BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-23)

The BRP "Datu Marikudo" (PS-23) 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

Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS "PCER-853" in 1944, she was assigned in the Pacific theatre of operations, first in support of landing operations in Leyte and Lingayen in the Philippine Islands. She was also assigned to convoy escort duties, rescue operations, and other combat support duties in Okinawa area.

PCER-853 entered the Navy yard in Hawaii and was still undergoing overhaul when Japan capitulated. In September 1945, the vessel steamed to the east coast of the United States and was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Fla. In December 1947, PCER-853 served as a training vessel for Naval Reserve personnel in the 4th Naval District. The ship was placed back in active status on 28 November 1950 and carried out training duty at Philadelphia for the next 10 years. On 15 February 1956, the ship was renamed the "Amherst" (PCER-853). On 6 February 1970, Amherst was placed in an "out of service, special" status for pre-transfer overhaul. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 3 June 1970. ["Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/patrol/pcer853.htm Amherst page] .]

She was then transferred to the Republic of Vietnam on 1970. She served the Vietnamese Navy as "Van Kiep II" (HQ-14) 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/12/02853.htm Amherst (PCE [R] -853)ex-PCE(R)-853] .]

She was commissioned into the Philippine Navy and was renamed RPS (now BRP) "Datu Marikudo" (PS-23). She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet, ["Philippine Fleet Official Website. [http://www.philfleet.mil.ph/ships.htm Commissioned Ships and Crafts] .] but is currently undergoing major repair as of 2007. ["Philippine Fleet Accomplishment Report January - August 2007"]

Technical details

Originally the ship was armed with one 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun, two single Bofors 40 mm guns, 1 Hedgehog depth charge projector, four depth charge projectiles (K-guns) and two depth charge tracks. ["NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. [http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/02853.htm Amherst (PCE [R] -853) ex-PCE(R)-853] .]

The same configuration applies up until the late 1980s when the Philippine Navy removed most of her old anti-submarine weapons and systems, and instead mounted one 40 mm gun mount, four 20 mm Oerlikon Mk10 guns, and four 12.7 mm general purpose machine guns. This made her lighter and ideal for surface patrols, but losing her limited but dated anti-submarine warfare capability.

The ship is powered by two GM 12-278A diesel engines similar to her sister ships, 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 "Datu Marikudo" as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy, since her previous configuration was as a patrol craft escort, while there are others who were originally configured as minesweepers.

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/12/02853.htm NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive]

ee also

* Philippine Navy