in response to the Peruvian acquisition of two destroyers. Portugal order two further ships to replace them. Douro was renamed Caldas and Tejo was renamed Antioquia. The war with Peru was shortlived and the Antioquias did not enter service before the war ended. Both ships were launched in 1933 and were commissioned in 1934. The two destroyers saw little action as Colombia remained neutral during World War II. However, the Colombian Navy did perform neutrality patrols into the Caribbean Sea after the began attacking shipping off its shores. Caldas patrolled the Caribbean Sea on 29–30 March 1944 searching for the submarine. In the 1940s, two cannon were added amidships. Following the war, the destroyers returned to their tranquil service until 1952 when Antioquia began a major refit, beginning at Cartagena before going to the United States in 1953. Caldas underwent the same refit in 1954–1955. Both ships were refitted in the United States when two /38 calibre guns replaced the four 4.7-inch guns, one forward and one aft. The destroyers were fitted with Mk 52 fire control, three more 40 mm guns and a hedgehog anti-submarine mortar. The number of torpedo tubes was reduced to one quadruple mount. Antioquia was decommissioned on 23 January 1961, and Caldas on 3 March 1961, with both ships being scrapped. Notes Citations Sources Destroyer classes Military history of Colombia Destroyers of the Colombian Navy Colombia–Portugal relations