- USS Portent (AM-106)
USS "Portent" (AM-106) 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."Portent" was a
U.S. Navy metal-hulled minesweeper, and was named after the word “portent,” something that foreshadows a coming event. In this case, it was an appropriate name since the "Portent" struck a mine and was sunk not long after her commissioning. Portent, a minesweeper, was laid down15 November 1941 by thePennsylvania Shipyard , Inc.,Beaumont, Texas ; launched16 August 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs. Arthur L. Kline, Jr.; and commissioned3 April 1943 , Lt. Howard C. Plummer in command.North Atlantic World War II operations
"Portent" sailed via
Algiers, Louisiana , andKey West, Florida , toNew York City to join aconvoy toCasablanca and variousNorth Africa n ports14 May 1943 . From May to November she escorted convoys betweenNew York City and Casablanca,Morocco . Assigned to a convoy entering theMediterranean , she anchored outsideOran ,Algeria ,22 November .Sunk off the Italian coast
Deployed to
Italy , she arrived at Naples19 December . Assigned to the invasion ofAnzio, Italy , "Portent" struck a mine while patrolling near the Italian coast, and sank22 January 1944 . Nearby ships rescued survivors.Awards
"Portent" received one
battle star forWorld War II service.References
See also
*
List of United States Navy ships
*Auk class minesweeper
*World War II
*Minesweeper (ship)
*Minesweeping External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AM/AM-106_Portent.html Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-106 USS Portent]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5220.html uboat.net - Allied Warships - Minesweeper USS Portent of the Auk class]
* [http://www.navsource.org/Naval/1944.htm U.S. Naval Chronology Of W.W.II, 1944]
* [http://www.usspennsylvania.com/NavalLosses.htm Naval Losses WWII]
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