ARP ''Humaitá'' was a

river gunboat A river gunboat is a type of gunboat adapted for river operations. River gunboats required shallow draft for river navigation. They would be armed with relatively small caliber cannons, or a mix of cannons and machine guns. If they carried more ...

of the ''Humaitá'' class used by the

Paraguayan Navy The Paraguayan Navy () is the maritime force of the Armed Forces of Paraguay, in charge of the defense of Paraguay's waters despite not having direct access to the sea. It has gone to war on two occasions: the War of the Triple Alliance (18 ...

. Launched in 1930, it participated in the

Chaco War The Chaco War (, museum ship A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...

History

In 1927, President

Eligio Ayala José Eligio Ayala (4 December 1879 – 24 October 1930) was President of Paraguay from 12 April 1923 to 17 March 1924 and again from 15 August 1924 until 15 August 1928. He was a member of the Liberal Party. Life Jose Eligio Ayala was born i ...

decided to expand Paraguay's navy in response to the escalating conflict with Bolivia over the

Gran Chaco The Gran Chaco or simply Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland tropical dry broadleaf forest natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion o ...

region, a dispute ongoing since 1887. Naval officer José Bozzano developed plans for the new vessels, emphasizing shallow draft and a significant number of deck guns at the expense of armor and mobility. These specifications were designed for operations on rivers against air and land targets. Negotiations were conducted with Denmark, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. On 26 September 1928, a contract was signed with an Italian supplier for the construction of two gunboats at a cost of $1.25 million USD.

Construction

The keel for the ship was laid on 21 April 1929 at the ''

Cantieri navali Odero ''Cantieri navali Odero'' ("Odero Shipyard") is a defunct Italian shipyard. Founded in 1846 by the Westerman brothers in Genoa-Sestri Ponente, the company was taken over by Nicolò Odero in 1872. Together with the Ansaldo-San Giorgio shipyard at ...

'' shipyard in

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

, Italy. Initially named ''Capitán Cabral'', the vessel was launched on 16 April 1930. Its name was officially changed to ''Humaitá'' on 30 July 1930.

Construction details

Hull

The empty ship weighed 621 tons, with displacement increasing to 835 tons after equipping and provisioning with 170 tons of fuel. The vessel could additionally carry up to 215 tons of cargo. The gunboat measured 71.2 meters in length and 10.5 meters in width. A key design feature was the hull's shallow draft, with a height of 4.4 meters. When fully equipped, the draft reached 180 centimeters, increasing to 213 centimeters at maximum load. The midsection of ''Humaitá'' was protected by a 15-mm thick armored belt, with the command post having 20 mm of armor and gun shields 10 mm thick.

Propulsion

The gunboat was powered by two Parsons-type steam turbines, each producing 1,500 hp. Initially equipped with two

Thornycroft Thornycroft was an English vehicle manufacturer which built coaches, buses, and trucks from 1896 until 1977. History In 1896, naval engineer John Isaac Thornycroft formed the Thornycroft Steam Carriage and Van Company which built its f ...

-Shultz boilers, they were later replaced by Yarrow boilers, both operating at a pressure of 18 kg/cm². The vessel had two propellers and could reach a maximum speed of 17 knots, with an economical cruising speed of 12 knots. At maximum speed, ''Humaitá'' could cover a distance of 2,822 nautical miles.

Armament

The primary deck artillery comprised four 120 mm Ansaldo 1926 guns mounted in two twin turrets and three 76 mm guns, likely Ansaldo 1917 models, manufactured by Odero-Terni in

La Spezia La Spezia (, or ; ; , in the local ) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second-largest city in the Liguria ...

. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by two QF 2-pounder naval guns, produced under a

Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...

license. The ship had a single mine rail and was typically armed with six Vickers "H" MK II naval mines. During the

Chaco War The Chaco War (, Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, and one of the 76 mm guns was swapped for a twin-mounted

Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun The Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 (often referred to simply as the "Bofors 40 mm gun", the "Bofors gun" and the like, see name) is an anti-aircraft autocannon, designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors. The g ...

, manufactured in Argentina as the B "M" 45. states that ''Humaitá'' originally had fewer guns, specifically one 76 mm caliber gun and one 40 mm caliber gun less.

Artillery specifications comparison for ''Humaitá''

Source:

Crew

During wartime, ''Humaitá'''s crew consisted of 15 officers, 18 non-commissioned officers, and 209 sailors. In peacetime, the number of non-commissioned officers and sailors was reduced to 12 and 124, respectively. The vessel could transport an additional 900 fully equipped soldiers or 1,200 passengers without heavy equipment. As of 2010, ''Humaitá'' operated with a skeleton crew of 96 personnel. states that the crew of the gunboat during the Chaco War consisted of 86 people, which would be fewer than the current skeletal crew.

Markings

Since ''Humaitá'' and ''

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

'' were structurally identical, they were distinguished by funnel markings – ''Humaitá'' had one stripe, while ''Paraguay'' had two. Additionally, ''Humaitá'' bore the identification number "C2" on its hull.

Service

Beginning

The flag was raised on ''Humaitá'' and its sister ship ''Paraguay'' on 21 January 1931. Three weeks later, they embarked on a voyage to their homeland with a mixed Paraguayan-Italian crew. ''Humaitá'' arrived in

Asunción Asunción (, ) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of Asunción in the north ...

on 5 May, and on 13 May, it officially joined the

based on decree No 40,178. The gunboat was incorporated into the ''Flotilla de Guerra'' on 20 May 1931 by decree No 40,220. Before the war broke out, the vessel had only completed a trial voyage, an eight-day journey to

Bahía Negra Bahía Negra is a district in the department of Alto Paraguay, Paraguay. Located on the right bank of the Paraguay River its population count is estimated to be around 2537, as of 2023. Location Bahía Negra is located in the northeastern ex ...

, which took place between 22 and 29 March 1932. At the time of the war's outbreak, ''Humaitá'' had been barely used and, together with ''Paraguay'', formed the modern core of the Paraguayan Navy.

Chaco War

The main task of the fleet during the war was troop transport. Ships departed from Asunción, loaded with soldiers and equipment, and sailed to Puerto Casado. From there, the soldiers were transported to the front by truck or continued their journey along the river to Bahía Negra. On the return trip, wounded and Bolivian prisoners were brought back. ''Humaitá'''s first transport voyage took place on 1 October 1932, carrying a detachment of the ''Tres Corrales'' regiment. According to official statistics, it completed 84 river voyages, transporting 62,546 soldiers to Puerto Casado via the

Paraguay River The Paraguay River (''Ysyry Paraguái'' in Guarani language, Guarani, ''Rio Paraguai'' in Portuguese language, Portuguese, ''Río Paraguay'' in Spanish language, Spanish) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bol ...

. However, according to Ehlers, together with the sister ship, it transported approximately 267,000 people in both directions. states that this number represents the total sum of soldiers transported by all Paraguayan naval vessels. The gunboat also provided anti-aircraft cover for unarmed vessels, and between convoys, it operated as an anti-aircraft battery in Asunción and Puerto Casado. The only combat action the ship participated in was a skirmish with two Bolivian

Curtiss P-6 Hawk The Curtiss P-6 Hawk is an American single-engine biplane fighter introduced into service in the late 1920s with the United States Army Air Corps and operated until the late 1930s prior to the outbreak of World War II. Design and development Th ...

Vickers Vespa The Vickers Vespa was a British army cooperation biplane designed and built by Vickers Limited in the 1920s. While not adopted by Britain's Royal Air Force, small numbers were bought by the Irish Free State and Bolivia, the latter of which used ...

aircraft. On the morning of 22 December 1932, the aircraft took part in an attack on ''Tacuarí'', and later in the afternoon, they encountered ''Humaitá'' near Puerto Leda. The engagement ended with the retreat of the attacking pilots. By the end of 1934, the 120 mm gun from ''Humaitá'' was dismantled, as it was needed by Paraguayan troops besieging

Villamontes Villamontes or Villa Montes is a town in the Tarija Department in south-eastern Bolivia. Location Villamontes is the administrative center of Villamontes Municipality and is situated at 388 m above sea level, on the left bank of Río Pilcoma ...

. However, the action was halted due to a change in the situation on the front.

Peacetime rebellions

The first rebellion involving ''Humaitá'' occurred during Colonel

Rafael Franco Rafael de la Cruz Franco Ojeda (October 22, 1896 – September 16, 1973) was a Paraguayan military officer, politician and statesman who served as President of Paraguay after the February Revolution, from February 20, 1936, to August 13, 1937 ...

's coup on 17 February 1936. cites the date as 27 February. President

Eusebio Ayala Eusebio Ayala Bordenave (August 14, 1875 – June 4, 1942) was a Paraguayan politician who served as the 28th President of Paraguay from 7 November 1921 to 12 April 1923 and again from 15 August 1932 to 17 February 1936. A member of the Liberal ...

sought refuge aboard ''Paraguay''. Initially, the navy supported loyalist forces using machine guns from both gunboats. However, when the tide turned against Ayala, the navy's top commanders declared him their prisoner. In 1937, ''Humaitá'' underwent repairs in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

, followed by additional maintenance combined with maneuvers in 1941. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, due to fuel shortages, the vessel saw minimal activity, stationed at the Sajonia base and leaving only for Fleet Week celebrations. In 1947, both gunboats underwent their third overhaul in Buenos Aires. On 7 March, another coup erupted in Paraguay, which spread to the ships stationed in Argentina. On 7 May, supporters of the '' Febreristas'' arrested government-loyal crew members. As the vessels lacked armament during their overhaul, they traveled to Uruguay to obtain modest weaponry. The ships began their journey back to Paraguay on 5 July, navigating the

Paraná River The Paraná River ( ; ; ) is a river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for some ."Parana River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. ...

. On 10 July, they crossed into Paraguay at

Paso de Patria Paso de Patria is a town at the Argentina–Paraguay border, in the Ñeembucú department of Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–P ...

. Lieutenant Colonel

Alfredo Stroessner Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda (; 3 November 1912 – 16 August 2006) was a Paraguayan politician, army general and Military dictatorship, military dictator who ruled as the 42nd president of Paraguay from 15 August 1954 until his overthrow in 19 ...

deployed an aircraft to attack ''Humaitá'' on 11 July. The next day, the vessel ran aground near the Argentine town of Ituzaingó, where it, along with its sister ship, faced further attacks by government air forces. On 15 July, government-loyal vessels ''Capitán Cabral'', ''Mariscal Estigarribia'', and steamships ''Helen Gunther'' and ''Tirador'' arrived to engage the stranded gunboats. By 18 July, ''Humaitá'' endured artillery shelling from land and continued air assaults. On 24 and 25 July, Stroessner's forces launched coordinated attacks on the entrenched crews from both land and water. Rising water levels in the river allowed the gunboats to attempt a breakout, but Stroessner's forces thwarted the escape. The vessels found refuge in the Argentine town of Itá Ibaté, where they were interned until the conflict subsided. ''Humaitá'' underwent a general overhaul in Buenos Aires in 1954, followed by another between September 1965 and July 1966 in

Ladário Ladário () is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The municipality of Ladário is surrounded by the municipality of Corumbá in all directions. Together, Corumbá and Ladário total 123,320 inhabitants. A town w ...

, Brazil. In 1974, it was rearmed at the Arsenal Naval in Asunción. The anti-aircraft 40 mm guns were replaced with Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, while one of the 76 mm guns was substituted with a dual 40 mm mount. The gunboat was officially retired from active service on 28 June 1983, per Decree No. 04/983. ''Humaitá'' played a decisive role in the coup that began during the night of 2–3 February 1989. Along with other vessels, it shelled the presidential palace, congressional buildings, and fortifications, tipping the balance in favor of the rebels. This pivotal action led to the ousting of Alfredo Stroessner, who had ruled Paraguay for 35 years. 70 years after its launch, ''Humaitá'' was converted into a

museum ship A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...

. It opened to visitors on 6 September 2000, near the presidential palace in Asunción. After a few years, the vessel was moved to the Sajonia base.

Repair and modernization timeline for ''Humaitá''

Source:

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Humaitá Gunboats of the Paraguayan Navy Museum ships Ships built by Cantieri navali Odero 1930 ships