USS Gannet (MSC-290)

The USS "Gannet" (MSC-290) was laid down 1 May 1959 by the Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., Inc., Tacoma, Washington; launched 2 May 1960; sponsored by Mrs. Frank P. Luongo, Jr.; and commissioned in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard 14 July 1961, Lt. E. L. Gaylor in command.

Pacific Ocean operations

After shakedown, USS "Gannet" departed Puget Sound 4 August and arrived Long Beach, California, 9 August. As a unit of Mine Division 92, she operated off southern California and conducted exercises in mine countermeasures. During the first 2 weeks in June 1962 she participated in Joint Task Force 8 nuclear tests off the California coast. Local operations out of Long Beach, California, continued until 2 July when she departed for Japan via Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Guam, arriving Sasebo 13 August. After type training off the Japanese coast with Mine Division 32, she departed Sasebo 1 October for Chinhae, Korea, where she joined in mine force exercises with units of the Republic of Korea Navy. After returning to Sasebo 7 October, she steamed to Okinawa, Hong Kong, and Taiwan before returning to Japan early in November for additional type training that included school ship service out of Yokosuka, Japan.

Vietnam Area operations

During the next 2 years, USS "Gannet" continued operations out of Sasebo. Mine warfare exercises and training in mine countermeasures sent her to Korea, Okinawa, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. During July and August 1964 she performed special mine countermeasure operations in the South China Sea while supporting U.S. naval operations along the coast of Vietnam. She returned to the South China Sea in February 1965; participated in a joint amphibious exercise with ships of the Thailand Navy; then steamed to the Vietnamese coast in mid-April to resume special duty. USS "Gannet" returned to Sasebo 24 May and for more than 6 months operated along the coast of Japan. Early in December she returned to the coast of Vietnam, where she joined Operation Market Time as a coastal surveillance patrol ship. During her patrols she inspected hundreds of Vietnamese fishing boats in an effort to control the infiltration of Viet Cong troops and supplies. In addition, she provided treatment for South Vietnamese fishermen requiring medical aid. She departed Vietnam 14 January 1966 and returned to Sasebo the 29th. She served along the Japanese coast until 10 April when she again sailed for South Vietnam, arriving 10 days later to resume Operation Market Time patrols. During the remainder of the year, USS "Gannet" made three patrol and surveillance deployments along the Vietnamese coast. In addition she participated in SEATO minesweeping exercises in the Gulf of Thailand.

Decommissioning

USS "Gannet" was struck from the Navy Vessel Register in 1970. She was decommissioned in Sasebo, Japan in 1970. After decommissioning, the USS Gannet was dismantled.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/g1/gannet-ii.htm

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/05290.htm NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - Gannet (MSC 290)]
* [http://www.navyhistory.com/Minelayer/Gannet2.html Gannet- MSC 290]