USS Mindanao (PR-8)

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For other ships with the same name, see USS Mindanao.
USS Mindanao (PR-8)
History
United States
NameMindanao
NamesakeIsland of Mindanao
BuilderKiangnan Dock & Engineering Works
Laid down20 November 1926
Launched28 September 1927
Commissioned10 July 1928
Stricken8 May 1942
Honors and
awards		1
battle star
(WWII)
FateSunk to avoid capture on 2 May 1942
General characteristics [1]
Displacement560 long tons (569 t)
Length210 ft 9 in (64.24 m)
Beam31 ft 1 in (9.47 m)
Draft5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Speed16 knots (18 mph; 30 km/h)
Complement65
Armament
  • 2 ×
    3 in (76 mm) guns
  • 10 × .30 caliber machine guns

The first USS Mindanao (PR‑8) was a river gunboat in the service of the United States Navy before and during World War II.

Construction and commissioning

Mindanao was laid down as patrol gunboat PG-48 on 20 November 1926, by Kiangnan Dock and Engineering Works, Shanghai, China; launched on 28 September 1927; reclassified as river gunboat PR-8; sponsored by Mrs. E. A. McIntyre, wife of Lieutenant Commander McIntyre; and commissioned at Shanghai on 10 July 1928.

River patrol in China

Departing Shanghai on 28 July 1928, Mindanao conducted shakedown up the

U.S. Asiatic Fleet
. For the next 12½ years, Mindanao cruised the southern coast of China, based alternately at Hong Kong and Canton, protecting American and Allied interests in China and suppressing piracy. In October 1938, following the Japanese invasion of southern China and seizure of Canton, she commenced operations to guard American neutrality.

World War II service

On 2 December 1941 — as Japanese aggression was expected shortly and the small, lightly armed ship could not hope to combat the overwhelming odds facing her in China — the gunboat received orders to sail to the

Bolinao, Pangasinan at 16°42′N 118°53′E / 16.700°N 118.883°E / 16.700; 118.883,[2] taking 10 prisoners-of-war, among the first taken by Americans in World War II (the first POW was Kazuo Sakamaki, sole survivor of the midget submarine attack on Pearl Harbor). Mindanao concluded this dangerous and eventful voyage upon arrival at Manila Bay
the next day.

Assigned to inshore patrol and guard duty in Manila Bay, the gunboat acted as station ship in connection with the minefield channels near Corregidor until the end of December 1941, and then took nightly turns with China river gunboats USS Luzon (PR-7) and USS Oahu (PR-6) patrolling east of Bataan. The shortage of fuel in the Philippines ended these patrols in early March, and the ships instead took turns watching for Japanese small craft at a position 3 miles east of Corregidor. On the afternoon of 25 March, they engaged nine enemy boats.

On the night of 5 April, during the Battle of Bataan, the Mindanao and Oahu engaged the Japanese 21st Independent Engineer Regiment sailing south off Bataan's east coast, sinking several enemy craft.[3]

Mindanao harassed enemy artillery east of Bataan on 6 April. The same day, the gunboat helped rescue some 60 American soldiers from both shore artillery and enemy aircraft. The ship repeatedly closed the beach to support small boats embarking the soldiers.

When the naval situation in Manila Bay appeared hopeless, Mindanao’s crew was ordered ashore on 10 April to help defend Fort Hughes. Hit by shell fire the same day, the gunboat was stripped of all useful gear. On 2 May 1942, after suffering an aerial bomb hit in the engine room, she was sunk to prevent capture.

Mindanao received one

battle star for World War II
service.

References

  1. ^ Silverstone, Paul H (1966). U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company. p. 243.
  2. ISBN 9781557501493
    .
  3. ISBN 0870528777
    .

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Mindanao (PR-8).
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