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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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San Felipe
(YFB-12: dp. 298.8; I. 111'6"; b. 21'8"; dr. 9'9"; s. 10 k.)

Fort San Felipe was built by the Spanish on a site later included within the United States Naval Station, Cavite, Philippine Islands.

San Felipe was built in 1907 for the United States Army by the Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co., Hong Kong, B.C.C., as the steel tug Engineer. She was taken over by the United States Navy on 28 December 1917 for duty within the 16th Naval District. While underway in Manila harbor on 9 May 1918, she was rammed and slightly damaged by the steamer, Isla de Leyte. Engineer was returned to Army custody following the end of World War I.

Following a United States Army letter of 22 June 1922, requesting transfer of Engineer to the Navy, the tug was accepted by the Navy on 9 October to replace Callao (YFB-11), then operating as a ferry between Cavite and Manila, and was classified YFB-12. The tug was renamed San Felipe on 1 November. While standing out of Pier No. 1 in Manila Harbor on 25 August 1924, San Felipe was rammed and slightly damaged by the passenger liner, President Grant. San Felipe was again in a collision on 2 August 1936, with the motor ship, Attilla, when the tug's tiller chain failed.

San Felipe was still in active service when World War II broke out although scheduled for replacement during 1942. San Felipe was lost on 2 January 1942, incident to the Japanese occupation of the greater part of Luzon Island. She was struck from the Navy list on 24 July 1942.

The passenger steamer, Manhattan, a 124-foot vessel built during 1901, was originally scheduled to be acquired for service at the submarine base, New London, Conn., and classified YFB-57 under a directive of 4 July 1944. Acquisition of Manhattan was cancelled on 2 August 1944 and Ossining, a 128-foot ship built at Linwood, Pa., during 1885, was substituted on 7 August 1944. The name San Felipe was approved for YFB-57 on 9 September 1944 but acquisition of Ossining was cancelled on 19 September 1944.