USS ''PC-1603'' was a

submarine chaser A submarine chaser or subchaser is a small naval vessel that is specifically intended for anti-submarine warfare. Many of the American submarine chasers used in World War I found their way to Allied nations by way of Lend-Lease in World War II. ...

of the United States Navy during World War II. She was originally built and commissioned as USS ''Force'' (AM-99), an . On 1 June, she was renamed ''PC-1603'' and earned three battle stars for service in the Pacific during the war. The ship was damaged by a pair of kamikaze aircraft on 26 May 1945 and later scuttled.

Career

''Force'' was laid down on 19 November 1941 by the Penn-Jersey Corp.,

Camden, New Jersey Camden is a city in and the county seat of Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Camden is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area and is located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the 2020 ...

, launched on 7 September 1942, and commissioned on 16 June 1943. The ship was reclassified a

''PC-1603'' on 1 June 1944. On 26 May 1945, while anchored in Kimmu Wan, Okinawa, ''PC-1603'' was struck by two

Kawasaki Ki-61 The Kawasaki Ki-61 ''Hien'' (飛燕, "flying swallow") is a Japanese World War II fighter aircraft. Used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, it was designated the "Army Type 3 Fighter" (三式戦闘機). Allied intelligence initially b ...

"Tony" kamikaze aircraft. The first hit the bow at the water line and the second hit the bow at deck level. Three people died and 15 wounded mostly from burns. On 21 June 1945 ''PC-1603'' was decommissioned and towed to the ship graveyard at

Kerama Retto The are a subtropical island group southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Geography Four islands are inhabited: Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island, Aka Island, and Geruma Island. The islands are administered as Tokashiki Village and Zamami Vill ...

. The hulk was ordered destroyed on 24 October 1945. The hull was incorporated in the building of a

breakwater Breakwater may refer to: * Breakwater (structure), a structure for protecting a beach or harbour Places * Breakwater, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia * Breakwater Island Breakwater Island () is a small island in the Palme ...

dock A dock (from Dutch language, Dutch ''dok'') is the area of water between or next to one or a group of human-made structures that are involved in the handling of boats or ships (usually on or near a shore) or such structures themselves. The ex ...

and officially donated to the Government of the Ryukyu Islands on 10 July 1957. ''PC-1603'' was awarded three battle stars for the Leyte, Luzon and Okinawa landings.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:PC-1603 Adroit-class minesweepers Ships built in Camden, New Jersey 1942 ships World War II minesweepers of the United States World War II patrol vessels of the United States World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean Maritime incidents in May 1945 Ships sunk as breakwaters