USS Defiance (PG-95)

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.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see USS Defiance.
USS Defiance (PG-95)
History
United States
NameDefiance
NamesakeCity of Defiance, Ohio
Ordered26 July 1966
BuilderPeterson Builders
Laid down3 October 1967
Launched24 August 1968
Stricken6 August 1987
MottoWith Knowledge and Confidence to Deny
FateTransferred to Turkey, destroyed in 1985
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeAsheville-class gunboat
Displacement240 long tons (244 t)
Length164 ft 6 in (50.1 m)
Beam24 ft (7.3 m)
Draft9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 16 kn (30 km/h) max on diesels
  • 42 kn (78 km/h) max on turbine
Range1,700 nmi (3,100 km)
Complement24 crew (4 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Weapons control: Mk 63 GFCS
  • Radar: Sperry AN/SPS-53; I/J-band
  • Fire control: Western Electric AN/SPG-50; I/J-band
Armament
  • Guns: 1 × USN 3 in (76 mm) /50 Mk 34; 50 rounds/min to 7 nmi (13 km); weight of shell 6 kg.
  • 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns (2 × 2)
  • 1 × Bofors 40 mm/70 Mk 10.
  • Missiles: Some units had the 40 mm replaced with various missile configurations

Design and construction

Defiance was 165 ft (50.3 m) long, 24 ft (7.3 m) wide, and displaced 250 t (246.1 long tons; 275.6 short tons). She had a crew of three officers, and 21 crewmembers. She had a top speed of 40 kn (74.1 km/h; 46.0 mph), and was propelled by two shafts, which were powered by a combined diesel or gas system of two diesel engines, and a gas turbine. This system allowed for them to cruise at economical oil use levels, by only using the diesel engines, but also sail quickly when needed, by using the gas turbine. The ship was armed with one 3"/50 caliber gun, one Bofors 40 mm gun, and two twin .50 caliber machine guns.[1][2] Defiance was laid down by Peterson Builders, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on 3 October 1967. She was launched on 24 August 1968, and commissioned on 24 September 1969.[2][3] Her identifying symbol was of a clenched fist holding three lightning bolts, with the motto "With Knowledge and Confidence to Defy".[1]

Service history

Defiance was decommissioned on 11 June 1973, in Izmir, Turkey, and immediately after she was transferred to the Turkish Navy, renamed as Yildirim (P-338). She was destroyed by an explosion, and the ensuing fire, on 11 April 1985, off the coast of the Greek island of Mitylene, in the Aegean Sea. She was struck from the Turkish navy register on 6 July 1987.[2]

References

Citations
  1. All Hands, p. 15.
  2. Navsource.
  3. Silverstone 2011, p. 127.

Books
  • Silverstone, Paul (2011). The Navy of the Nuclear Age, 1947–2007. Routledge. ISBN 9781135864668.

Websites

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.

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