- USS Waxwing (AM-389)
USS "Waxwing" (AM-389) was an "Auk"-class minesweeper acquired by the
U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for thewaxwing , any of several American and Asiatic songbirds which are for the most part brown and are characterized by predominant crests and velvety plumage.History
"Waxwing" was laid down on
24 May 1944 by theAmerican Shipbuilding Co.,Lorain, Ohio ; launched on10 March 1945 ; and commissioned on6 August 1945 , Lt. Comdr. J. F. Rowe in command.Commissioned a little over a week before Japan capitulated, "Waxwing" was too late to participate in
World War II . Nevertheless, she was valuable to the Navy during the postwar period, particularly in clearing the minefields which had been planted in Far Eastern waters during the war. The ship set out onLake Erie , transited theWelland Canal intoLake Ontario , and sailed down theSaint Lawrence River ; stopped atQuebec ; and then continued on to theAtlantic Ocean . The minesweeper was fitted out atBoston, Massachusetts , and then conducted shakedown in nearby waters. On28 September , she arrived at theNorfolk, Virginia , operating area to prepare for service in the Pacific Fleet. "Waxwing" transited thePanama Canal ; and, on2 January 1946 , the minesweeper arrived inPearl Harbor where she spent a month before heading on for Japan. She arrived at Sasebo, Japan, on24 February and conducted operations through most of the year. During the period from May through July, "Waxwing" observed and supported Japanese sweeping operations codenamed "guinea pig.""Waxwing" sailed for home on
6 December and reachedSan Francisco, California , onChristmas Day 1946. She spent the next several months preparing for inactivation, was decommissioned on12 May 1947 , and placed in thePacific Reserve Fleet .Following the outbreak of
Korean War hostilities, the vessel was reactivated and recommissioned on19 March 1952 atSan Diego, California . From May to November, the ship conducted type training betweenLong Beach, California , andSan Diego, California . On1 December 1952 , "Waxwing" sailed for theFar East . Her minesweeping duties took her to both coasts ofKorea and were broken by periods of rest and upkeep in Sasebo andYokosuka, Japan . These operations continued until9 June 1953 when the ship sailed for home. She reachedLong Beach, California , on8 July 1953 .From
20 August to28 October 1953 , "Waxwing" underwent an overhaul at theMare Island Naval Shipyard followed by refresher training, type training, and independent ship exercises until10 February 1954 . The ship celebratedWashington's Birthday atSan Francisco, California , then spent the remainder of February and half of March engaged in "Pactraex 54R", a full scale invasion exercise conducted in theSanta Cruz Channel and the coastal area from Santa Cruz toLong Beach, California , which utilized nearly all types of ships and aircraft.The ship then prepared for
Far East deployment. On18 April 1954 , "Waxwing" departed Long Beach, bound for Sasebo,Japan . After reaching the Orient, she patrolled theKorea n coasts. During August, "Waxwing" enjoyed a rest and recreation visit toHong Kong . She then engaged in an air-sea rescue mission taking her 200 miles south ofJapan where she aided in salvaging a downed United States Air Force plane and returned with six of its survivors on board. The "Waxwing" completed her tour of duty in theFar East on3 November 1954 ; departed Sasebo,Japan , bound for home; and arrived atLong Beach, California , on24 November .Shortly after returning, the minesweeper served as a salvage ship for divers examining the wreckage of an experimental jet plane that had crashed off
Laguna Beach, California Her work at Laguna won the ship a letter of commendation. In the latter half of March 1955, "Waxwing" took part in "Pactraex 55P", a full dress, combined Navy-Marine "invasion" atSan Simeon, California . The ship then proceeded to San Diego and underwent three weeks of intensive training under simulated battle conditions followed by a visit toAstoria, Oregon , from 18 to29 August for participation in the sesquicentennial celebration of the arrival of theLewis and Clark Expedition at the mouth of theColumbia River . For the remainder of the year and through February 1956, "Waxwing" conducted local operations along theCalifornia coast. In 1955, "Waxwing" was re-designated as a fleet minesweeper, MSF-389.On
1 March 1956 , "Waxwing" set course for the westernPacific Ocean as part of theU.S. 7th Fleet force in Sasebo,Japan . After four months of operations and training inJapan ,Korea , andTaiwan , the minesweeper began an extended cruise that touched many ports in theEast Indies ,Australia , and theSouth Pacific Ocean . She returned toLong Beach, California , on9 October 1956 and prepared to become part of the "mothball" fleet atAstoria, Oregon .On
15 January 1957 , "Waxwing" arrived atAstoria, Oregon and was placed in commission in reserve with inactivation scheduled to be completed by May 1957. While laid up in reserve, "Waxwing" was modified to become anantisubmarine escort ship; and she was transferred toNationalist China on14 October 1965 and served the Nationalist Chinese Navy as "Chu Yung" (PCE-67).References
*
See also
*
List of United States Navy ships
*Commander Mine Squadron SEVEN External links
*
* [http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AM/AM-389_Waxwing.html Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-389 USS Waxwing]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5400.html uboat.net - Allied Warships - Minesweeper USS Waxwing of the Auk class]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.