WHEC-39) was an Owasco class high endurance cutter which served with the US Coast Guard from 1945 to 1973. Originally intended for World War II service, she was commissioned only weeks before the end of the war and consequently did not see combat until her deployment in the Vietnam War more than 20 years later.

USCGC <i>Sebago</i> (WHEC-42)

USCG Sebago (WHEC-42) was an Owasco class high endurance cutter which served with the US Coast Guard from 1945 to 1972. Originally intended for World War II service, she was not commissioned until a month after the end of hostilities and consequently did not see combat until her deployment in the Vietnam War more than 20 years later.

USS <i>Chincoteague</i> Tender of the United States Navy

USS Chincoteague (AVP-24) was a United States Navy seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946 that saw service in the Pacific during World War II. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard as the cutter USCGC Chincoteague (WAVP-375), later WHEC-375, from 1949 to 1972. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1972 and was commissioned into service with the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS Lý Thường Kiệt (HQ-16), seeing combat in the Battle of the Paracel Islands in 1974. When South Vietnam collapsed at the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, where she was commissioned into the Philippine Navy, serving as the frigate RPSAndrés Bonifacio (PF-7) from 1976 to 1985.

USS <i>Castle Rock</i> Tender of the United States Navy

USS Castle Rock (AVP-35) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946 which saw service in the late months of World War II. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard as the Coast Guard cutter USCGC Castle Rock (WAVP-383), later WHEC-383, from 1948 to 1971, seeing service in the Vietnam War during her Coast Guard career. Transferred to South Vietnam in 1971, she served in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS Trần Bình Trọng (HQ-05) and fought in the Battle of the Paracel Islands in 1974. When South Vietnam collapsed at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Trần Bình Trọng fled to the Philippines, where she served in the Philippine Navy from 1979 to 1985 as the frigate RPSFrancisco Dagohoy (PF-10).

USS <i>Beacon</i> (PG-99) Gunboat of the United States Navy

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.

USCGC <i>Southwind</i>

USCGC Southwind (WAGB-280) was a Wind-class icebreaker that served in the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Southwind (WAG-280), the Soviet Navy as the Admiral Makarov, the United States Navy as USS Atka (AGB-3) and again in the U.S. Coast Guard as USCGC Southwind (WAGB-280).

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.