RPS Leyte

RPS Leyte (PS-30) was a Miguel Malvar-class corvette of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE-885, a PCE-842-class patrol craft for the United States Navy during World War II. She was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy and transferred to the Philippine Navy in July 1948 and renamed Leyte. The ship was decommissioned from the Philippine Navy in 1979 after she ran aground and was damaged beyond repair.

History
United States
NameUSS PCE-885
BuilderAlbina Engine and Machine Works, Portland, Oregon
Laid down25 February 1944
Launched20 June 1944
Commissioned30 April 1945
Fatetransferred to the Philippine Navy, July 1948
History
Philippines
NameRPS Leyte (E-30)
NamesakeLeyte is one of the provinces in the Visayas, Philippines.
Commissioned1948
Decommissioned1979
RenamedRPS Leyte (PS-30), 1965
Fateunknown
General characteristics
Class and typePCE-842-class patrol craft (in U.S. Navy service)
Class and typeMiguel Malvar-class corvette (in Philippine Navy service)
Displacement880.8 Tons (Full Load)
Length184.5 ft (56.2 m)
Beam33 ft (10 m)
Draft9.75 ft (2.97 m)
Propulsion
  • Main: 2 × GM 12-567A diesel engines
  • Auxiliary: 2 × GM 6-71 diesel engines with 100KW gen and 1 × GM 3-268A diesel engine with 60KW gen
Speed16 Knots (maximum),
Endurance5370 nmi
Complementaround 77
Armament

History

Commissioned in the US Navy as USS PCE-885 in 1945, and was decommissioned after World War II.

She was then transferred and commissioned into the Philippine Naval Patrol and was renamed RPS Leyte (E-29) in July 1948. She was carried over to the Philippine Navy in 1951, and was reclassified as RPS Leyte (PS-30 in 1965. She was stricken in 1979 after being grounded near Wallace Air Station in Poro Point, La Union.[1]

Grounding

After undergoing repairs at the Cavite Naval Dockyard in 1979, she was immediately assigned to escort RPS Ang Pangulo, the presidential yacht, which was docked at San Fernando, La Union after being used by President Ferdinand Marcos in a trip to Baguio City. Without undergoing sea trials and with an impending storm, Leyte proceeded to La Union. Caught in the storm and radar-less, one of her engines failed, but she still proceeded to her destination. Upon nearing the area of the Wallace Air Station, she found herself parallel with the coastline, and was hit by a huge wave that threw the ship into the rocky coast off Wallace Air Station. Grounded, her crew was secured from the waves and no fatalities were reported.

The Philippine Navy was unable to recover the ship, and she was stricken in the same year.[2]

Technical details

Originally the ship was armed with one 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun, three twin Bofors 40 mm guns, five 20 mm Oerlikon guns, 1 Hedgehog depth charge projector, four depth charge projectiles (K-guns) and two depth charge tracks.[3]

There were slight differences between the RPS Leyte as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy, since her previous configuration was as a patrol craft escort, while the others are configured as minesweepers and patrol craft escort rescue ships.

References
  1. "Philippines". Worldwarships.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. Ferrer, Antonieto D. Sea Disasters in the Philippines. ADF Publishing Services 2007
  3. NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. PCE-885.


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