Gunboats (PG) Built Before WWII
When the numbering system started, in 1920, the Navy had 40 patrol gunboats, (PG), but they were a bit of a hodge-podge collection of different sizes and specs, including 7 that had previously been designated light cruisers and 9 that were acquired in the Spanish-American War: these were numbered PG 1 through PG 42, with the numbers PG 25 and 26 not used. In the following 20 years, leading up to WWII, the Navy dumped all but 6 of these 40 boats and added only 21. The 6 pre-1920 boats that were still in service when the war began were PGs 8, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22. Of the 21 that were added, only PG 50 and PG 51 were actual purpose-built gunboats: PG 43 through 48 were shallow-draft boats built in Shanghai for riverine warfare, PG 49 was a converted tender and the remaining 12 were all converted megayachts. Comments or queries, please email info@navalmarinearchive.com.
Most recent update: 2 May 2015.
| Type | # | Original Name | Original Owner | Shipbuilder | Location | Hull # | LDT | LOA | Built | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | 1 | Yorktown | U.S. Navy | Cramp Shipbuilding | Philadelphia PA | 255 | 1,700 | 245 | 23-Apr-89 | Scrapped 1921 |
| PG | 2 | Petrel | U.S. Navy | Columbia Iron Works | Baltimore MD | 890 | 188 | 10-Dec-89 | Sold 1920 | |
| PG | 3 | Concord | U.S. Navy | Delaware River Sbldg. | Chester PA | 249 | 1,700 | 245 | 14-Feb-91 | PHS quarantine ship 1914, sold 1929 |
| PG | 4 | Bancroft | U.S. Navy | Moore & Co., Samuel L. | Elizabethport NJ | 5 | 839 | 187 | 3-Mar-93 | To USCG 1906 as Itasca, scrapped 1922 |
| PG | 5 | Machias | U.S. Navy | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 2 | 1,177 | 204 | 20-Jul-93 | To Mexico 1920 as Agua Prieta (R 35), scrapped 1935 |
| PG | 6 | Castine | U.S. Navy | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 3 | 1,177 | 204 | 22-Oct-94 | Sold 1921 as banana boat, in collision and sank 1924 |
| PG | 7 | Nashville | U.S. Navy | Newport News Sbldg. | Newport News VA | 7 | 1,371 | 234 | 19-Aug-97 | Sold 1921 as Richmond Cedar Works No. 4, scrapped 1957 |
| PG | 8 | Wilmington | U.S. Navy | Newport News Sbldg. | Newport News VA | 8 | 1,392 | 234 | 13-May-97 | Dover (IX 30) 1941, scuttled 1947 |
| PG | 9 | Helena | U.S. Navy | Newport News Sbldg. | Newport News VA | 9 | 1,392 | 234 | 8-Jul-97 | Scrapped 1934 |
| PG | 10 | Annapolis | U.S. Navy | Nixon, Lewis | Elizabethport NJ | 18 | 1,010 | 204 | 20-Jul-97 | Keystone State (IX 1) 1921, to USCG 1941, scrapped 1950 |
| PG | 11 | Vicksburg | U.S. Navy | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 15 | 1,010 | 204 | 23-Oct-97 | To USCG 1921 as Alexander Hamilton (WIX 272), scrapped 1946 |
| PG | 12 | Newport | U.S. Navy | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 16 | 1,010 | 204 | 5-Oct-97 | To NYSMA 1907, to City of Aberdeen WA 1934 |
| PG | 13 | Princeton | U.S. Navy | Dialogue & Son | Camden NJ | 340 | 1,010 | 204 | 27-May-98 | Sold 1919 |
| PG | 14 | Wheeling | U.S. Navy | Union Iron Works | San Francisco CA | 45 | 990 | 190 | 10-Aug-97 | Scrapped 1946 |
| PG | 15 | Marietta | U.S. Navy | Union Iron Works | San Francisco CA | 46 | 990 | 190 | 1-Sep-97 | To NJ Militia 1912, scrapped 1920 |
| PG | 16 | Palos | U.S. Navy | Mare Island NSY, Shanghai D&E | Vallejo CA, Shanghai, China | 190 | 165 | 24-Jun-14 | PR 1 1928, scrapped 1937 | |
| PG | 17 | Dubuque | U.S. Navy | Consolidated Sbldg. | Morris Heights NY | 193 | 1,085 | 200 | 3-Jun-95 | AG 6 1919, IX 9 1922, PG 17 1940, scrapped 1946 |
| PG | 18 | Paducah | U.S. Navy | Consolidated Sbldg. | Morris Heights NY | 194 | 1,085 | 200 | 2-Sep-05 | AG 7 1919, IX 10 1922, PG 18 1940, sold 1946 as Geulah, scrapped 1951 |
| PG | 19 | Sacramento | U.S. Navy | Cramp Shipbuilding | Philadelphia PA | 403 | 1,425 | 226 | 26-Apr-14 | Sold 1947 as Fermina |
| PG | 20 | Monocacy | U.S. Navy | Mare Island NSY, Shanghai D&E | Vallejo CA, Shanghai, China | 190 | 165 | 20-May-14 | Scuttled 1939 | |
| PG | 21 | Asheville | U.S. Navy | Charleston NSY | Charleston SC | 1,575 | 241 | 6-Jul-20 | Sunk by Japanese gunfire south of Java 1942 | |
| PG | 22 | Tulsa | U.S. Navy | Charleston NSY | Charleston SC | 1,575 | 241 | 3-Dec-23 | Tacloban 1944, scrapped 1948 | |
| PG | 23 | Ranger | U.S. Navy | Harlan & Hollingsworth | Wilmington DE | 146 | 1,020 | 177 | 1876 | To Mass. MA 1909, Rockport 1917, Nantucket (PG 23) 1918, IX 18 1921, to USMMA 1940, sold 1942 as Emery Rice, scrapped 1958 |
| PG | 24 | Dolphin | U.S. Navy | John Roach & Sons | Chester PA | 236 | 1,486 | 256 | 1885 | Scrapped 1922 |
| PG | 25 | Not used | ||||||||
| PG | 26 | Not used | ||||||||
| PG | 27 | Marblehead | U.S. Navy | City Point Iron Works | South Boston MA | 2,089 | 269 | 2-Apr-94 | Built as C 11, PG 27 1920, scrapped 1921 | |
| PG | 28 | Denver | U.S. Navy | Neafie & Levy | Philadelphia PA | 934 | 3,200 | 309 | 17-May-04 | Built as C 14, PG 28 1920, CL 16 1921, scrapped 1933 |
| PG | 29 | Des Moines | U.S. Navy | Fore River Sbldg. | Quincy MA | 107 | 3,200 | 309 | 5-Mar-04 | Built as C 15, PG 29 1920, CL 17 1921, scrapped 1930 |
| PG | 30 | Chattanooga | U.S. Navy | Crescent SY | Elizabethport NJ | 80 | 3,200 | 309 | 11-Oct-04 | Built as C 16, PG 30 1920, CL 18 1921, scrapped 1930 |
| PG | 31 | Galveston | U.S. Navy | Norfolk NSY | Portsmouth VA | 3,200 | 309 | 15-Feb-05 | Built as C 17, PG 31 1920, CL 19 1921, scrapped 1933 | |
| PG | 32 | Tacoma | U.S. Navy | Union Iron Works | San Francisco CA | 71 | 3,200 | 309 | 30-Jan-04 | Built as C 18, PG 32 1920, CL 20 1921, wrecked off Vera Cruz 1924 |
| PG | 33 | Cleveland | U.S. Navy | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 35 | 3,200 | 309 | 2-Nov-03 | Built as C 19, PG 33 1920, CL 21 1921, scrapped 1930 |
| PG | 34 | Amazonas | Brazilian Navy | Armstrong Whitworth | Newcastle, England | 3,769 | 354 | 1898 | Acquired 1898 as New Orleans, CL 22 1921, scrapped 1930 | |
| PG | 35 | Diogenes | Peruvian Navy | Howaldtswerke | Kiel, Germany | 2,255 | 259 | 1883 | Acquired 1898 as Topeka, IX 35 1921, scrapped 1930 | |
| PG | 36 | Alm. Abreu | Brazilian Navy | Armstrong Whitworth | Newcastle, England | 3,340 | 394 | 1898 | Acquired 1898 as Albany, CL 23 1921, scrapped 1930 | |
| PG | 37 | Callao | Spanish Navy | Manila Shipyard | Cavite, Philippines | 243 | 121 | 1888 | Captured 1898, YFB 11 1921, sold 1923 | |
| PG | 38 | Elcano | Spanish Navy | Carraca Arsenal | Cadiz, Spain | 620 | 165 | 1884 | Captured 1898, sunk as target 1928 | |
| PG | 39 | Pampanga | Spanish Navy | Manila Shipyard | Cavite, Philippines | 243 | 121 | 1888 | Captured 1898, sunk as target 1928 | |
| PG | 40 | Quiros | Spanish Navy | Whampoa Dock | Hong Kong, HK | 350 | 148 | 1896 | Captured 1898, sunk as target 1923 | |
| PG | 41 | Samar | Spanish Navy | Manila Shipyard | Cavite, Philippines | 243 | 121 | 1887 | Captured 1898, sold 1921 | |
| PG | 42 | Villalobos | Spanish Navy | Whampoa Dock | Hong Kong, HK | 250 | 145 | 1896 | Acquired 1900, sunk as target 1928 | |
| PG | 43 | Guam | U.S. Navy | Kiangnan Dock | Shanghai, China | 350 | 159 | 28-Dec-27 | PR 3 1928, captured by Japan 1941 as Tatara, to Taiwan 1946 as Tai Yuan, captured by PRC 1949 | |
| PG | 44 | Tutuila | U.S. Navy | Kiangnan Dock | Shanghai, China | 395 | 159 | 2-Mar-28 | PR 4 1928, to Taiwan 1948, scuttled 1949 | |
| PG | 45 | Panay | U.S. Navy | Kiangnan Dock | Shanghai, China | 474 | 191 | 10-Sep-28 | PR 5 1928,sunk by Japanese aircraft 1937 | |
| PG | 46 | Oahu | U.S. Navy | Kiangnan Dock | Shanghai, China | 450 | 191 | 20-Oct-28 | PR 6 1928,sunk off Corregidor 1942 | |
| PG | 47 | Luzon | U.S. Navy | Kiangnan Dock | Shanghai, China | 500 | 211 | 1-Jun-28 | PR 7 1928, to Japan 1942 as Karatsu, sunk 1944 | |
| PG | 48 | Mindanao | U.S. Navy | Kiangnan Dock | Shanghai, China | 560 | 211 | 10-Jul-28 | PR 8 1928, scuttled in Manila Bay 1942 | |
| PG | 49 | Niagara/Fulton | U.S. Navy | Fore River SB | Quincy MA | 1,308 | 226 | 7-Dec-14 | Built as AS 1, PG 49 1930, scrapped 1935 | |
| PG | 50 | Erie | U.S. Navy | New York NSY | Brooklyn NY | 2,000 | 328 | 1-Jul-36 | Sunk by U-boat off Curacao 1942 | |
| PG | 51 | Charleston | U.S. Navy | Charleston NSY | Charleston SC | 2,000 | 328 | 8-Jul-36 | To Mass. MA 1948, sold 1957 | |
| PG | 52 | Hi-Esmaro | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 1,922 | 267 | 20-Aug-29 | Niagara (PG 52) 1941, AGP 1 1943, torpedoed and lost 1943 | ||
| PG | 53 | Orion | Krupp Germania Werft | Kiel, Germany | 3,774 | 333 | 1929 | Vixen (PG 53) 1941, sold 1947 as Regina Maris (Egypt) | ||
| PG | 54 | Viking | George L. Baker | Newport News SB | Newport News VA | 1,720 | 272 | 1929 | St. Augustine (PG 54) 1941, in collision and sank 1944 | |
| PG | 55 | Savarona/Alder | Pusey & Jones | Wilmington DE | 2,250 | 294 | 1928 | Jamestown (PG 55) 1941, AGP 3 1943, sold 1946 | ||
| PG | 56 | Aras II | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 1,820 | 224 | 1930 | Williamsburg (PG 56) 1941, AGC 369 1945, to NSF 1962 as Anton Brunn, sold 1968 as Williamsburg, scrapped 1993 | ||
| PG | 57 | Alva | William K. Vanderbilt II | Krupp Germania Werft | Kiel, Germany | 1,500 | 264 | 1931 | Plymouth (PG 57) 1942, torpedoed and lost off Cape Henry 1943 | |
| PG | 58 | Caroline | Eldridge H. Johnson | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 2,350 | 279 | 1931 | Hilo (PG 58) 1941, AGP 2 1943, sold 1946, scrapped 1958 | |
| PG | 59 | Vanda | Ernest B. Dane | Bath Iron Works | Bath ME | 1,768 | 240 | 1929 | San Bernardino (PG 59) 1942, sold 1947 | |
| PG | 60 | Reveler/Chalena | Russell Alger | Krupp Germania Werft | Kiel, Germany | 1,434 | 226 | 1930 | Beaumont (PG 60) 1942, sold 1949 as Elpetel, Jezebel 1983, Talitha G 1993, now Talitha | |
| PG | 61 | Delphine | Great Lakes EW | Ecorse MI | 1,950 | 258 | 1921 | Dauntless (PG 61) 1942, returned to owner 1947, active as Delphine | ||
| PG | 62-71 | See table of Gunboats Built during WWII | ||||||||
| PG | 72 | Nourmahal | Krupp Germania Werft | Kiel, Germany | 2,250 | 264 | 1928 | To USCG 1940 as WPG 72, PG 72 1943, scrapped 1964 | ||
| PG | 73-84 | Numbers not used | ||||||||
| PG | 85 | Corsair III | J. P. Morgan | Fletcher, W. & A. | Hoboken NJ | 1,136 | 304 | 1899 | SP 159 1917, returned 1919, to C&GS 1930 as Oceanographer (OSS 26), Natchez (PG 85) 1942, Oceanographer (AGS 3) 1942, scrapped 1944 |