Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online:
Patrol Combatant-Missile (Hydrofoil)
Photo Archive

Taurus (PHM-3)



Call sign:
November - Hotel - Charlie - November
Pegasus Class Patrol Combatant-Missile (Hydrofoil):

  • Laid down 30 January 1979 by Boeing Marine Systems, Seattle, Washington
  • Launched 8 May 1981
  • Sponsored by Mrs. John D. H. Kane
  • Commissioned 10 October 1981
  • Decommissioned 30 July 1993 and struck from the Navy Register
  • Sold for scrap 19 August 1996 by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 178 t.(lt), 248 t.(fl)
  • Length 133'
  • Beam 29'
  • Speed 12 kts. Hullborne, 48 kts. Foilborne
  • Complement 21
  • Armament: One 76 mm gun mount and eight Harpoon missiles
  • Propulsion: Two 1,600bhp Mercedes-Benz diesel engines (Hullborne) and one 18,000shp General Electric LM2500 gas turbine (Foilborne).
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Taurus (PHM 3)
    Taurus 93k
    Namesake:

    Taurus (Latin for "the Bull") is one of the constellations of the zodiac and is located in the northern celestial hemisphere. Taurus is a large and prominent constellation in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky. It is one of the oldest constellations, dating back to the Early Bronze Age at least, when it marked the location of the Sun during the spring equinox. Its importance to the agricultural calendar influenced various bull figures in the mythologies of Ancient Sumer, Akkad, Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The symbol representing Taurus is Taurus.svg, which resembles a bull's head

    		 Tommy Trampp
    Taurus 154k 8 May 1981
    Launching
    National Archives photos 428-GX-K-131000, 428-GX-K-131002, 428-GX-K-131010, 428-GX-K-131014, 428-GX-K-131029 and 428-GX-K-131031    		 Tracy White
    Taurus 116k
    Taurus 127k
    Taurus 127k
    Taurus 149k
    Taurus 252k
    USS Taurus (PHM 3)
    Taurus 303k 10 October 1981
    Bremerton, WA
    The insignia for Patrol Combatant Missile Hydrofoil Squadron TWO on the Taurus
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-86-01869 by PH1 Terry C. Mitchell    .    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Taurus 299k 10 October 1981
    Bremerton, WA
    Crewmembers board the Taurus "to bring the ship to life" during the commissioning ceremony at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-86-01879 by PH1 Terry C. Mitchell
    Taurus 267k 10 October 1981
    Bremerton, WA
    Crewmembers of the Taurus man the rail during the commissioning ceremony at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-86-01880 by PH1 Terry C. Mitchell.
    Taurus 331k 10 October 1981
    Bremerton, WA
    A starboard quarter view of the of the Taurus man the rail during the commissioning ceremony at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-86-01882 by PH1 Terry C. Mitchell.
    Taurus 300k 10 October 1981
    Bremerton, WA
    A stern view showing the aft hydrofoil of the Taurus man the rail during the commissioning ceremony at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-86-01883 by PH1 Terry C. Mitchell.
    Taurus 499k 10 October 1981
    Bremerton, WA
    A crewmember aboard the Taurus hoists the commissioning pennant for the hydrofoil patrol craft, at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-86-018835 by PH1 Terry C. Mitchell.
    Taurus 341k 10 October 1981
    Bremerton, WA
    A plaque affixed to the mast of the Taurus commemorates the placing of a silver coin under the mast during construction of the ship.
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-86-018836 by PH1 Terry C. Mitchell
    Taurus 214k 10 October 1981
    Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA
    Rear Admiral James D. Williams, Commander, Naval Base Seattle, delivers his address as the keynote speaker during the commissioning for the hydrofoil Taurus. Seated behind Williams are: Captain Oliver H. Wetzel, Chaplain Corps (left), and Commander L. M. Hardt, Commander, Patrol Combatant Missile Hydrofoil Squadron TWO
    Defense Link photo DN-ST-86-01873    		 Robert Hurst
    Hercules/Taurus 205k Hercules (PHM 2) and Taurus "flying" on their foils
    U.S. Navy photo    		 R. L. Wilbur
    Taurus 64k . Robert Hurst
    Taurus 118k . Wakipedia Website
    Taurus 146k . .
    Taurus 169k Photo from National Museum of the U.S. Navy Michael Mohl
    Taurus 184k
    Taurus 384k c. 1982
    Coming alongside Frederick (LST 1184) to refuel
    U.S. Navy photo by James Wallace    		 Cort Jackson
    Taurus 163k c. 1982
    Alongside Frederick (LST 1184)
    U.S. Navy photo from the February 1983 edition of All Hands magazine    		 Joe Radigan
    Taurus 269k c. September 1982
    The forward hydrofoil of Taurus and a stern view of USS Aquila (PHM-4) at Pier 1, Trumbo Point, Key West, FL
    Photo by Raymond L. Blazevic
    Courtesy of Florida Keys Public Libraries    		 Robert Hurst
    Taurus 295k 1 November 1989
    A sailor aboard the patrol combatant missile hydrofoil Taurus stands beside an M60 machine gun as he keeps an eye on a small craft that was stopped after being spotted unusually far from shore. The Taurus and the other hydrofoils of PHM Squadron TWO patrolled the waters around Florida as part of the nation's drug interdiction program
    Defense Visual Information Center photo SDAN-DN-SC-90-09325 by PH2(AC) Mark S. Kettenhoffen    		 Robert Hurst
    Taurus 236k 1 November 1989
    Key West, FL
    Patrol combatant missile hydrofoils USS Aquila (PHM 4), front, and USS Gemini (PHM 6), center, lie tied up in port with a third PHM (Probably Taurus). The Coast Guard surface effect ship USCGC Shearwater (WSES 3) is in the background
    Photo by PH2 (AC) Mark S. Kettenhofen
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo DN-SC-90-09333/National Archives Identifier (NAID) 6451967    		 Robert Hurst
    Photo added 26 February 2022
    Hercules 344k c. 1990
    Hercules and USS Taurus (PHM 3) maneuver off of Key West, Florida
    U.S.Navy photo DN-ST-90-09381 from National Museum of the U.S. Navy    		 Michael Mohl
    Taurus 297k c. 1990
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-90-09067 from National Museum of the U.S. Navy
    Taurus 147k U.S. Navy photo by PH1(AC) Scott M. Allen from the June 1990 edition of All Hands magazine Joe Radigan
    Taurus 223k c. April 1993
    Key West, FL
    A port bow view of the patrol combatant missile hydrofoils Taurus, USS Gemini (PHM 6) and USS Aquila (PHM 4)
    Photo by OS2 John Bouvia
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo DN-SC-93-03750/National Museum of the U.S. Navy    		 Robert Hurst
    Photo added 26 February 2022
    Pegasus Class 334k 13 June 1993
    All six vessels of Patrol Combatant Missile Hydrofoil Squadron TWO travel in formation en route to Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA for decommissioning. The formation includes the USS Pegasus (PHM 1), USS Hercules (PHM 2), Taurus, USS Aquila (PHM-4), USS Aries (PHM-5) and USS Gemini (PHM-6)
    U.S. Navy photo DN-ST-93-05725 by PH2 Douglas F. Mooney    		 Robert Hurst
    Pegasus 398k 13 June 1993
    Vessels of Patrol Combatant Missile Hydrofoil Squadron 2 travel in formation en route to Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Va. for decommissioning. The hydrofoils include: the USS Pegasus (PHM 1), USS Hercules (PHM-2), Taurus, USS Aquila (PHM-4), USS Aries (PHM-5) and the USS Gemini (PHM-6)
    U.S. Navy photo DN-SC-93-05730 from National Museum of the U.S. Navy    		 Michael Mohl
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR Walter Scott Slocum, USN10 October 1981 - 15 July 1983
    02CDR Richard Stewart Moore, Jr., USN15 July 1983 - 12 July 1985
    03LCDR Vincent Peter Mocini, USN12 July 1985 - 17 May 1987
    04LCDR Andrew Joseph Pitts, USN17 May 1987 - 2 July 1989
    05LCDR Philip Hilliar Greene, Jr., USN - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Class of 1978
    Awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two Defense Superior Service Medals, four Legion of Merits and the Bronze Star - Retired as Rear Admiral
    Superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (2010)    		2 July 1989 - 25 June 1991
    06LCDR Larry W. Dodson, USN25 June 1991 - 15 April 1993
    07LCDR Stephen F. Allor, USN15 April 1993 - 30 July 1993
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Gene Maresca
    There is no DANFS history available for Taurus (PHM-3)
    Additional Resources and Websites of Interest
    Patrol Craft Sailors Association
    Back to the Main Photo Index Back to the Patrol Craft/Gunboat/Submarine Chaser Ship Index Back to the Patrol Combatant-Missile (Hydrofoil) - (PHM) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
    This page created by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Tom Bateman
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History