BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19)

The BRP "Miguel Malvar" (PS-19) is one of several "Miguel Malvar" class Patrol Corvettes in service with the Philippine Navy. She is formerly an ex-USN Patrol Craft Escort based on the "Admirable" class minesweeper hull that were produced during World War II, and is now classified as a corvette protecting the vast waters of the Philippines. Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she is considered as one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today. ["Armed Forces of the Philippines Order of Battle. [http://www.hueybravo.net/Philippine%20Navy%20Main.htm Philippine Navy] .]

History

US Navy

Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS "PCER-852" in 1944, she was first assigned in the Atlantic theatre of operations engaged in patrolling and training. On 1 August 1944, "PCER-852" stood out of Bermuda bound for Norfolk, Virginia with 26 prisoners of war—sailors from the German submarine U-505, captured in June by a “hunter-killer” group formed around escort carrier Guadalcanal (CVE-60).

Relocating to the Pacific theatre of operations, her duties included treatment of wounded sailors and soldiers, and ASW patrols during the invasion of the Philippines at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf, and in the operations at Okinawa. During her six months in the war zone, her medical staff and crew handled over 1300 dead, critically wounded, and ships' survivors. After the war she was placed under the Atlantic Reserve Fleet but was not decommissioned.

Early in 1946, however, she was converted into an experimental ship to test infrared equipment for the Bureau of Ships. She had her armament removed and the her hospital facilities converted to work spaces for test equipment. At that time, she was redesignated E-PCER-852. She completed the conversion in May of 1946. In September of 1947, the Bureau of Ships shifted the infrared test program to the Underwater Sound Laboratory at New London, Connecticut, and E-PCER-852 operated from that base.

For the next 18 years, the ship continued to do experimental work. By the early 1950s the nature of her test work expanded from infrared gear to include optical communications equipment, sonar apparatus, weather gear, and various other items of hardware. In addition to the Bureau of Ships, she did test work for both the Bureau of Ordnance and the Office of Naval Research. On 15 February 1956, the ship was named "USS Brattleboro". She continued her experimental duties for nearly a decade after receiving her name. During that time, her zone of operations also expanded to include the coastal waters along the southeastern United States and thence into the West Indies. On 1 October 1965, "Brattleboro" was ordered to Philadelphia to begin inactivation. Decommissioned at Philadelphia and struck from the Navy list on 1 November 1965."Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b9/brattleboro.htm "Brattleboro" page] .]

Republic of Vietnam Navy

She was then transferred to the Republic of Vietnam on 11 July 1966. She served the Vietnamese Navy as "Ngoc Hoi" (HQ-12) up until her escape to the Philippines in 1975, together with other South Vietnamese Navy ships and their respective crew."NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. [http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02239.htm "Brattleboro" (EPCE [R] 852) ex-"PCE(R)-852"] .]

Philippine Navy

After undergoing extensive overhaul and refitting of armaments, she was commissioned into the Philippine Navy and was renamed RPS (now BRP) "Miguel Malvar" (PS-19) in 1976. She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet, and is considered as one of the most decorated ship of the Navy. [USS "PCER-852" Offical Website. [http://www.usspcer852.org/ "Ship History"] .] [ PCER-852 Narrative by Capt. Martin J. Hacala (ret. USNR) [http://www.pullman-museum.org/exhibits/pgtw/PCER852narrative.htm] ]

Technical details

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

In the late 1980s, the Philippine Navy removed most of her old anti-submarine weapons and systems, and added four 12.7 mm general purpose machine guns and two dual 40mm guns, making her lighter and ideal for surface patrols, but losing her limited anti-submarine warfare capability.

The ship is powered by two GM 12-278A diesel engines with a combined rating of around 2,200 bhp driving two propellers. The main engines can propel the 914 tons (full load) ship to a maximum speed of around convert|16|kn|km/h|0. [DLSU N-ROTC Office. [http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/sps/rotc/pdf/ms2/namingPNships.pdf "Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels"] .]

There are slight difference between the BRP "Miguel Malvar" 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.

Notable Commanding Officers

Rear Adm. Ferdinand Golez - Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy (August 2, 2008 - present) [ The Daily Tribune [http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/20080730nat1.html "GMA names new Navy chief"] ]

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://timawa.net/forum Philippine Defense Forum]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/asiapac/philip.htm Philippine Navy @ Hazegray.org]
* [http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/sps/rotc/pdf/ms2/namingPNships.pdf DLSU ROTC]
* [http://timawa.net/pn.htm Opus224's Unofficial Philippine Defense Page]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02239.htm NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive]

ee also

* Philippine Navy