USS Redstart (AM-378)

USS "Redstart" (AM-378/MSF-378) was an "Auk"-class minesweeper commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. Her task, as a fleet minesweeper, was to clear mines as the fleet proceeded into battle areas.

History

"Redstart" was built in Savannah, Georgia by the Savannah Machine and Foundry Co., and was laid down on 14 June 1944, launched on 18 October 1944, and finally commissioned on 4 April 1945. Following a shakedown cruise off the Virginia and Maryland coasts, the ship proceeded through the Panama Canal and berthed at Pipeline Pier in Long Beach, California.

For use in her minesweeping operations, the ship carried, on her fantail, towable finned devices called “pigs” because of their size and shape, plus cables with cutters, plus other devices used for removing and destroying mines, such as acoustical hammer and hedgehog weapons. After the towed equipment cut a mine cable, the mine floated to the surface, where the mine would be exploded by fire from an on-board 20mm or 40mm gun.

"Redstart" steamed to Japan by way of Pearl Harbor for post-war minesweeping operations. The war had ended suddenly for the Japanese, causing a shutdown of military activities, and a large number of defensive mines were still in place in various harbors and bays. On one of her mine-clearing operations in Japanese waters at Nagoya Bay, the ship struck an underwater object and damaged her shaft, requiring her to be repaired in a drydock in Kyūshū the port of Sasebo, Japan. During the remainder of her operations in the Japanese area, where she earned one battle star, she berthed in Sasebo, Japan, or Buckner Bay, Okinawa, between assignments. In April 1946, she completed her operations in the Japanese theatre, and returned to Long Beach, California, and was then towed and placed in the reserve fleet in San Diego, California.

"Redstart" was recommissioned on 1 December 1950. The Korean War was in progress, and she proceeded to the Wonsan operating area where she swept mines and traded artillery fire with shoreside enemy batteries. Beside her minesweeping functions, she served a variety of other purposes, including patrol work, courier duty, escort duty, and establishing a presence offshore at the 38th parallel. On 11 August 1951, in company with the USS|Dextrous|AM-341|3, and on 10 September 1951 in company with the USS|Heron|AMS-18|3, "Redstart" received enemy fire off the Korean coast and sustained minor damage. In February 1952, after having won five additional battle stars, she sailed from Japan and returned, via Pearl Harbor, to her berth at Pipeline Pier in Long Beach.

"Redstart" was assigned to local operations off the California coast, including participating in Operation Philbex 1, an amphibious operation off the coast at Oceanside, California.

On 1 December 1952, she departed again for the Japanese and Korean theatre and continued her minesweeping activities off the Korean coast, accumulating a total of 81 minesweeping operations, which was a record in the Korean theatre of operations In June 1953, she departed Japan and returned to Long Beach on 3 July 1953.

On 16 January 1954, with the Korean War now over, "Redstart" was assigned to another Far East tour. Based out of Sasebo she practiced minesweeping operations off the Korean coast, south of the 38th parallel. She showed her colors in various Far East ports before returning to Long Beach 19 August 1954.

During the remainder of 1954, "Redstart" operated off the California coast. On 4 January 1955, she departed Long Beach for cold weather operations off the coast of Alaska, returning to Long Beach on approximately thirty days later.

"Redstart" was redesignated MSF-378 on 1 March 1955.

"Redstart" commenced another tour of the Far East on 7 October 1955, stopping at Pearl Harbor and the Midway Islands for food and fuel before arriving at her temporary home port of Sasebo, Japan, on 4 November 1955. While in the Far East, the ship continued minesweeping practice at Koje Do and Tojang Po on the Korean coast, and participated in mock atomic warfare off the coast of Okinawa.

During this tour-of-duty she made ports-of-call at Yokosuka, Japan and Hong Kong, China. From 21 January to 23 January 1956, she participated at Kaoshiung, Formosa, in operations with the Formosan navy with some of her personnel stationed as observers aboard the Formosan warships. On 19 March 1956, the ship set sail from Sasebo, Japan, for Long Beach, California, after stopping at Midway Island and at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for fuel and supplies. She docked again at Pipeline Pier in Long Beach, California Harbor, in California, on 13 April 1956.

"Redstart" reported to for her deactivation at Astoria, Oregon, on 16 November 1956. She was then deactivated on 15 March 1957 and struck from the Navy List on 1 April 1965. She was then transferred to the Taiwan Navy, where she served as the "Wu Sheng", (PCE-66), later redesignated PCE-866. She was decommissioned by the Taiwanese Navy on 16 February 1998, and stuck from their naval registry on 26 February 1998.

Awards and honors

"Redstart" earned one battle star forWorld War II service and five battle stars for Korean conflict service.

References

*

See also

* List of United States Navy ships
* Commander Mine Squadron SEVEN

External links

*
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AM/AM-378_Redstart Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5389.html USS Redstart (AM 378)]
* [http://www.kilroywashere.org/003-Pages/Burl/Burl-ShoreBatteries.html Burl Gilliland The Shore Batteries at Wonsan]