The Rhine Patrol Vessel USN P22 departing her base at Sandwich in Kent en-route for Dover for maintenance.
The P22 was one of 17 fast patrol vessels built in Germany in 1952 under the “Marshall Plan” to an American design but is a totally German vessel fitted with 2 x Deutz A8M517 diesel engines. Although the primary role of the vessels was escorting and checking cargo vessels and surveying the southern section of the Rhine and getting it fully re-opened for navigation they were fitted with 3 x American Browning 50 calibre machine guns and for this reason the vessels were manned by US navy personnel between 1952 and 1958. By1958 Germany had a stable government in place and all 17 vessels were handed over to the German navy who continued the same service for another 10 years after which the boats were all sold off. To the best of our knowledge P22 is the only remaining boat from the service in fully operational condition with its original engines and is now maintained by the USN P22 Trust. www.p22.org.uk