USS Helena (PG-9)

History of the Helena (PG-9)

"Gunboats" have been part of naval warfare for centuries and were a type of ship supported by the United States Navy (USN) until the turn of the century. The USS Helena (PG-9) is the second of two Wilmington-class ships designated for the role.

Construction of her keel began on October 10, 1894, by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Newport News, Virginia, and she was launched on January 30, 1896. The ship was officially commissioned on July 8, 1897, and served until the early 1930s.

Gunboats were built for speed and maneuverability, and were required to use their firepower against coastal targets. As such, they are relatively compact, with shallow drafts and slender beams.

The USS Helena has a displacement of 1,410 tons (short), a length of 250.8 feet, a beam of 40.10 feet, and a draft of 9 feet. Power comes from a pair of triple-expansion vertically reciprocating engines that drive two shafts below the stern.

The boat can sail at around 13 knots and can reach a range of 2,200 nautical miles under ideal conditions.

The shape of the boat is traditional: the deck line is raised at the bow and trodden at the stern. The bridge superstructure is in the usual position fore and aft, and a single tall smoke funnel is found. There are 175 employees on board.

The armament is centered on a 4 x 4" (100 mm)/40 caliber gun, supported by 4 x 11 pounders, and carries a 3" (76 mm) gun combined with a 4 x 3 pounder.

After serving, Helena was assigned to the North Atlantic Fleet to protect American interests abroad. On April 21, 1898, during the Cuban War of Independence (1895-1898), the USS Maine exploded in the harbor of Havana, and the Spanish-American War broke out.

The aircraft carrier Helena remained in Cuban waters and when asked to do so frantically used her weapons. On August 13, 1898, when Spain relinquished its possession of Cuba, the war ended in a victory for the United States.

On February 4, 1899, the Philippine-American War broke out. Helena crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Boston waters to the Philippines via the Suez Canal. Once there, she participated in ground operations in support of the United States through various bombardments of coastal positions.

The hostilities ended on July 2, 1902 with the victory of the United States (and subsequent occupation) and the disintegration of the First Republic of the Philippines.

After the battle, she was detained in the waters of the Far East, serving U.S. interests there. She was officially discharged on April 19, 1905, and returned to service on July 16 the following year. During the First World War (1914-1918), USS Helena did not fight. She continued to serve in the Asia-Pacific theater until May 1932. The warship was decommissioned again, but this time her name was removed from the Navy register.

On July 7, 1934, the battleship Helena was stripped of her belligerent capabilities and sold, officially ending her sailing career.

While in service, the gunboat was awarded the Sampson, Spanish Campaign, Philippine Campaign, Victory and Yangtze Service Medals.

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