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USS Charleston (PG-51)
Encyclopedia
USS Charleston (PG-51), the fourth vessel to carry her name, was the second of two -class patrol gunboat
s. Launched from the Charleston Navy Yard on 25 February 1936, and commissioned on 8 July 1936, under the command of Captain
Robert King Awtrey, and was part of the Atlantic Fleet
.
, Yugoslavia
, Trieste
, Naples
, Italy
, and Algiers
before returning to the Charleston Navy Yard for updating on 24 April. On 9 July, she sailed to Balboa, Panama
for extensive training
and combat exercises in the Panama area before returning north back to Charleston on 1 March 1938.
From 21 April-3 October 1938, and from 4 January 1939-27 June 1940, she returned to the Caribbean
to conduct off-shore patrols and good will visits, and on the second trip she served as flagship
. On September 1940, she cleared Norfolk, Virginia
and headed for Seattle, Washington
. From there, she headed to Alaska
to the 13th Naval District. From 6 November 1940-27 November 1941, she made five cruises from Seattle to Aleutian.
, Charleston intensified the schedule of patrol and convoy escort duties necessary to protect this far-northern region, and except for four voyages to west coast ports for maintenance, she operated from Dutch Harbor or Kodiak, Alaska
throughout the war. Along with her escort and patrol duties, she carried out such missions as landing reconnaissance parties, aiding stricken ships, and taking part in the operations at Attu Island
, which was assaulted on 11 May 1943. Two days later, Charleston arrived to bring her fire power to support Army troops ashore, bombarding Chichago Harbor, and screening the transports lying off the island. During the attack of Japanese bombers on 22 May, she evaded aerial torpedo
es by radical maneuvering, while splashing one enemy plane and helping to drive off the others. She provided call fire until the island was secured, and supported its occupation through convoy escort runs between Attu and Adak Island
s.
At the close of the war, Charleston prepared for Far Eastern duty, and on 25 November 1945 arrived at Hong Kong
. She also visited Shanghai
before returning to San Francisco, California
on 4 March 1946. Here she was decommissioned on 10 May and transferred to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
on 25 March 1948.
Charleston served as the training ship for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
from 1948-1959. In 1959, she was returned to the US Maritime Administration for final disposition.
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s. Launched from the Charleston Navy Yard on 25 February 1936, and commissioned on 8 July 1936, under the command of Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Robert King Awtrey, and was part of the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
.
Inter-war period
Charleston sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on 24 February 1937 to join Squadron 40T, in which she visited DubrovnikDubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
before returning to the Charleston Navy Yard for updating on 24 April. On 9 July, she sailed to Balboa, Panama
Balboa, Panama
Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.- History :The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the construction of the Panama Canal, was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spanish conquistador credited with discovering the Pacific Ocean...
for extensive training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
and combat exercises in the Panama area before returning north back to Charleston on 1 March 1938.
From 21 April-3 October 1938, and from 4 January 1939-27 June 1940, she returned to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
to conduct off-shore patrols and good will visits, and on the second trip she served as flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
. On September 1940, she cleared Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and headed for Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. From there, she headed to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to the 13th Naval District. From 6 November 1940-27 November 1941, she made five cruises from Seattle to Aleutian.
World War II
Upon the entry of the United States into World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Charleston intensified the schedule of patrol and convoy escort duties necessary to protect this far-northern region, and except for four voyages to west coast ports for maintenance, she operated from Dutch Harbor or Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline...
throughout the war. Along with her escort and patrol duties, she carried out such missions as landing reconnaissance parties, aiding stricken ships, and taking part in the operations at Attu Island
Attu Island
Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, making it the westernmost point of land relative to Alaska and the United States. It was the site of the only World War II land battle fought on the incorporated territory of the United States ,...
, which was assaulted on 11 May 1943. Two days later, Charleston arrived to bring her fire power to support Army troops ashore, bombarding Chichago Harbor, and screening the transports lying off the island. During the attack of Japanese bombers on 22 May, she evaded aerial torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es by radical maneuvering, while splashing one enemy plane and helping to drive off the others. She provided call fire until the island was secured, and supported its occupation through convoy escort runs between Attu and Adak Island
Adak Island
Adak Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, is located on the island...
s.
At the close of the war, Charleston prepared for Far Eastern duty, and on 25 November 1945 arrived at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. She also visited Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
before returning to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on 4 March 1946. Here she was decommissioned on 10 May and transferred to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a regionally accredited, coeducational, state college offering undergraduate degrees in maritime-related fields, as well as graduate degrees and professional studies. Established in 1891, Mass Maritime is the second oldest state maritime academy in the country...
on 25 March 1948.
Charleston served as the training ship for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a regionally accredited, coeducational, state college offering undergraduate degrees in maritime-related fields, as well as graduate degrees and professional studies. Established in 1891, Mass Maritime is the second oldest state maritime academy in the country...
from 1948-1959. In 1959, she was returned to the US Maritime Administration for final disposition.