BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-23)

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BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-23)
Career (United States of America) United States Navy ensign
Name: USS PCE(R)-853
Builder: Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co., Chicago, IL
Laid down: 16 November 1943
Launched: 18 March 1944
Commissioned: 15 June 1944
Decommissioned: 6 February 1970
Renamed: USS Amherst (PCER-853)
Fate: Transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Navy on 1970. Escaped to the to Philippines in 1975 after the fall of South Vietnam.
Career (Philippines)
Name: BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-23)
Namesake: Datu Marikudo was a legendary Ati King who was said to have sold land to the 10 Bornean Datus who were believed to be the ancestors of the present Visayans.
Operator: Philippine Navy
Commissioned: 5 April 1976
Reclassified: Patrol Corvette
Fate: in service with the Philippine Navy, availability questionable.
General characteristics
Class and type: Miguel Malvar class
Type: Patrol Corvette
Displacement: 914 Tons (Full Load)
Length: 184.5 ft (56.2 m)
Beam: 33 ft (10 m)
Draft: 9.75 ft (2.97 m)
Propulsion: Main: 2 x GM 12-278A diesel engines
Auxiliary: 2 x GM 6-71 diesel engines with 100KW gen and 1 x GM 3-268A diesel engine with 60KW gen
Speed: 16 Knots (maximum),
Range: 6,600 nmi at 11 knots
Complement: 85
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • SPS-50 Surface search Radar
  • RCA SPN-18 I/J-band Navigation Radar
    [1]
Armament:

The BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-23) is one of several Miguel Malvar class Patrol Corvettes in service with the Philippine Navy. She is formerly an ex-USN Patrol Craft Escort based on the Admirable class minesweeper hull that were produced during World War II, and is now classified as a corvette protecting the vast waters of the Philippines. Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she is considered as one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today.[2]


Contents

[edit] History

as USS PCER-853
as USS PCER-853

Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS PCER-853 in 1944, she was assigned in the Pacific theatre of operations, first in support of landing operations in Leyte and Lingayen in the Philippine Islands. She was also assigned to convoy escort duties, rescue operations, and other combat support duties in Okinawa area.

PCER-853 entered the Navy yard in Hawaii and was still undergoing overhaul when Japan capitulated. In September 1945, the vessel steamed to the east coast of the United States and was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Fla.

as USS Amherst (PCER-853)
as USS Amherst (PCER-853)

In December 1947, PCER-853 served as a training vessel for Naval Reserve personnel in the 4th Naval District. The ship was placed back in active status on 28 November 1950 and carried out training duty at Philadelphia for the next 10 years. On 15 February 1956, the ship was renamed the Amherst (PCER-853). On 6 February 1970, Amherst was placed in an "out of service, special" status for pre-transfer overhaul. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 3 June 1970. [3]

as RVN Van Kiep II (HQ-14)
as RVN Van Kiep II (HQ-14)

She was then transferred to the Republic of Vietnam on 1970. She served the Vietnamese Navy as Van Kiep II (HQ-14) up until her escape to the Philippines in 1975, together with other South Vietnamese Navy ships and their respective crew.[4]

She was commissioned into the Philippine Navy and was renamed RPS (now BRP) Datu Marikudo (PS-23). She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet,[5] but is currently undergoing major repair as of 2007.[6]

[edit] Technical details

Originally the ship was armed with one 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun, two single Bofors 40 mm guns, 1 Hedgehog depth charge projector, four depth charge projectiles (K-guns) and two depth charge tracks.[7]

The same configuration applies up until the late 1980s when the Philippine Navy removed most of her old anti-submarine weapons and systems, and instead mounted one 40 mm gun mount, four 20 mm Oerlikon Mk10 guns, and four 12.7 mm general purpose machine guns. This made her lighter and ideal for surface patrols, but losing her limited but dated anti-submarine warfare capability.

The ship is powered by two GM 12-278A diesel engines similar to her sister ships, with a combined rating of around 2,200 bhp driving two propellers. The main engines can propel the 914 tons (full load) ship to a maximum speed of around 16 knots (30 km/h).[8]

There are slight difference between the BRP Datu Marikudo as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy, since her previous configuration was as a patrol craft escort, while there are others who were originally configured as minesweepers.

[edit] Gallery

PS-23 is in the background, stripped of her weapons and undergoing major repair. Circa October 2007.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Jane's Fighting Ships 2004-2005
  2. ^ Armed Forces of the Philippines Order of Battle. Philippine Navy.
  3. ^ Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Amherst page.
  4. ^ NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. Amherst (PCE[R-853) ex-PCE(R)-853].
  5. ^ Philippine Fleet Official Website. Commissioned Ships and Crafts.
  6. ^ Philippine Fleet Accomplishment Report January - August 2007
  7. ^ NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. Amherst (PCE[R-853) ex-PCE(R)-853].
  8. ^ DLSU N-ROTC Office. Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Miguel Malvar class corvette