USS Mindanao ( PR - 8 ) The first USS " Mindanao " ( PR ‑ 8 ) was a river gunboat in the service of the United States Navy before and during World War II . Construction and commissioning . " Mindanao " was laid down as patrol gunboat PG - 48 on 20 November 1926 by Kiangnan Dock and Engineering Works , Shanghai , China ; launched on 28 September 1927 ; reclassified as river gunboat PR - 8 ; sponsored by Mrs . E . A . McIntyre , wife of Lieutenant Commander McIntyre ; and commissioned at Shanghai on 10 July 1928 , Lt . Comdr . A . W . Ashbrook in command . River patrol in China . Departing Shanghai on 28 July 1928 , " Mindanao " conducted shakedown up the Yangtze River , steaming to Chungking and Wansien and returning downstream to Shanghai on 31 August . The gunboat stood out again on 10 September to return to Wansien and take up station . Arriving on 22 September , the ship remained there on convoy and patrol duty until sailing back to Shanghai for fuel and repairs on 28 December . She underwent overhaul until 21 March 1929 , and then cruised upriver on patrol , returning intermittently to Shanghai to investigate political conditions . On 2 May , the warship called for Hong Kong and thence to Canton , arriving 14 June where she became flagship of the South China Patrol Force , U . S . Asiatic Fleet . For the next 12½ years , " Mindanao " cruised the southern coast of China , based alternately at Hong Kong and Canton , protecting American and Allied interests in China and suppressing piracy . In October 1938 , following the Japanese invasion of southern China and seizure of Canton , she commenced operations to guard American neutrality . World War II service . On 2 December 1941 — as Japanese aggression was expected shortly and the small , lightly armed ship could not hope to combat the overwhelming odds facing her in China — the gunboat received orders to sail to the Philippines . Though designed only for river travel , the valiant craft put to sea from Hong Kong on 4 December . Bucking heavy winds and high seas , she stubbornly remained on course for Luzon . At 03 : 40 on the night of 8 December , she received word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . Immediately going to general quarters , the crew remained near their guns throughout the passage , and on 9 December intercepted and sank a small Japanese trawler , taking 10 prisoners - of - war , among the first taken by Americans in World War II ( the first POW was Kazuo Sakamaki , sole survivor of the midget submarine attack on Pearl Harbor ) . " Mindanao " concluded this dangerous and eventful voyage upon arrival at Manila Bay the next day . Assigned to inshore patrol and guard duty in Manila Bay , the gunboat acted as station ship in connection with the minefield channels near Corregidor until the end of December 1941 , and then took nightly turns with China river gunboats and patrolling east of Bataan . The shortage of fuel in the Philippines ended these patrols in early March , and the ships instead took turns watching for Japanese small craft at a position 3 miles east of Corregidor . On the afternoon of 25 March , they engaged nine enemy boats . " Mindanao " harassed enemy artillery east of Bataan on 6 April . The same day , the gunboat helped rescue some 60 American soldiers from both shore artillery and enemy aircraft . The ship repeatedly closed the beach to support small boats embarking the soldiers . When the naval situation in Manila Bay appeared hopeless , " Mindanao ’ s " crew was ordered ashore on 10 April to help defend Fort Hughes . Hit by shell fire the same day , the gunboat was stripped of all useful gear . On 2 May 1942 , after suffering an aerial bomb hit in the engine room , she was sunk to prevent capture . " Mindanao " received one battle star for World War II service .