- USS Seagull (AMS-55)
USS "Seagull" (MCS(O)-55/AMS-55/YMS-402) was a YMSsub|135 built for the
United States Navy duringWorld War II .History
"Seagull" was laid down as "YMS-402" on
24 July 1942 by Henry B. Nevins, Inc.,City Island, New York ; launched on17 April 1943 ; and commissioned on26 June 1943 , Lt. (jg.) J.W. Gaines,USNR , in command.In mid-August 1943, "YMS-402" reported for duty in the
Eastern Sea Frontier . For the next year, she operated out of the Naval Frontier Base,Tompkinsville, Staten Island ,New York .On
28 August 1944 , she departed that base forSan Diego, California , and duty in the central Pacific. Arriving atEniwetok ,Marshall Islands , on20 November , the motor minesweeper, as a unit ofMine Squadron 102, remained in the Marshall-Gilberts force for the next nine months, conducting local minesweeping, escort, and patrol operations, and making an occasional escort into the Western Carolines. After the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific, she prepared for postwar minesweeping activities; and, at the end of August 1945, she sailed forOkinawa andJapan .During the fall, she participated in the opening of
Nagoya andWakayama ; and, with the new year, 1946, she headed back to theUnited States . After stops in the Marshalls and in theHawaiian Islands , she arrived atSan Pedro, California , in early April. She remained on the west coast into the summer; and, at the end of June, she sailed for New York, where she was decommissioned on1 August 1946 .Placed in service again, "YMS-402" departed New York on
30 October and moved north to the St. Lawrence, whence she proceeded to Buffalo, where she served as a naval reserve training ship until after the outbreak of war in Korea. Named USS "Seagull" and redesignated AMS-55 on1 September 1947 and recommissioned on10 May 1950 , the former YMS returned to the Atlantic in September 1951 and took up training duties in the5th Naval district . Initially based atNorfolk, Virginia , and then at the Mine Warfare School,Yorktown, Virginia .She continued to operate out of the
Hampton Roads /Virginia Capes area through 1954. Then, in 1955, "Seagull", redesignated "MSC(O)-55" on7 February , was transferred toCharleston, South Carolina , whence, for the remainder of her career, she conducted operations which took her along the southeastern Atlantic seaboard, along the ‘gulf coast, and into the Caribbean as a unit ofMinRon 4.In mid-July 1957, the coastal minesweeper departed Charleston for Philadelphia, where she was decommissioned on
11 October and placed in reserve. Her name was struck from theNaval Vessel Register on1 November 1959 .Awards and honors
"YMS-402" earned one
battle star for her post-World War II minesweeping activities.References
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See also
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List of United States Navy ships External links
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