USS Leader (MSO-490)
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| Career (US) |  |
|---|---|
| Builder: | J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington |
| Laid down: | 22 September 1953 |
| Launched: | 15 September 1954 |
| Commissioned: | 16 November 1955 |
| Decommissioned: | 12 December 1991 |
| Reclassified: | MSO-490 7 February 1955 |
| Struck: | 18 March 1992 |
| Homeport: | Long Beach, California |
| Fate: | scrapped, 1994 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Aggressive class minesweeper |
| Displacement: | 775 tons (full load) |
| Length: | 172 ft (52.43 m) |
| Beam: | 36 ft (10.97 m) |
| Draft: | 10 ft (3.05 m) |
| Propulsion: | Four Packard ID1700 diesel engines, two shafts, two controllable pitch propellers |
| Speed: | 15 knots |
| Complement: | 74 |
| Armament: | one 40mm mount |
USS Leader (AM-490/MSO-490) was an Aggressive-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.
Leader (AM-490) was laid down by J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington, 22 September 1953; launched 15 September 1954; sponsored by Mrs. Norman Wordlund; reclassified MSO-490 7 February 1955, and commissioned 16 November 1955, Lt. Comdr. Harvey E. Toponce in command. This MSO class of minesweeper was constructed of non-magnetic materials, including a wooden hull and aluminum engines, and had a degaussing system to reduce the magnetic field of the vessel, so that it could move over magnetic mines without detonating them. It was equipped with a "magnetic tail", two thick cables spooled on a large reel aft of the superstructure. The power-generation system could send current through this split tail after it was streamed behind the ship, creating a magnetic field designed to set off magnetic mines after the ship passed over them. It carried conventional mine-sweeping gear as well.
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[edit] Pacific Ocean operations
After shakedown, Leader joined Mine Squadron 9 at Long Beach, California, 21 December. During 1956, she performed mine evaluation exercises and tactical training until 1 October when she departed on her first WestPac cruise. Arriving Yokosuka 30 October, she operated with the U.S. 7th Fleet for the next 5 months performing mine warfare exercises in the Far East. Returning home 12 April 1957, the minesweeper resumed mine evaluation tests along the U.S. West Coast; and she continued these operations for the next 2 years.
[edit] Cambodia and Vietnam operations
From 1959 through 1968 Leader alternated six WestPac cruises with U.S. West Coast mine warfare and mine countermeasure exercises. During her 1961 cruise. Leader became the first warship ever to visit the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh when she completed the 180-mile transit up the Mekong River on 27 August, under the command of Lt. Commander Frank Kauzlarich. On this same cruise she directed South Vietnamese units in minesweep training operations. During her tour with the U.S. 7th Fleet in 1965, Leader again operated off South Vietnam, this time under more serious circumstances. From June to August she performed special minesweeping operations and played a major role in the expanded American effort to assist the courageous people of Vietnam in their fight against Communist aggressors. Her tour completed, Leader returned to Long Beach 14 December to resume training operations.
[edit] Market Time operations
1966 saw an extensive overhaul for the minesweeper, from 9 May to 30 September. After further training and readying for deployment, Leader once again sailed for WestPac 6 January 1967. She participated in Market Time operations for the better part of her tour, returning to Long Beach 18 November. She operated locally through the first half of 1968. Then, on 12 August, Leader departed Long Beach for another extensive deployment, and continued operating off Vietnam into 1969.
[edit] Persian Gulf War service
_aboard_Super_Servant_3.jpg)
Leader was lifted to the Persian gulf following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. She was loaded aboard the Dutch heavy lift ship Super Servant 3 on 19 August 1990 at Norfolk along with USS Impervious (MSO-449), USS Adroit (MSO-509) and USS Avenger (MCM-1). She was offloaded 5 October 1990 in the middle east. Impervious returned to Norfolk on 14 November 1991 with USS Impervious (MSO-449) and USS Adroit (MSO-509) aboard Super Servant 4.
Leader was decommissioned on 12 December 1991 and was struck from the Navy list on 18 March 1992. She was sold for scrapping in 1994.
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: USS Leader (MSO-490) |
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