History of the Hamilton

Design

The Hamilton is a US Coast Guard High Endurance Cutter and the lead ship of its class. She was 378 ft (115m) in length, 43 ft (13m) In width and had a displacement of 3250 tons. It was designed to provide fairly good accommodations to the 173 crewmen, this includes air conditioning.

At the time it was the first ship in the US Military to use the shipboard application of aircraft gas turbine engines with pitch propellers. The Hamilton has two 18,000 horsepower gas turbines, giving it a speed of 28 knots. Additionally, it has two 3,500 horsepower diesel engines which can give the ship a speed of 17 knots for 14,400 nautical miles without refueling. The ship also possesses a bow propulsion unit that can provide excellent maneuverability.

It also contains a flight deck and hangar capable of handling a helicopter.

For weapons its arsenal consists of an Otobreda 76mm cannon, 2 25mm Mk 38 guns and a 20mm Phalanx CIWS (Close in weapons system.)

History

The Hamilton was constructed by Avondale Shipyards and launched on December 18 1965 in New Orleans. Her namesake came from Alexander Hamilton, the famous United States secretary of the Treasury.

It was commissioned in March 18 1967. Afterwards it was sent to the Atlantic Ocean stations,  at first collecting oceanic data and performing search and rescue before being sent to Vietnam to fight in the Vietnam War. The Hamilton performed a number of missions with distinction such was stopping weapons smugglers and supporting the ground forces with artillery fire. In total she fired more than 4,600 rounds in her time in Vietnam.

She would go back to performing her former tasks in the Atlantic ocean until 1975. Afterwards in 1988 The Hamilton would undergo a three year renovation that equipped it with modern weapons and equipment, its current machinery also underwent refurbishment.

During Operation Able Manner in 1993-1994, The Hamilton directed the interdictions of over 21,000 Haitian Migrants throughout the Caribbean. They were rescued and prevented from illegally entering the United States.

In one operation, The Hamilton rescued 135 Haitians after their board capsized and sank. For that event, the crew was given the Meritorious Unit Commendation. After Able Miner, The
Hamilton was transferred to the Panama Canal to serve the command ship of Operation Frontier Shield, an attempt to stop to smuggling of drugs to the USA. In the duration of her stay she was able to intercept 14 drug laden vessels with over 115 tons of contraband. It is estimated in total this was worth 200 million dollars.

In 1999 the Hamilton again sized over 2,700 tons of cocaine bound for the USA from the Eastern Pacific Ocean. She frequently patrolled the Bering Sea in the Alaskan coast at the Maritime Boundary Line which separated the USA and Russia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. (EEZ)

In March of 2007, the Hamilton along with the Sherman stopped a Panamanian fishing vessel called the Gatun in international waters. Inside was over 20 metric tons of cocaine. An estimated worth of 600 million dollars. This made it the largest drug bust in US Naval history.

The Philippine government sent a team to the State in November 2010 to inspect the Hamilton, expressing interest in purchasing it.

She was decommissioned in March 28 2011 and then transferred over to the Philippine Navy as per the Excess Defense Article. Before the transfer all but the Mk 75 guns were left, all other weapons were removed. However in exchange the US Navy added safe-to-sail navigation equipment, radar systems and additional electronics that were requested by the Philippine Government. The total transfer cost was around 450 million pesos and took about two year. In January 2011, training of the Philippine crew began in the USCGC Boutwell. The official transfers took place on May 13 2011 on Coast Guard Island.

After several port visits and final tests the ship was sent to the Philippines in August 17 2011 with minor improvements being made the next day. The Hamilton was renamed the Gregorio del Pilar and was officially commissioned December 14 in Manila South Harbor by Ballsy Cruz, President  Benigno Aquino II’s elder sister. This was his first major acquisition as president and hoped it would be a sign of his plan to modernize the Philippines. The ship was later given at least two new Mk 38 Mod 2 25mm chain guns, two Mk 16 20mm auto cannons and six 12.7mm machine guns. Additionally, improved radar systems were also added.

She has participated in a number of naval drills and patrolled the Philippine waters including the West Philippine Sea.

During the Scarborough shoal standoff, the Gregorio del Pilar tried to apprehend 8 Chinese fishing vessels. It was part of relief operations conducted in Visayas (known as operation Damayan.) After Typhoon Haiyan struck in November 2013

After Flight 370 of Malaysian Airlines vanished, the Gregorio del Pilar assisted in searching for it. Along with its sister ship, Ramon Alcaraz, it participated in joint naval maneuvers as part of CARAT 2014 from June 26 to July 1. These drills included gunnery, and anti submarine operations.

US President Barack Obama visited and toured the ship during the APEC summit on November 17 2015 as a gesture of commitment to his promise of assisting the East Asian countries in Maritime security and promised another Hamilton-Class Cutter to the Philippines as well as a research vessel.

In 2016 a new naval code was created and the Gregorio del Pilar was now designated as FF-15.

In May 5 2017, it was sent to Singapore to participate in the International Maritime Defense Exhibition (IMDEX) 2017 from May 16 to 18, 2017.