Ship Along Side
USS Marathon (PG-89)


The USS Marathon was a steady customer
Several times "PD's" were refueled by stopping and tying up along side. This worked out very well for refueling and it allowed the patrol gunboat crew to come aboard and use the ship's store, post office, barbershop and soda fountain. 
USS Marathon 
On 5 September 1969, MARATHON was awarded the Green "E" and "C" for efficiency in operations and communications. MARATHON was the first patrol gunboat to earn these awards.

Asheville Class Gunboat; Laid down, 21 June 1966 at Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., Tacoma WA as (PGM-89); Reclassified Patrol Gunboat (PG), 28 March 1967; 
Specifications: Displacement 240 (lt), 285 (fl) t; Length 164' 6"; Beam 24'; Draft 5' 2" (lt), 9' 6" (fl); Speed 40 kts; Complement 4 Officers, 33 Enlisted; Armament one single 3"/50 gun mount, one single 40mm gun mount , two twin .50-cal mg mounts, GPCS MK-63 MOD 29 with AN/SPG-50 Radar; Propulsion, CODOG (Combination Diesel or Gas Turbine) two 12 cyl. 725 hp Cummins diesels engines, GE model 7 LM 1500 gas turbine engine, 2 controlable pitch propellers, 13,300shp. The CODOG system allows for diesel propulsion up to about 12--14 knots and marine gas turbine propulsion for speeds in excess of 35 knots. 
Source: http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/11089.htm
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TIEING UP ALONG SIDE KAWISHIWI
 GUNBOAT BEING ADMIRED EARLIER CAMOUFLAGE PAINT JOB

The patch in red above was provided by Jim Kilpatcick. He recalls refueling this PG on a number of occasions, where Kawishiwi would go dead in the water and refuel a PG off the coast of Viet Nam.  I picked up a patch from PG-89, USS Marathon.  We would put out three gallon containers of ice cream and let the PG crew eat to their heart's content.  As I recall the PGs had a fantom (F-4) engine for high speed power as well as a diesel engine.
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