USS Adroit (MSO-509)

USS "Adroit" (AM-509/MSO-509) was an Acme-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.

The second ship to be named "Adroit" by the Navy, "MSO-509" was laid down on 18 November 1954 at Boothbay Harbor, Maine, by Frank L. Sample, Jr., Inc. as "AM-509"; redesignated "MSO 509" on 7 February 1955, named "Adroit" on 17 May 1955; launched on 20 August 1955; sponsored by Mrs. Alice G. Olsen, the wife of Capt. Eliot Olsen, and commissioned on 4 March 1957, Lt. Comdr. J. G. Nemetz in command.

East Coast operations

Following commissioning, "Adroit" completed fitting out and then moved south to Charleston, South Carolina. From that port, she conducted shakedown training in the West Indies and in the local operating area. The minesweeper then began a period of almost 17 years of service with the Atlantic Fleet Mine Force. During that time, she provided services for several Navy organizations most notably the Naval Mine Defense Laboratory (after 1971 the Naval Coastal Systems Laboratory) at Panama City, Florida, the Naval Ordnance Laboratory Test Facility at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and the Mine Warfare School at Charleston, South Carolina. In addition, "Adroit" participated in Gordon Cooper's Project Mercury, space shot in May 1963 and helped the Naval Oceanographic Office to conduct a test in March of 1970. The minesweeper also made occasional deployments to both the Mediterranean sea and the West Indies. During her tour of duty with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the summer of 1958, she earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal as a result of service off the coast of strife-torn Lebanon. For the most part, however, normal operations such as exercises and goodwill port visits occupied her time overseas. While serving in home waters, she concentrated on type training independent ship's exercises, regular overhauls, and repair periods.

Reassigned to Newport, Rhode Island

The character of "Adroit's" Navy career changed significantly midway through 1973. That summer, she received word of her reassignment to naval reserve training duty and of a change of home ports from Charleston to Newport, Rhode Island. She departed Charleston on 24 September and arrived in Newport on the 28th. The minesweeper spent the remainder of her Navy career training naval reservists. She operated along the U.S. East Coast participating in a number of exercises most frequently independent ship's exercises and amphibious assault training. In August of 1977, her base was changed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, whence she operated for more than four years. Early in October of 1981 "Adroit" changed home ports once again from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Little Creek, Virginia. As of December of 1987, she was still operating from the Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Virginia. She deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991. She operated with The Multinational Coalition Mine Countermeasure Force that found approximately 1300 Iraqi-laid mines in the Gulf.

"Adroit" had 34.9 years of service.

Final decommissioning

"Adroit" was decommissioned 12 December 1991 and was stricken 8 May 1992. She was sold for scrap 15 April 1994 and scrapped at Wilmington, North Carolina, 30 May 1995.

In 1994, Wilmington, North Carolina became the site of a ship scrapping operation. There were twenty decommissioned U.S.NAVY warships and one maritime ship. Wilmington Resources, Inc.,and Sigma Recycling, LLC, operated the facility. The USS ADROIT MSO 509 was dismantled and scrapped at this facility.

See also

* List of United States Navy ships
* Minesweeper (ship)

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a3/adroit-ii.htm USS Adroit]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02509.htm NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - Adroit (MSO 509) - ex-AM-509]
* [http://www.mso509.com/ USS ADROIT Website - Adroit (MSO 509) - ex-AM-509]