The USS Antelope (PGM-86/PG-86) was an Asheville-class gunboat constructed for the United States Navy, notable for its high-speed aluminum hull and versatile operational capabilities. Laid down on June 1, 1965, in Tacoma, Washington, by the Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, she was launched on June 18, 1966, and reclassified as a patrol gunboat (PG-86) on March 28, 1967. She was commissioned on November 4, 1967, under Lieutenant Jon Jared Gershon's command. The vessel was named after the small town of Antelope, Montana, rather than the animal. Antelope's initial home port was San Diego, where she completed shakedown training and participated in testing new gunfire control equipment. In late 1968, she moved to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for post-shakedown availability and engaged in operations along the West Coast. By November 1968, she was deployed to the Marianas Islands, arriving at Apra Harbor, Guam, her new home port, in late November. Her service in Vietnam began in early 1970, operating primarily in Vietnamese waters such as Cam Ranh Bay, the Cua Lon River, and the Rach Bien Nhan Canal. She conducted SEAFLOAT operations involving night harassment, interdiction, and naval gunfire support, destroying bunkers, buildings, and cisterns. She also participated in Operation Market Time, inspecting vessels and engaging in combat with small arms fire and rocket attacks, suffering minimal damage. Notably, she was ambushed by rocket patrols but returned fire without serious damage. Throughout her Vietnam service, Antelope performed gunfire support, interdiction, and troop support operations, evacuating personnel and engaging enemy targets. She sustained minor damage from an explosion believed to be caused by a satchel charge and repelled rocket attacks, maintaining operational readiness. In the early 1970s, she underwent overhaul and modifications, including installing missile launchers for surface-to-surface missile capability. Her later service included deployments in European waters, with port visits and participation in NATO exercises, as well as surveillance and missile exercises in the Mediterranean. She was reassigned to the NATO 6th Fleet, operating extensively in the Mediterranean until her decommissioning in October 1977. After decommissioning, she was transferred to the Environmental Protection Agency and served as a survey vessel on Lake Michigan, renamed Oceanographic Survey Vessel (OSV) Peter W. Anderson in 1985. Her design and service record highlight her as a versatile, high-speed vessel with significant roles in Vietnam, NATO exercises, and environmental research.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.