USS Competent (AM-316)

USS "Competent" (AM-316/MSF-316) was an acquired by the U.S. Navy. "Competent" was a U.S. Navy oceangoing minesweeper, named after the word "competent", meaning adequate, capable, or fit.

History

HMS "Amelia" (BAM-3) was launched 30 January 1943 by General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, California sponsored by Miss M. S. Upton; retained for use by the U.S. Navy; assigned the name "Competent" and reclassified AM-316, 23 January 1943; and commissioned 10 November 1943, Lieutenant D. D. Long, Jr., USNR, in command.

"Competent" arrived in Pearl Harbor 21 January 1944. Eight days later she departed to escort USS|Sangay |AE-10 to Majuro, where "Competent" swept mines and acted as harbor entrance control and pilot ship from 5 February to 31 March. Returning to Pearl Harbor 7 April she continued to escort convoys to the Marshalls until 15 July. "Competent" reached Port Purvis 24 August for exercises in the Solomons until 8 September when she sailed to Kossol Passage to sweep and patrol the west entrance during the invasion of Peleliu. She escorted a convoy back to Port Purvis 13 October, and on 2 November departed for a U.S. West Coast overhaul. On 8 April 1945 "Competent" cleared San Francisco, California, with a convoy bound for Okinawa. From her arrival 20 May she patrolled and screened the transports, then swept mines from 5 July to 25 August. During September she lay at Okinawa, then swept off Chusan Archipelago during October. She operated out of Sasebo, Japan, on various duties in support of the occupation until 6 March 1946 when she cleared for San Francisco, California, arriving 21 April. She operated on the west coast until placed out of commission in reserve 30 January 1947.

Recommissioned 29 February 1952 as a result of the Korean War, "Competent" put to sea from Long Beach, California, 7 July and arrived at Sasebo, Japan, 7 August. From this port she swept and patrolled Korean waters until returning to Long Beach, California 5 February 1953. During her second Far Eastern tour from 5 October 1953 to 2 June 1954, she patrolled with task force TF 95 off Korea to preserve the truce.

Reclassified MSF-316, 7 February 1955, "Competent" operated along the west coast until she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 15 April 1955. After seventeen years in "mothballs", she was sold to Mexico in September 1972. She served in the Mexican Navy as "Ponciano Arriaga" until 1988.

Awards and honors

"Competent" earned five battle stars for World War II service and two battle stars for the Korean War.

References

*

See also

* List of United States Navy ships

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/am316.htm USS Competent (AM-316, later MSF-316), 1943-1972]
* [http://www.mine-sweepers.com/USS%20Competent/competentam316.htm Welcome To The Mine Sweeper - USS Competent (AM-316)]
* [http://www.kwp.org/html/units/navy/uss_competent.htm USS Competent (AM-316) - US Navy - Korean War Project]
* [http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5246.html uboat.net - Allied Warships - Minesweeper USS Competent of the Auk class]
* [http://www.nmsoa.org/tsd.htm The Silent Defenders]
* [http://pigtrail.uark.edu/people/rcordell/Defense/march_45.html March 1945 Deck Log]
* [http://www.hrnm.navy.mil/daybooks/summer00.pdf The Daybook (PDF)]