USSPetrel(PG-2)

For other ships with the same name, seeUSS Petrel.

History
United States
Laid down	27 August 1887
Launched	13 October 1888
Commissioned	10 December 1889
Decommissioned	15 July 1919
Stricken	16 April 1920
Homeport	various
Fate	Sold 1 November 1920
General characteristics
Displacement	867 tons
Length	188 ft (57 m)
Beam	31 ft (9.4 m)
Draft	11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Speed	11.4 kts
Complement	138
Armament	4 ×6 in (150 mm)cal guns 2 ×3-pounder guns 1 ×1-pounder gun

The thirdUSSPetrel(PG-2)was a 4th rategunboatin theUnited States Navyduring theSpanish–American War.She was named for asea bird.

Petrelwas laid down on 27 August 1887, built by theColumbia Iron Works and Dry Dock CompanyinBaltimore,Maryland; launched on 13 October 1888; and commissioned 10 December 1889.

Service in the Pacific

Assigned to theNorth Atlantic Station,Petrelcontinued with it until September 1891, when ordered to theAsiatic Squadronwhere she was to serve until 1911. Steaming north in May 1894, she reported atUnalaska,in July to operate with theBering Seapatrol to discourage seal poaching. In July, she operated off thePribilof Islands;and in August she returned to the Asiatic station.

In March and April 1898Emilio Aguinaldohad meeting with Commander Edward Wood, captain of thePetrelto discuss Philippine rebel support in the upcomingSpanish–American War.

Withdrawing fromHong Kongin April 1898,Petrelbecame part ofGeorge Dewey's fleet in the campaign againstManila.On 1 May, after Dewey's squadron had defeated the heavy Spanish ships in the first engagement of theSpanish–American War,Petrelentered the inner harbor and lowered a boat to destroy six Spanish ships there. (For more detailed information, seeBattle of Manila Bay.)Petrelthen steamed to the navy yard atCaviteand forced its surrender. Sent into Cavite to destroy any Spanish ships seeking refuge there on 2 May,Petrelsent a party ashore which seized thearsenalat Cavite and returned with 2 tugs,RapidoandHercules,plus 3 additionallaunches.

Petrelcontinued operations in thePhilippinesthroughout 1898 and 1899. She joinedUSSBostonin shellingPanay Islandon 11 February 1899; on the 22nd, a force of 48 men fromPetreloccupiedCebu.In October,PetreljoinedUSSCallaoin supporting theMarine Corpsassault onNoveletaby bombarding ahead of the advancing Marine column.

1901 fire

On the morning of 31 March 1901, while offCaviteinManila Bay,Petrelsuffered a fire which resulted in the death of her captain, Lieutenant CommanderJesse M. Roper.The fire originated in the sail room, a small compartment in the bottom of the ship, adjacent to themagazineand accessible only by a hatchway from theberth deckabove. While some sailors cleared ammunition out of the magazine, another group, led by Roper, took turns entering the compartment and fighting the blaze. The fire produced no visible flames but thick, acrid smoke and fumes. The sail room was also pitch black; the ship'selectric generatorhad been turned off at dawn, and no other lamps would work in the harsh atmosphere of the compartment. A number of men, including Roper, were overcome by the bad air and were pulled out of the sail room semi-conscious. As the fumes grew thicker and more noxious, Roper ordered everyone out of the compartment, but one sailor, Seaman Patrick Toner, did not emerge from the room.

When a sound was heard from below, believed to be Toner fighting for breath, four men descended to rescue him. The four were Roper (not fully recovered from his first trip below), Cadet J.E. Lewis, Jack of the Dust Kessler, and Gunner's Mate Flaherty. When the four men did not return, SeamanAlphonse Girandytied a rope around his waist and climbed down the ladder. He found Kessler and Flaherty, both semi-conscious, and passed them up to be hauled through the hatchway. At the bottom of the ladder he found Toner and, although losing consciousness himself, held on to him as the sailors above pulled both men out of the compartment. Lieutenant J.S. McKean, with a rope around his waist, was next into the sail room, followed by PrivateLouis F. Theisof the ship's Marine Corps detachment and SeamanThomas Cahey.As McKean searched in the darkness for the two men still missing, Lieutenant Commander Roper and Cadet Lewis, the ship's generator finally came back online. With the help of a lamp lowered through the hatchway, McKean could see Roper and Lewis slumped against the walls of the compartment. McKean dragged Roper to the ladder to be hauled out and then, with the help of Theis and Cahey, rescued Lewis just before losing consciousness himself. The fire was extinguished later that day; Roper was killed by the fumes, but the other men all eventually recovered.For their actions during the incident, Cahey, Girandy, and Thies were each awarded theMedal of Honor.

Service in the Atlantic

Decommissioned at Cavite after the war,Petrelwas recommissioned on 9 May 1910. After visitingEuropeanwaters in 1911, she returned to theAtlanticcoast. Disturbances in theCaribbeansent her toMexicanandWest Indianwaters from 1912 to 1915 to protect American interests, and in 1916 she became station ship atGuantanamo.With theWorld War Ideclaration of warin April,Petrelreturned to the United States to serve with theAmerican Patrol DetachmentatBoston,Massachusetts, throughout the war.

DuringWorld War IPetrelbecame stranded on a South American island while hunting for submarines after the wireless communications were swept overboard during a storm. The natives helped the sailors find food and survive until they were able to get away on the tide.

After 30 years of service,Petrelwas decommissioned atNew Orleans,Louisiana, on 15 July 1919 and was struck from theNaval Vessel Registeron 16 April 1920. She was subsequently sold toSnare and Treest,New York, on 1 November 1920.

Awards

• Dewey Medal
• Spanish Campaign Medal
• Philippine Campaign Medal
• Mexican Service Medal
• Victory Medalwith "PATROL" clasp

References

This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.

• The White Squadron.[Toledo, Ohio]: Woolson Spice Co., 1891.OCLC45112425

External links

Media related toUSS Petrel (PG-2)at Wikimedia Commons

• Photo galleryat Naval Historical Center website
• Photo galleryatnavsource.org