Commissioned 5 September 1970 Status unknown Length 50 m Displacement 222,300 kg | Decommissioned 1 October 1977 Launched 4 April 1970 Weight 248.9 tons | |
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Name USS Grand Rapids (PG-98) Fate Transferred to Naval Sea Systems Command as R/V Athena II Class and type Asheville-class gunboat Builder Tacoma Boatbuilding Company | ||
The second USS Grand Rapids (PGM-98/PG-98) was a Asheville-class gunboat 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.