< Galena PC-1136

Galena PC-1136

 

Galena III

(PC-1136: dp. 280; 1. 173'8", b. 23', dr. 10'10"; s. 20
k., cpl. 65; a. 1 3", 1 40mm., 5 20mm., 2 rkt., 2 dcp.,
2 act.; cl. PC-553 )

PC-1136 was laid down by Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Mich., 17 December 1942; launched 5 March 1943; and commissioned at New Orleans, La., 16 November 1943, JA. (j.g.) Allston Boyer in command.

After shakedown, PC-1136 operated out of Miami and Key West, Fla., while receiving ASW training. Departing Key West 1 January 1944, she steamed via the Panama Canal and the Society and Tonga Islands to arrive Noumea, New Caledonia, 12 March for duty as patrol and escort ship. From 27 March to 1 April she escorted merchant ships to Guadalcanal, then sailed the following day to act as escort for Shasta (A~6). Arriving 4 April, she steamed the 5th to Espiritu Santo to escort a merchant tanker to Guadalcanal.

PC-1186 reached Guadalcanal 8 April, and for almost 2 months she continued intermittent convoy escort and ASW patrol duties out of the Solomons to New Caledonia and the New Hebrides. Departing in convoy 31 May, she arrived Kwajalein, Marshalls, 6 June to prepare for the invasion of Guam. Assigned to Task Group 53.1, she sailed the 9th, arriving east of the Marianas 22 June. After patrolling east of Saipan, she returned to Kwajalein 5 July. Between 15 and 21 July she steamed to Guam, where she served as amphibious control ship during the landings After screening offshore transports during the next week, she departed for the Marshalls 28 July and arrived Eniwetok ~ August. Between 8 and 13 August, she sailed to Saipan as a convoY escort. For almost 7 months she operated between the Marshals and the Marianas, escorting merchant ships and searching for enemy submarines. She departed Guam 3 March 1945, touched Entwetok, and arrived Pearl Harbor 18 March.

After overhaul and conversion to a control ship, PC-1136 sailed for the Western Pacific 21 May. escorting a convoy of LSTs, she reached Guam 9 June and resumed convoy escort duties in the Marianas. She departed Guam 6 August, touched Ulithi, and arrived Subic Bay, Philippines, 15 August. She reclassified PGC-1186, 5 days later. After steaming to Lingayen Gulf 10 September, she escorted a convoy of LSTs to Japan, arriving Wakayama 19 September. Between 24 and 30 September she returned to Lingayen Gulf; and during the first 2 days of October she sailed to Manila.

PCC-11S6 departed' Manila for the Marianas 17 October and arrived Guam the 22d For more than 6 months she operated out of Guam, steaming to Saipan and Rota. hIarianas and Ulithi. She sailed for the United States 1 May 1946 via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor, arriving Astoria, Oregon, 29 May She decommissioned 28 July 1946 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet. While berthed in the Columbia River, she was classified PG-1136 on 27 October 1955 and named Calena 15 February 1956. She w as sold by the Navy 11 March 1960 to Miami Ports Co.

PC-Z1-36 received one battle star for World War II service.