USS San Felipe
San Felipe (YFB-12) (ex-Engineer) was a United States Army steel tugboat that later served as a ferryboat in the U.S. Navy and as an Imperial Japanese Army transport during World War II.
YFB-12 photographed off the Cavite Navy Yard, Philippines, during the 1920s or 1930s | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Engineer |
Operator | United States Army |
Builder | Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Company, Hong Kong |
Launched | 1907 |
Completed | 1907 |
Fate |
|
United States | |
Operator | United States Navy |
Renamed | San Felipe |
Reclassified | ferry boat (YFB-12) |
Stricken | 24 July 1942 |
Honours and awards | |
Fate | captured by Japanese forces, 6 May 1942 |
Japan | |
Operator | Imperial Japanese Army |
Renamed | Aki Maru |
Reclassified | transport ship |
Identification | IJA 2215 |
Fate | unknown |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | tugboat |
Tonnage | 298.8 gross register tons[2] |
Length | 111.5 ft (34.0 m) o/a[2] |
Beam | 21.67 ft (6.61 m)[2] |
Draught | 9.75 ft (2.97 m)[2] |
Installed power | 500 Steam horsepower[1] |
Propulsion | two vertical triple expansion (9"-14"-25"x15") steam engines, twin screws[1] |
Speed | 10 knots[2] |
History
She was completed in 1907 at the Hong Kong shipyard of Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Company for the benefit of the United States Army as the steel tugboat, Engineer.[1][3] On 28 December 1917, she was transferred to the United States Navy and assigned to the United States Asiatic Fleet, 16th Naval District[1][2][4] but then returned to the U.S. Army in 1919.[1] On 9 October 1922, she was transferred back to the U.S. Navy, 16th Naval District[1] to replace the Callao (YFB-11).[2] On 1 November 1922,[2] she was renamed San Felipe and designated as ferryboat/launch, YFB-12.[1] She worked as a ferry boat between the Cavite and Manila.[5] On 10 December 1941, she was assigned to the Inshore Patrol and survived the bombing of Cavite Naval Yard and on 8 April 1942, she assisted in the evacuation of personnel from the Mariveles Naval Section Base to Corregidor during the Battle of Bataan.[1] On 6 May 1942, she was captured by Japanese forces after the Fall of Corregidor and returned to service as Imperial Japanese Army transport Aki Maru.[1] Her ultimate fate is unknown.[1]
On 24 July 1942, she was struck from the Naval Register.[1] She earned one battle star.[1]
References
- Priolo, Gary P.; Wright, David L. "San Felipe (YFB-12) ex Engineer (1917 - 1922)". NavSource - Naval Source History. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- "San Felipe". Naval History and Heritage Command, United States Navy.
- "Engineer II (Seagoing Tug)". Naval History and Heritage Command, United States Navy.
- Wright, David X. "United States Asiatic Fleet Order of Battle, December 1941". The United States Asiatic Fleet. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- "San Felipe YFB-12". historycentral.com.