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NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort
Photo Archive
Left patch contributed by Mike Smolinski, right patch by Tommy Trampp

Rockville (EPCE[R] 851)
ex-EPCE(R)-851
ex-PCE(R)-851



Call sign:
November - Xray - Bravo - Victor

ex-PCE-851


Rockville served the Navies of the United States and Colombia
PCER-848 Class Patrol Craft Escort (Rescue):

  • Originally planned as PCE-851 but reclassified PCE(R)-851 in June 1943
  • Laid down 18 October 1943 by the Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co., Chicago, IL
  • Launched 22 February 1944
  • Commissioned USS PCE(R)-851, 15 May 1944
  • Placed in service as a Naval Reserve training vessel in July 1946 assigned to the 1st Naval District (Boston)
  • Reclassified as an Experimental Patrol Craft Escort (Rescue), EPCE(R)-851, 15 October 1951
  • Named Rockville 15 February 1956
  • Decommissioned and struck from the Navy Register 21 December 1968
  • Transferred to Colombia in 1969 and renamed ARC San Andres (BO 151), (Buque Oceanografico - Oceanographic Research Vessel)
  • Transferred to the Colombian Coast Guard in the early 1980s
  • Decommissioned in the late 1980s
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 903 t.
  • Length 184' 6"
  • Beam 33' 1"
  • Draft 9' 5"
  • Speed 15.7 kts.
  • Complement 99
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 40mm gun mounts, two depth charge tracks and two depth charge projectors
  • Propulsion: Two 900bhp General Motors 12-567A diesel engines, Falk single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS EPCE(R)-851
    PCE(R)-851 76k c. 1952
    Bureau of Ships photo from Allied Escort Ships of World War II by Peter Elliott    		 Krlicbegovic Edib
    Bosnia & Hercegovina
    USS Rockville (EPCE[R] 851)
    PCE(R)-851 557k U.S. Navy photo UA 476.35.01 Naval History and Heritage Command
    PCE(R)-851 340k c. 1960's Bill Gonyo
    ARC San Andres (BO 151)
    PCE(R)-851 108k c. 1978
    Moored at Colombian Naval Base ARC Bolivar, Cartagena. Moored at her port side is ARC Boyaca (DE 16), ex-USS Hartley (DE 1029)
    Photo added 7 December 2020    		 Luis Bernardo Castro, Supply Officer, 1978
    PCE(R)-851 115k c. November 1978
    Panama Canal
    Passing under Puente de Las Americas (Bridge of the Americas, formally the Thatcher Ferry Bridge)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR Frank S. Bayley, Jr., USNR - Awarded the Navy Cross (1945)15 May 1944
    02LCDR Wesley Elvin Lindsey, Jr., USNApril 1954 - August 1956
    03LCDR Vernon Charles Smith, USN - Awarded five Legions of Merit, three Bronze Stars with Combat V, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Services Commendation Medal and the National Order of the Cedar from government of Lebanon
    Retired as Rear Admiral    		August 1960 - May 1962
    04LCDR Robert Kenney Barr, Jr., USN - Awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals and two Navy
    Achievement Medals    		March 1967 - March 1968
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joe Radigan
    View the Rockville (EPCE[R] 851)
    DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway website
    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 Craft Escort (Rescue) - (PCE[R]) Photo Index
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
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