BRP Miguel Malvar ( PS - 19 ) BRP " Miguel Malvar " ( PS - 19 ) is the lead ship of the of corvette s of the Philippine Navy . She was originally built as USS " PCE ( R ) - 852 " , a for the United States Navy during World War II . She was acquired by the Philippine Navy in April 1976 and later on commissioned as " Miguel Malvar " after Miguel Malvar y Carpio . The ship is . Along with other World War II - era ships of the Philippine Navy , " Miguel Malvar " is one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today . History . US Navy . Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS " PCER - 852 " in 1944 , she was first assigned in the Atlantic theatre of operations engaged in patrolling and training . On 1 August 1944 , " PCER - 852 " stood out of Bermuda bound for Norfolk , Virginia with 26 prisoners of war — sailors from the German submarine U - 505 , captured in June by a “ hunter - killer ” group formed around escort carrier Guadalcanal ( CVE - 60 ) . Relocating to the Pacific theatre of operations , her duties included treatment of wounded sailors and soldiers , and ASW patrols during the invasion of the Philippines at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf , and in the operations at Okinawa . During her six months in the war zone , her medical staff and crew handled over 1300 dead , critically wounded , and ships ' survivors . After the war she was placed under the Atlantic Reserve Fleet but was not decommissioned . Early in 1946 , however , she was converted into an experimental ship to test infrared equipment for the Bureau of Ships . She had her armament removed and the her hospital facilities converted to work spaces for test equipment . At that time , she was redesignated E - PCER - 852 . She completed the conversion in May 1946 . In September 1947 , the Bureau of Ships shifted the infrared test program to the Underwater Sound Laboratory at New London , Connecticut , and E - PCER - 852 operated from that base . For the next 18 years , the ship continued to do experimental work . By the early 1950s the nature of her test work expanded from infrared gear to include optical communications equipment , sonar apparatus , weather gear , and various other items of hardware . In addition to the Bureau of Ships , she did test work for both the Bureau of Ordnance and the Office of Naval Research . On 15 February 1956 , the ship was named " USS Brattleboro " . She continued her experimental duties for nearly a decade after receiving her name . During that time , her zone of operations also expanded to include the coastal waters along the southeastern United States and thence into the West Indies . On 1 October 1965 , " Brattleboro " was ordered to Philadelphia to begin inactivation . Decommissioned at Philadelphia and struck from the Navy list on 1 November 1965 . Republic of Vietnam Navy . She was then transferred to the Republic of Vietnam on 11 July 1966 . She served the Vietnamese Navy as " Ngoc Hoi " ( HQ - 12 ) up until her escape to the Philippines in 1975 , together with other South Vietnamese Navy ships and their respective crew . Philippine Navy . After she was cleaned , repaired and made ready for service , she was formally acquired by the Philippine Navy on 5 April 1976 , and was commissioned together with other ex - RVN ships on 7 February 1977 . She underwent extensive overhaul and refitting of armaments , and was commissioned into the Philippine Navy as RPS " Miguel Malvar " ( PS - 19 ) . Service with the Philippine Navy . She initially served the Philippine Navy as RPS " Miguel Malvar " ( PS - 19 ) until she was renamed to BRP " Miguel Malvar " effective 23 June 1980 . Between 1990 and 1992 the " Miguel Malvar " underwent major overhaul , weapons and radar systems refit , and upgrade of communications gear . She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet , and is considered as one of the most decorated ship of the Navy . Notable Operations / Exercises . On August 2011 , the " Miguel Malvar " conducted rescue operations on a distressed vessel in the province of Tawi - Tawi . She rescued around 60 passengers from the wooden - hulled vessel M / L " Virginia " and towed the said ship to a pier in Bongao , Tawi - Tawi . The " Miguel Malvar " was one of the participating ships in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training ( CARAT ) 2012 - Philippines exercises from 2 July to 10 July 2012 . Technical details . There are slight difference between the BRP " Miguel Malvar " as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy , since her original configuration was as a rescue patrol craft escort ( PCER ) , while the others are configured as patrol craft escorts ( PCE ) and minesweepers ( " Admirable " class ) . Armaments . Originally the " Miguel Malvar " was armed with one 3 " / 50 caliber dual purpose gun , two single Bofors 40 mm gun s , four Oerlikon 20 mm cannon s , one Hedgehog depth charge projector , four depth charge projectiles ( K - guns ) and two depth charge tracks . During its overhaul and refit between 1990 to 1991 , the Philippine Navy removed her old anti - submarine weapons and systems , and made changes in the armament set - up . Some sources claim the loss of its two Bofors 40mm cannons during the 1990 - 1991 overhaul and refit period , but photos at of 2002 show the Bofors guns still present . Final armaments fitted to the ship are one Mk . 22 3 " / 50 - caliber gun , two single Bofors 40 mm cannons , three Mk . 10 Oerlikon 20 mm cannon s , and four M2 Browning 12 . 7 mm / 50 caliber machine guns . This made the ship lighter and ideal for surface patrols , but losing her limited anti - submarine warfare capability . Electronics . Also during the refit the ship ' s SPS - 21D surface search radar and RCA SPN - 18 navigation radar was replaced by a Raytheon AN / SPS - 64 ( V ) 11 surface search and navigation radar system . Later modifications included the installation of a satellite communications system and GPS system standard to all Philippine Navy ships . Machinery . The ship is powered by two GM 12 - 278A diesel engines with a combined rating of around driving two propellers . The main engines can propel the 914 tons ( full load ) ship to a maximum speed of around .