USS Pilot (AM-104)

USS "Pilot" (AM-104) was an . She returned to Palermo on the 17th and sailed on for Naples the same day. The next day "Pilot" received orders to rendezvous with "SS Samuel Ashe" arid escort her to Anzio, Italy in company with "YMS–55." Unfortunately SS|Samuel Ashe collided with "Pilot" and one man was killed. Later, "Pilot" was towed into port at Naples for repairs. She sailed 7 March for Palermo, Sicily; and, on 14 April, joined homebound convoy GUS 36 and arrived Norfolk, Virginia 2 May. After repairs and training at Little Creek, Virginia, until September, "Pilot" served for the remainder of the year as a mine sweeping school ship.

Pacific Ocean operations

"Pilot" set course for the Panama Canal 20 June 1945, and proceeded via San Pedro, California, to Pearl Harbor. On 3 September "Pilot" got underway via Eniwetok, Saipan, and Okinawa, to Sasebo, Kyūshū, Japan arriving on the 17th. On 26 October she set out en route to Kokuzan To, Japan escorting "PGM–26". On the next day she was detached from escort duties to sweep an area at Me Shima until arriving at Kiirun, Formosa 25 November. She set out again on the 27th for Takao, Formosa to sweep more mines. On 21 December "Pilot" sailed for Shanghai, China.

Decommissioning

In January 1946 "Pilot" returned to the United States and was placed out of commission in reserve 15 January 1947. On 5 March 1952 she recommissioned for service on the U.S. West Coast. She decommissioned and reentered the Reserve Fleet in October 1954. She was redesignated MSF-104 on 7 February 1955.

Awards

"Pilot" received three battle stars for World War II service.

References

See also

* List of United States Navy ships

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5218.html USS "Pilot" (AM 104)]
* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/vhp/bib/37529 Angelo Pacifico Collection: Veterans History Project (American ...]
* [http://desausa.org/Stories/history_of_uss_tomich_de_242_2.htm History of USS TOMICH DE 242]
* [http://www.navsource.org/Naval/1944.htm U.S. Naval Chronology Of W.W.II, 1944]
* [http://nmsoa.org/tsd.htm The Silent Defenders]
* [http://www.america-at-war.net/wwii1944.html America at War]