USS Knave (AM-256)

Career
Laid down:	23 October 1942
Launched:	13 March 1943
Commissioned:	14 October 1943
Battle Stars:	Not known
Decommissioned:	1 May 1946
Reclassified:	MSF-256, 7 February 1955
Struck:	2 October 1962
Fate:	Sold to Mexico
General characteristics
Class:	Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement:	650 t
Length:	184' 6"
Beam:	33'
Draft:	9' 9"
Speed:	14.8 kts
Complement:	104
Armament:	One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two twin 40mm gun mounts, one depth charge thrower (hedgehogs), two depth charge tracks
Propulsion:	Two 1,710shp ALCO 539 diesel engines, Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear, two shafts

USS Knave (AM-256) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was built to clear minefields in offshore waters, and served the Navy in the Atlantic Ocean.

Knave was launched 13 March 1943, by American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio; sponsored by Mrs. Geraldine Donohue; and commissioned 14 October 1943, Lt. Comdr. A. M. White in command.

== World War II North Atlantic operations

Knave sailed for the Virginia Capes 24 October 1943, via the St. Lawrence River arriving Norfolk, Virginia, 24 November. After a brief period as school ship at Little Creek, Virginia, Knave departed Hampton Roads for Rio de Janeiro via Trinidad, B.W.I., and Recife, Brazil, arriving 11 February 1944. She swept Brazilian waters until 4 April when she began 9 months of escorting convoys between Trinidad and Recife. On 1 January 1945, she got underway for the United States, escorting USS Pleiades (AK-46) and arrived Miami, Florida, 15 January.

After overhaul at Miami, Knave served as school ship at the Naval Training Center, Miami and at Yorktown, Virginia, visiting Charleston, South Carolina,, New Haven, Connecticut, and Norfolk, Virginia. Detached from school ship duty 11 February 1948, Knave sailed from Norfolk to Orange, Texas, arriving 21 February.

Decommissioning

Knave decommissioned and was placed in reserve at Orange, Texas, 1 May 1946. While in reserve Knave was reclassified MSF-256, sold to the Mexican government 2 October 1962, and renamed DM-13.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

See also

• List of United States Navy ships
• World War II
• Patrol boat
• Minelayer
• minesweeper

External links

• Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
• NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - Knave (MSF 256) - ex-AM-256