USS Grand Rapids (PG-98)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Grand Rapids.

History
United States
Name	USS Grand Rapids (PG-98)
Builder	Tacoma Boatbuilding Company
Launched	4 April 1970
Commissioned	5 September 1970
Decommissioned	1 October 1977
Fate	Transferred to Naval Sea Systems Command as R/V Athena II
Status	unknown
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass-
Displacement	245 tons
Length	164 ft 6 in
Beam	23 ft 11 in
Draft	5 ft 4 in
Speed	40 kts
Complement	24
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber gun 1 × Bofors 40 mm gun mount 2 × twin .50 caliber machine guns

The second USS Grand Rapids (PGM-98/PG-98) was a Template:Sclass- in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.

On 13 June 1968, the Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, Tacoma, Washington laid down Grand Rapids, the eleventh Asheville-class gunboat built by Tacoma. In August 1968, however, the Tacoma shipyard suffered a severe fire that destroyed the under construction Grand Rapids (together with sister ship Benicia). A new Grand Rapids, with the same hull number, was laid down again by Tacoma Boat 20 May 1969, launched on 20 December 1969 and commissioned on 5 September 1970.

Grand Rapids was homeported in San Diego and later Naples, Italy,

Grand Rapids was decommissioned on 1 October 1977 and transferred to the Naval Sea Systems Command where she was renamed Research Vessel Athena II.

References

• Friedman, Norman (1987). U.S. Small Combatants Including PT-Boats, Subchasers and the Brown-Water Navy: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-713-5.

 This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.