- USS Raven (AM-55)
USS "Raven" (AM-55), the
lead ship of her class of minesweeper, was the second ship of theUnited States Navy to be named for theraven . Her keel was laid down on28 June 1939 by theNorfolk Navy Yard inPortsmouth, Virginia . She was launched on24 August 1940 sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Scott Baker, and commissioned on11 November 1940 .Following shakedown, "Raven" was assigned to Mine Division 21 and operated out of
Norfolk, Virginia , engaged in training, patrol, and escort of ships to and from port until14 March 1941 . She then escorted a convoy toPortsmouth, New Hampshire , and several convoys between Norfolk andNewport, Rhode Island . She resumed local operations out of Norfolk from23 July 1941 to April1942 . In April1942 , serving as antisubmarine screen, she made runs to Halifax, Nova Scotia, andPortland, Maine .She then extended her range to the
Panama Canal Zone , and on her return resumed coastal escort runs toBoston, Massachusetts ,Portland, Maine , andSydney, Nova Scotia . Returning to Norfolk8 July , she made three escort runs toBermuda , then, in September, operated off the coast ofNew England and theMaritime Provinces .Back at Norfolk at the end of September, "Raven" departed
Chesapeake Bay on23 October in company with other U.S. warships and a convoy and proceeded toNorth Africa . Arriving on8 November 1942 , she participated in sweeping, antisubmarine, antiaircraft, and landing operations in support of the invasion ofMorocco , continuing those duties until21 February 1943 . "Raven" then departed African waters in the escorting screen of a Norfolk-bound convoy.Arriving
14 March she conducted local patrol, coastwise andCaribbean Sea escort operations until April1944 . "Raven" then departed Norfolk, and proceeded with other U.S. warships and a convoy toEngland to prepare for the invasion of France.On
5 June "Raven" proceeded to her assigned area offNormandy and participated in the sweep of the fire control area forUtah Beach . From this time until August she was active in clearing approach channels to the Normandy beachheads.In August
1944 she sailed toOran , thence toNaples, Italy . From then until June1945 she performed sweeping and patrol duty in theStraits of Bonifacio , clearing the way for ships en route to the invasion of southern France, and sweeping off theFrench Riviera andItalian Riviera and offCorsica . During the entire European operation, includingD-Day , "Raven" swept 21 German and Italiannaval mine s.In June
1945 , "Raven" returned to Norfolk, and after overhaul, departed Norfolk1 October 1945 and proceeded toSan Pedro, California , where she remained through November. She arrived atPortland, Oregon , on1 December , but returned toSan Diego, California , by the end of the month. On31 May 1946 "Raven" was decommissioned and placed in reserve at San Diego. Reclassified MSF-55,7 February 1955 , she remained berthed at San Diego until struck from theNaval Vessel Register on1 May 1967 . Later that year she was sunk as a target in deep water off the coast of southernCalifornia ."Raven" earned three
battle star s forWorld War II service.ee also
* USS "Raven" for other ships of the same name.
References
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External links
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