page_title: USS PGM-7
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: USS PGM-7 / History
caption_attribution_description: English: USS PGM-7, a US Navy World War Two ship, after ramming by USS PGM-4 on July 18, 1944. National Archives photo 80-G-2811314
context_page_description: USS PGM-7 was a gunboat that served in the United States Navy during World War 2. She was commissioned as USS SC-1072, an SC-497 Class Submarine Chaser on 28 June 1943. She was reclassified as a PGM-1 Class Motor Gunboat on 10 December 1943. She was dispatched to the Solomon Islands for patrol service.
context_section_description: All twenty-four crew members reporting on board USS SC-1072, 28 June 1943, were received from the receiving station, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The official Reports of Changes for USS SC-1072 provide port locations and sailing destinations as follows:
  19 July 43 sailing from Naval Air Station, Cape May, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida
  11 August 43 sailing from Pier #2, S.C.T.C, Miami, Florida to Navy Section Base, Key West, Florida
  15 August 43 sailing from N.O.B., Key West, Florida to Burwood, Mississippi
  17 August 43 sailing from Burwood, Louisiana to Canal Zone [Burwood is located in the state of Louisiana, perhaps the 15 August entry refers to the Mississippi River as the location of Burwood?]
  28 August 43 sailing from Naval Station, Coco Solo, Canal Zone to Naval Station, San Diego, California
  14 September 43 sailing from Naval Base, San Diego, California to Naval Base, San Francisco, California
  24 September 43 sailing from Naval Section Base, Treasure Island, California to Naval Section Base, Seattle, Washington
  19 November 43 sailing from NavSta, Pier 41, Seattle, Washington to Naval Operating Base, San Pedro, California
  23 November 43 sailing from NavSecBase, Treasure Island, California to Naval Operating Base, San Pedro, California
  23 January 1944, USS PGM-7 departed San Pedro, California, headed for Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, in company of PGM's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 and USS Armadillo (IX-111).  The Armadillo provided fuel and water for the PGM's in transit to Hawaii.  The Log Book of USS PGM-3 contains the following entry for 25 January 1045 hours: “U.S.S. PGM-2 reported bad leak and was ordered by Senior Officer Present Afloat to return to port accompanied by U.S.S. PGM-4 as escort.” PGM-7 and the remaining ships continued their journey, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 1 February.  On 12 February the PGM-7 left Pearl Harbor en route to Palmyra Atoll in company of PGM's 8, 5, 3 and 1 and arrived there 15 February.  The next day the five PGM's continued their journey en route to Pago Pago, Tutuila Island, American Samoa, arriving there on 20 February.
  Sadly, Edmund Roman Niess, Machinist's Mate first class, a member of the crew of PGM-7, drowned in an accident on 23 February 1944, in Pago Pago Harbor.  He was buried in the USMC Cemetery, Tutuila, the next day.  Niess was the only member of the crew of PGM-7 lost during the war according to the official Reports of Changes for the ship.
  The five PGM's left Pago Pago on 24 February, headed toward Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji, arriving there on 27 February after adjusting the ships’ clocks forward one day.  PGM's 8, 5, 3 and 7 departed Suva on 28 February en route to Nouméa, New Caledonia, arriving there 2 March.  The same four PGM's departed Nouméa 10 days later en route for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, arriving there 14 March.  PGM-7 departed for the Solomon Islands on 15 March in company of PGM's 5 and 8, arriving at Guadalcanal two days later.  After a short stay at Guadalcanal, the ships crossed over to nearby Tulagi, Florida Islands (known today as Nggela Islands).
  After a stay of nearly two weeks, PGM's 5, 7 and 8 departed the Florida Islands on 29 March en route for Rendova Island, New Georgia Islands, Solomon Islands.  On 6 April, PGM-7 departed Rendova in company of PGM-5 headed for the Motor Torpedo Boat Base #9, Treasury Islands, arriving there on the same day.  MTB Base #9 served as the home base for the remainder of PGM-7’s navy career.
  Two days after arriving at MTB Base #9, PGM-7 departed at 1743 hours on 8 April for its first patrol of the coastal waters of southwest Bougainville Island.  Over the next three months, PGM-7 conducted anti-barge and anti-submarine patrols along the southwest and southeast coasts of Bougainville, the general vicinity of Fauro Island, and the west coast of Choiseul Island.  The ship was accompanied on these patrols by various other PGM ships of PGM Division One as well as various PT boats from nearby squadrons.
  Starting at the end of June 1944, the PGM-7 participated in a prolonged patrol along the northwestern coa
caption: National Archives photo no. 80-G-2811314 USS PGM-7 following ramming by USS PGM-4.  Taken from USS PGM-5.  July 18, 1944
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