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NavSource Online:
Motor Gunboat/Patrol Gunboat Photo Archive

Left patch courtesy of the Patrol Gunboat Association, right patch courtesy of Mike Smolinski

Benicia (PG 96)

Benicia served the Navies of the United States and South Korea

Asheville Class Motor Gunboat:

The second Benicia was laid down 14 April 1969 at Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., Tacoma, WA

Launched 20 December 1969

Ships sponsor was Mrs. W. F. Petrovic, wife of the Commander, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

Commissioned USS Benicia (PG-96), 20 April 1970

Decommissioned 2 October 1971 at San Diego, CA, transferred to South Korea and renamed ROKS Paek Ku (Translation Seagull) 51 (PGM 351)

Decommissioned and returned to U.S. Navy custody in 1991

Struck from the Navy Register 30 August 1996

Scrapped in Korea in 1998.

Specifications:

Displacement 237 t.

Length 164' 5"

Beam 23' 8"

Draft 9' 5"

Speed 40 kts.

Armament: One 3"/50 gun mount, one 40mm gun mount and two twin .50 cal. machine guns

Propulsion: Two 725hp VT-12 875M Cummins diesel engines, one 1,500nhp General Electric model LM 1500 gas turbine engine, two controllable pitch propellers, two shafts.

Click on thumbnail for full size image	Size	Image Description	Source
Benicia (PG 96)
	38k	20 December 1969 Prior to launching	Tacoma Boatbuilding
	84k	20 December 1969 Launching Associated Press photo	Dale Hargrave
	26k	20 December 1969 After launching	Tacoma Boatbuilding
USS Benicia (PG 96)
	82k	Replacement photo: c. 1971 Off Port Hueneme, CA Test firing a Standard Missile	Original photo: Robert W. Robb via Patrol Gunboat Association Terry W. McManuels, ETCM(SW), Ret. Replacement photo: Mike McClelland
	98k	U.S. Navy photo	Joe Radigan
	486k	c. 1970 Petty Officer Robert Kuettel and LCDR James Turnbull (Commanding Officer) on the bridge of Benicia Photo 47XX2-4-70 TH from the files of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	190k	c. 1970 U.S. Navy photo NH 75369 from the Naval History and Heritage Command	Robert Hurst Photos added 29 March 2022
	312k	17 April 1970 National Archives photo USN 1144353 from the Naval History and Heritage Command	Robert Hurst Photos added 29 March 2022
	237k	17 April 1970 National Archives photo USN 1144354	Mike Green
	282k	23 April 1970 Photo PG 96 977X1-4-70 from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	380k	4 October 1970 Refueling from the USS Ranger (CVA 61) Photo PG 1000X1-10-70 from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	109k	9 December 1970 Los Angeles, CA "NEW IN THE NAVY--The turbine powered USS Benicia a new gunboat that is 164 feet long, smaller than a minesweeper but with many capabilities of a destroyer, moves through Los Angeles harbor Tuesday. The Navy says Benicia is a forerunner of tomorrow's Navy. It can go from zero to 35 knots in 60 seconds. Each of the crew of only 28 persons in trained to perform a variety of functions. Benicia was commissioned eight months ago AP Wirephoto	Richard Miller, BMCS, USNR, Ret.
	534k	c. 17 May 1971 Mayor James Lemos of Benicia, CA is talking with LCDR James Turnbull during the ship's visit to the city of Benicia Photo 1041X1-5-71 TH from the files of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	220k	c. 1971 Launching a Standard RIM-66 surface-to-air missile U.S. Navy photo	Robert Hurst
	184k	U.S. Navy photo from the April 1987 edition of All Hands magazine	Joe Radigan
ROKS Paek Ku 51 (PGM 351)
	82k		Joe Radigan
	138k	South Korean gunboat ROKS Paek Ku 51 (PGM-351, ex-Benicia) is towed across the Pacific Ocean by the U.S. Navy repair ship USS Hector (AR-7), in 1972. The history of the hull number "11" is unknown U.S. Navy photo from the USS Hector (AR-7)* 1972 cruise book*	Robert Hurst Photo added 31 March 2022