USS Surprise ( PG - 97 ) The fourth USS " Surprise " and fifth American naval ship of the name was an " Asheville " class patrol gunboat that served in the United States Navy from 1969 to 1973 . Technical description . Patrol gunboat USS " Surprise " ( PG - 97 ) was laid down at Sturgeon Bay , Wisconsin , on 24 May 1968 by the Peterson Builders Shipyard , launched on 7 December 1968 sponsored by Miss Marsha L . Peterson . " Surprise " was a fast gunboat powered by geared Diesel engines for cruising , with a gas turbine which could be cut in for high speeds . She was armed with a director - controlled 3 - inch ( 76 . 2 - mm ) 50 - caliber automatic dual - purpose gun forward and a 40 - millimeter Bofors gun aft . Pairs of . 50 - caliber ( 12 . 7 - mm ) machine guns were mounted on the upper deck amidships , one each to port and starboard . Operational history . After a pre - commissioning voyage through the Great Lakes and the St . Lawrence Seaway , USS " Surprise " was commissioned at Boston Massachusetts , on 17 October 1969 , Lieutenant William T . Shiffer , Jr . , in command . " Surprise " completed fitting out in Boston on 12 November 1969 , when she got underway for Little Creek , Virginia . Along the way , she stopped at New York City , and loaded ammunition at Crane , New Jersey . She reached Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base on 18 November 1969 and , through the first week of 1970 , she operated from that base , conducting training . During that period she also made a visit to Washington , D . C . , where she demonstrated her capabilities to military and civilian officials . On 12 January 1970 , " Surprise " departed Little Creek for her new home port , San Diego , California . At Mayport , Florida , she and her traveling companion , patrol gunboat , were joined by a third patrol gunboat , . The three ships made their way to Panama via Port Everglades , Florida , and Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . " Surprise " transited the Panama Canal on 22 January 1970 and , on 24 January 1970 , continued her voyage . The formation was joined by amphibious transport dock on 28 January 1970 and steamed into San Diego on 7 February 1970 . " Surprise " conducted shakedown training out of San Diego until early April 1970 . Then she engaged in normal operations until 13 May 1970 , when she entered Long Beach Naval Shipyard at Long Beach , California , for six weeks of post - shakedown shipyard availability . " Surprise " completed the yard period on 9 July 1970 and returned to San Diego . She resumed training exercises until the end of August 1970 , when she reentered Long Beach Naval Shipyard . On 20 September 1970 , her home port was switched back to Little Creek , Virginia , and on 8 October 1970 she departed San Diego to return to the U . S . East Coast . She re - transited the Panama Canal on 21 October 1970 and made Little Creek on 31 October 1970 . On 16 November 1970 , she departed Little Creek to rendezvous with Amphibious Group 2 for a voyage to the Mediterranean . She arrived at Rota , Spain , on 1 December 1970 and shifted operational control to the United States Sixth Fleet . The ship ' s home port was switch to Naples , Italy . " Surprise " served with the Sixth Fleet until February 1973 . During that period , she participated in a number of exercises both with units of foreign navies and with other elements of the Sixth Fleet . Throughout her tour , she visited numerous ports on the Mediterranean littoral , including Naples , Souda Bay , Monaco , Cartageña , and Venice . On two occasions , she ventured out of the Mediterranean . From 18 October 1971 to 22 October 1971 , she visited Istanbul , Turkey , and , from 11 March 1972 to 15 March 1972 , she put into Casablanca on the Atlantic coast of North Africa . On 29 January 1973 , a prospective Turkish crew for " Surprise " assembled in Naples and the gunboat began preparations for decommissioning and turnover to the Turkish Navy . The Turks trained in " Surprise " under the guidance of her American crewmen until 16 February 1973 . She then departed Naples for Turkey , arriving at İzmir on 19 February 1973 . On 28 February 1973 , " Surprise " was decommissioned and turned over to the Turkish Navy on loan . She was commissioned into the Turkish Navy as Turkish Republic Ship ( TCG ) " Bora " ( P339 ) , on 9 March 1973 . Purchased outright from the United States in June 1987 , " Bora " served in the Turkish Navy until deleted in 2000 .