USS Wake (PR-3)
Encyclopedia
USS Wake (PR-3) was a United States Navy
river gunboat
operating on the Yangtze River
, that was seized by Japan
on 8 December 1941.
Originally commissioned as the gunboat Guam (PG-43), she was redesignated river patrol vessel PR-3 in 1928, and renamed Wake in 1941.
in Shanghai, China, and commissioned on 28 December 1927. Her primary mission was to ensure the safety of American missionaries
and other foreigners. Later, the ship also functioned as a "radio spy ship," keeping track of Japanese movements. However, by 1939, she was "escorted" by a Japan
ese warship wherever she went, as China
fell more and more under Imperial Japanese control.
In January 1941, she was renamed Wake, as Guam was to be the new name of a large cruiser
being built in the U.S. In March 1941, Columbus Darwin Smith—an old China hand who had been piloting river boats on the Yangtze River
—was asked to accept a commission in the U.S. Navy and was appointed captain of Wake with the rank of commander.
On 25 November 1941, Cdr. Smith was ordered to close the Navy installation at Hankow
, and sail to Shanghai
. When Pearl Harbor
was attacked on 7 December 1941, Shanghai immediately fell to Japan. Smith was in command on 8 December 1941 (7 December in Hawaii), when the Japanese captured the ship, which was tied up at a pier in Shanghai. Smith had received a telephone call the night before from a Japanese officer he knew. The officer asked where Smith would be the next morning as he wanted to deliver some turkeys for Smith and his crew. The Japanese did the same to other American officers and officials so as to determine where they would be on December 8th. However, Commander Smith received word from his quartermaster about the Pearl Harbor attack and rushed to the ship only to find it under guard by the Japanese. Surrounded by an overwhelming Japanese force, the crew attempted unsuccessfully to scuttle the craft. Wake surrendered, the only U.S. ship to do so in World War II
.
Commander Smith and his crew were confined to a prison camp near Shanghai, where, coincidentally, the U.S. Marines captured on Wake Island were also later imprisoned.
The Japanese gave Wake to their puppet Wang Jingwei regime in Nanjing, where she was renamed Tatara. In 1945, at the end of the war, she was recaptured by the U.S. The U.S. gave the ship to the Chinese nationalists, who renamed her Tai Yuan. Finally, the ship was once again captured by Communist Chinese forces in 1949.
As of 2010, no other ship of the U.S. Navy has been named Wake, though a Casablanca-class
escort carrier launched in 1943 was named .
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
river gunboat
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 than one cannon, one might be a howitzer, for shore...
operating on the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
, that was seized by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on 8 December 1941.
Originally commissioned as the gunboat Guam (PG-43), she was redesignated river patrol vessel PR-3 in 1928, and renamed Wake in 1941.
Service history
She was launched on 28 May 1927 as Guam by the Kiangnan Dock and Engineering WorksJiangnan Shipyard
Jiangnan Shipyard is a historic shipyard located in Shanghai, China. The shipyard has been state owned since its founding in 1865 and is now operated by Jiangnan Shipyard Co. Ltd. Before 2009, the shipyard was located to the south of central Shanghi Jiangnan Shipyard is a historic shipyard...
in Shanghai, China, and commissioned on 28 December 1927. Her primary mission was to ensure the safety of American missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and other foreigners. Later, the ship also functioned as a "radio spy ship," keeping track of Japanese movements. However, by 1939, she was "escorted" by a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese warship wherever she went, as China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
fell more and more under Imperial Japanese control.
In January 1941, she was renamed Wake, as Guam was to be the new name of a large cruiser
USS Guam (CB-2)
USS Guam was an Alaska class large cruiser which served with the United States Navy during the end of World War II. She was the second and last ship of her class to be completed....
being built in the U.S. In March 1941, Columbus Darwin Smith—an old China hand who had been piloting river boats on the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
—was asked to accept a commission in the U.S. Navy and was appointed captain of Wake with the rank of commander.
On 25 November 1941, Cdr. Smith was ordered to close the Navy installation at Hankow
Hankou
Hankou was one of the three cities whose merging formed modern-day Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers where the Han falls into the Yangtze...
, and sail to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. When Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
was attacked on 7 December 1941, Shanghai immediately fell to Japan. Smith was in command on 8 December 1941 (7 December in Hawaii), when the Japanese captured the ship, which was tied up at a pier in Shanghai. Smith had received a telephone call the night before from a Japanese officer he knew. The officer asked where Smith would be the next morning as he wanted to deliver some turkeys for Smith and his crew. The Japanese did the same to other American officers and officials so as to determine where they would be on December 8th. However, Commander Smith received word from his quartermaster about the Pearl Harbor attack and rushed to the ship only to find it under guard by the Japanese. Surrounded by an overwhelming Japanese force, the crew attempted unsuccessfully to scuttle the craft. Wake surrendered, the only U.S. ship to do so in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Commander Smith and his crew were confined to a prison camp near Shanghai, where, coincidentally, the U.S. Marines captured on Wake Island were also later imprisoned.
The Japanese gave Wake to their puppet Wang Jingwei regime in Nanjing, where she was renamed Tatara. In 1945, at the end of the war, she was recaptured by the U.S. The U.S. gave the ship to the Chinese nationalists, who renamed her Tai Yuan. Finally, the ship was once again captured by Communist Chinese forces in 1949.
As of 2010, no other ship of the U.S. Navy has been named Wake, though a Casablanca-class
Casablanca class escort carrier
The Casablanca class escort aircraft carriers were the greatest number of not only escort carriers, but also any size aircraft carrier ever built to a like-design by any nation at any time. Fifty were laid down, launched and commissioned within the space of less than two years - 3 November 1942...
escort carrier launched in 1943 was named .