From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. IV p 234

Marfa

A city in western Texas, the county seat of Presidio County.

PCE--842, originally classified PC--842, was reclassified PCE--842 on 28 March 1943 ; laid down by Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Ill., 12 June 1943 ; reclassified PCE(R)--842 on 19 June 19443 ; again reclassified PCE-842 on 15 July 1943 ; launched 14 November 1943 ; placed in ferry commission 14 November 1943 for transfer down the Mississippi River; and commissioned at New Orleans, La., 29 January 1944, Lt. G. C. Homans in command.

After shakedown along the coast of Florida, PCE--842 departed Key West 15 March 1944 for convoy escort duty under the 4th Fleet out of Trinidad, British West Indies. She reached Teteron Bay 20 March and on the 31st sailed on her initial escort run. For the next 6 months, PCE-842 guarded convoys between Trinidad and Recife, Brazil, conducting intensive antisubmarine training between escort voyages.

Arriving Key West 3 December, she left Florida 21 January 1945 with three sister ships for the Panama Canal and Hollandia, New Guinea, arriving 1 March. Nine days later she sailed via the Palaus for duty with the local defense forces of the Philippine sea frontier, and for the remainder of the war conducted antisubmarine patrols and gave escort service for the massive volume of shipping moving about the Philippines.

Following the Japanese surrender, PCE--842 remained ia the western Pacific as a weather station ship, ranging from the Philippines to the Marshalls. She returned to San Pedro, Calif., 29 August 1947, then sailed via the Panama Canal for New Orleans, arriving 28 September.

PCE--842 decommissioned at New Orleans 7 November 1947 and immediately began duty as a Naval Reserve training ship. Cruising the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, and visiting Mexico and Cuba, she carried out a mission whose great importance became apparent when officers and men she had trained were able to return to active duty in the Korean conflict with their skills perfected and up to date. She and other Naval Reserve training ships have been a key element in maintaining the Navy's readiness to answer any demands in defense of the free world.

PCE--842 trained the Naval Reserve until 13 Jane 1955, when she sailed to Green Cove Springs to enter the Atlantic Reserve Fleet 17 August. While berthed at Green Cove Springs, she was named Marfa (PCE-842) 15 February 1956. On 20 March 1961 she was authorized for transfer to the Republic of South Korea. Her name was struck from the Navy list 1 June 1961. Under terms of the Military Assistance Program, she was transferred to South Korea 18 December 1961. As Tang Po (PCE--56) she served in the Korean Navy until sunk by North Korean shore batteries. north of the demarcation line 19 January 1967.