USS Van Buren (PG-150/PF-42), a patrol frigate, was the second ship of the United States Navy to hold this name. The first Van Buren, a revenue cutter, was named for President Martin Van Buren; the second Van Buren honors Van Buren, Arkansas. Construction Van Buren, originally classified as patrol gunboat PG-150 and reclassified a patrol frigate 15 April 1943, was laid down under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1453, on 24 June 1943, at the Consolidated Steel Corporation shipyard in Wilmington, California; launched on 27 July 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Edward J. O'Hara; and commissioned at Terminal Island, on 17 December 1943. Service history Van Buren conducted shakedown testing off the US west coast before departing San Pedro, California, on 9 March 1944, bound for the western Pacific. She sailed in company with her sister ship , escorting the merchant tanker SS Fort Erie to Espiritu Santo from 23 to 29 March. Departing that port on 30 March, she arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea, on 2 April. On 21 April, Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher's task force of aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers and destroyers began pounding Japanese airfields and defensive positions on Hollandia, Wakde Airfield, Sawar Airfield and Sarmi, Western New Guinea, to neutralize them during an impending amphibious operation under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey. The next day, Army troops began landing at Aitape and Humboldt Bay. Van Buren escorted convoys supporting this operation into May and June. As Army forces encountered enemy resistance ashore, naval units were often called on for gunfire support. Van Buren received such a request on the afternoon of 9 June. At 1740, the patrol frigate opened with her main battery, firing salvoes at Japanese troop concentrations near a road in the Sarmi-Sawar sector. Ten days later, the warship again provided gunfire support for the Army near Maffin Village. The next day, Van Buren lobbed 150 rounds of and 180 of into the Maffin Village sector, with an Army spotting plane providing information on enemy positions. Lying just off the beach, Van Buren demolished her targets and started many fires. An Army plane again provided call-fire guidance on 23 June, when Van Buren once more supported Army troops struggling against the Japanese defenders, breaking up troop concentrations and destroying communications and supplies. Van Buren subsequently screened the ships supporting the Cape Sansapor operations in August, and continued escort operations