USS Helena (PG-9)

Helena's first assignment was with the North Atlantic Fleet, cruising primarily in home waters. During the Spanish–American War, she stood by in the Cuban waters, where she saw action several times. On 2–3 July 1898, she exchanged fire with enemy batteries at Fort Tunas. On 18 July, she was part of the squadron that closed the port of Manzanillo, sinking or destroying ten vessels there during the Third Battle of Manzanillo.

Officers in 1898

The crew in 1900.

The great problem facing the United States at the close of the Spanish–American War was the Philippine–American War. To aid in suppressing this rebellion, Helena sailed from Boston on 3 November 1898, bound for duty on the Asiatic Squadron, via the Suez Canal, arriving at the Philippines on 10 February 1899. On 21 May, she was present at the evacuation of Jolo by the Spanish, and the landing of the American troops to replace them. During June, she stood by with other vessels in Manila Bay to support the Army during its offensive south of Manila into the Cavite Province. One of her landing parties brought troops ashore in an assault that carried the strong defenses along the Zapote River on 13 June. On 7 November, Helena bombarded San Fabian in Lingayen Gulf, and covered the landing of 2,500 troops there, on the same beaches that would again be stormed by US troops 45 years later.

Helena remained in the Far East for the rest of her naval service, engaged in protecting American lives and interests. She served in the Chinese waters from October 1900 – December 1902, then returned to the Philippines until March 1903, when she sailed back to the China coast. In December 1904, she moored once more at Cavite in the Philippines, where she was placed out of commission on 19 April 1905.

Helena was recommissioned on 16 July 1906, and cruised on the Asiatic Station until June 1907. From that time on, with intervals for overhaul, Helena served both with the South China patrol and the Yangtze River Patrol. She was placed in reduced commission on 29 June 1929, but continued to serve on the South China Patrol until 27 May 1932, when she was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register. The gunboat was sold on 7 July 1934.