Aged Warship Sinks Before Planned US-Philippine Military Exercise

A decommissioned U.S. World War II-era warship, originally slated to be sunk in a live-fire drill during joint U.S.-Philippine military exercises, met an unexpected fate—succumbing to the sea before modern weaponry could finish the job. The ex-USS Brattleboro, an 81-year-old vessel that had survived some of the Pacific War’s fiercest battles, was intended to serve as the primary target for the maritime strike (MARSTRIKE) phase of the annual Balikatan exercises. However, on Monday morning, the aging ship took on water and sank quietly off the western coast of the Philippines, sparing it from a more explosive demise.

A Premature End for a Historic Vessel

The Brattleboro was being towed to its designated target zone, approximately 35 miles west of Zambales province, when rough seas caused it to flood. According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the ship—already well beyond its service life—was no longer seaworthy.

"Due to rough sea conditions and its long service life, as expected, she took on a significant amount of water and eventually sank," Philippine Navy spokesperson Captain John Percie Alcos told the Philippine News Agency (PNA). He confirmed that the vessel had not sustained damage during towing, emphasizing that its sinking was a result of natural wear rather than external factors.

The ship slipped beneath the waves at 7:20 a.m. local time, near the location where it was supposed to be destroyed later that day in a coordinated strike involving U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 fighter jets, anti-ship missiles, and naval gunfire. Despite the unexpected sinking, Philippine and U.S. forces adjusted their plans, shifting to simulated fire missions to fulfill training objectives.

"The combined force will still achieve its training objectives," the AFP stated, noting that alternative methods would be employed to complete the exercise.

A Storied Military Legacy

The Brattleboro had a distinguished career spanning decades, serving in multiple conflicts and under different flags. Commissioned in 1943 as a submarine chaser, it played crucial roles in two of the Pacific War’s most pivotal battles—Leyte Gulf (1944) and Okinawa (1945).

During the U.S. invasion of the Philippines, the Brattleboro served as both a rescue vessel and an anti-aircraft platform. According to the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), it evacuated over 400 wounded soldiers from shore to hospital ships and even shot down a Japanese aircraft. Later, during the brutal Battle of Okinawa, it treated more than 200 wounded servicemen and rescued over 1,000 survivors from sunken ships amid relentless kamikaze attacks.

After being decommissioned by the U.S. Navy in the mid-1960s, the ship was transferred to South Vietnam in 1966 as part of military aid. Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, it was acquired by the Philippine Navy and recommissioned as the BRP Miguel Malvar, named after a hero of the Philippine Revolution. It remained in active service for decades, participating in various patrol and training missions before its final decommissioning in 2021.

Geopolitical Context of the Exercise

This year’s Balikatan drills—meaning "shoulder-to-shoulder" in Tagalog—involve more than 14,000 Filipino and U.S. troops, making it one of the largest iterations of the annual exercise. The drills are designed as a "full battle test" amid rising regional tensions, particularly in the South China Sea, where China has been increasingly assertive in its territorial claims.

The planned sinking of the Brattleboro was to occur in waters facing the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a flashpoint between Manila and Beijing. China has maintained a constant presence in the area, deploying coast guard ships and suspected militia vessels to enforce its claims. The Philippines, backed by a 2016 international arbitration ruling that rejected China’s expansive maritime claims, continues to assert its rights over the shoal.

China has repeatedly condemned U.S.-Philippine military exercises, viewing them as provocations that destabilize the region. The premature sinking of the Brattleboro may have denied the allies a dramatic demonstration of their joint strike capabilities, but the broader message of their strengthened defense partnership remains clear.

Environmental and Operational Considerations

The Philippine military assured the public that the sinking posed no environmental threat, as the vessel had been thoroughly cleaned of hazardous materials before the exercise. "All pollutants were removed in accordance with environmental safety protocols," the AFP stated.

While the Brattleboro’s quiet sinking denied forces a live-fire spectacle, its legacy remains intact—a testament to its resilience through war, time, and the relentless sea. From the battlefields of World War II to the modern geopolitical tensions of the South China Sea, the ship’s story reflects the enduring complexities of naval power and international diplomacy.