RPS Leyte

	File:BRP Leyte.jpg BRP Leyte (PS-30)
History
United States of America
Name	USS PCE-885
Builder	Albina Engine and Machine Works, Portland, Oregon
Laid down	25 February 1944
Launched	20 June 1944
Commissioned	30 April 1945
Fate	Transfered to the Philippines in July 1948.
History
Philippines
Name	BRP Leyte (PS-30)
Namesake	Leyte is one of the provinces in the Visayas, Philippines.
Operator	Philippine Navy
Commissioned	1948
Reclassified	Patrol Corvette
Fate	decommissioned from the Philippine Navy in 1978.
General characteristics
Class and type	Miguel Malvar class
Type	Patrol Corvette
Displacement	880.8 Tons (Full Load)
Length	184.5 ft (56.2 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Draft	9.75 ft (2.97 m)
Propulsion	list error: <br /> list (help); Main: 2 x GM 12-567A diesel engines; Auxiliary: 2 x GM 6-71 diesel engines with 100KW gen and 1 x GM 3-268A diesel engine with 60KW gen
Speed	16 Knots (maximum),
Endurance	5370 nmi
Complement	around 77
Armament	list error: <br /> list (help); 1 x 3"/50 caliber gun (76 mm) Mk22 dual purpose gun; 3 × twin Bofors 40 mm gun; 5 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon; 4 x Depth Charge Projectors; 1 x Hedgehog Projector; 2 x Depth Charge tracks

The BRP Leyte (PS-30) 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 was reclassified as a corvette. She is actually one of the first of her class in service with the Philippine Navy (as other ships of her class were commissioned in 1975).^[1]

History

Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS PCER-885 in 1945, and was decommissioned after World War II.

She was then transferred and commissioned into the Philippine Naval Patrol (currently Philippine Navy) and was renamed RPS Leyte (PS-29) in 1948. She was stricken in 1978 after being grounded near Wallace Air Station in Poro Point, La Union.^[2]

Grounding

After undergoing repairs at the Cavite Naval Dockyard in 1978, she was immediately assigned to escort RPS Ang Pangulo, the presidential yacht, which is docked at San Fernando, La Union after being used by President Ferdinand Marcos in a trip to Baguio City. Wihtout undergoing sea trials and with an impending storm, Leyte proceeded to La Union. Caught in the storm and radar-less, one of her engines conked-out, but still proceeded to her destination. Upon nearing the area of the Wallace Air Station, she found herself parallel with the coastline, and was hit by a huge wave that threw the ship into the rocky coast off Walace Air Station. Grounded, her crew was secured from the waves and no fatalities were reported.

Unable to recover the ship, she was stricken from the Philippine Navy in the same year.^[3]

Technical details

Originally the ship was armed with one 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun, three twin Bofors 40 mm guns, five 20 mm Oerlikon guns, 1 Hedgehog depth charge projector, four depth charge projectiles (K-guns) and two depth charge tracks.^[4]

There were slight differences between the BRP Leyte 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 and patrol craft escort rescue ships.

Gallery

References

^ Manokski's Armed Forces of the Philippines Order of Battle. Philippine Navy.
^ World Warships. Philippine Navy.
^ Ferrer, Antonieto D. Sea Disasters in the Philippines. ADF Publishing Services 2007
^ NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. PCE-885.