Chilean destroyer Ministro Portales (DD-17)
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 Destroyer "Ministro Portales" ready to combat the Argentinians in 1978. |
|
| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 31 January 1944 |
| Launched: | 30 September 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 8 January 1974 |
| Sunk: | 11 November 1998 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 2,220 tons |
| Length: | 376 ft 6 in |
| Beam: | 41 ft 1 in |
| Draught: | 15 ft 8 in |
| Propulsion: | 60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers |
| Speed: | 34 knots |
| Range: | |
| Complement: | 336 |
| Armament: |
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| Motto: | |
The Ministro Portales was purchased by Chile on January 8, 1974 from the United States. Originally built and commissioned as the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) in 1944, the ship was officially a member of the Allen M. Sumner FRAM II class of destroyers. Between 1975 & 1976, it was refited with an extension in the flight deck from the Alouette-III Helicopters.
The Portales participated in the Beagle-Channel diplomatic conflict in 1978. In this period, all the Chilean navy ships were camouflaged.
This vessel served the navy of Chile until it was taken off active duty and towed from Talcahuano to Port Williams, arriving at the wharf on September 18, 1991.
There, it was a static support vessel for the local torpedo boat fleet until their replacement by missile boats.
On November 11, 1998 at 3:47 p.m., the Ministro Portales was intentionally sunk during a target practice exercise.
