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Auk-class minesweeper

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USS Chief underway in 1952
Class overview
NameAuk class
Operators
Preceded byTemplate:Sclass-
Succeeded byUSS Eagle
General characteristics
TypeMinesweeper
Displacement
  • 890 tons
  • 1,100 tons (full load)
Length221 ft 2 in (67.41 m)
Beam32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)
Draft11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)
PropulsionDiesel electric drive, twin screws, 3,500 hp (2,600 kW)
Speed
  • 9–12 knots (17–22 km/h; 10–14 mph) (cruising)
  • 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) (maximum)
ComplementApproximately 100
Armament

The Auk class were Allied minesweepers serving with the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy during the Second World War. In total, there were 95 Auks built.

Design and development

The Auk class displaced 890 tons on average, and had an approximate length of 220–225 feet (67–69 m). They could reach a maximum speed of about 18.1 knots (33.5 km/h; 20.8 mph). Auks were equipped with a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun, two 40 mm Bofors guns, and eight 20 mm Oerlikon guns.

Twenty of these ships were transferred to the Royal Navy under Lend-lease[1] and named as the Catherine class, with "J" pennant number prefixes. Of these twenty, three were sunk in action, and 17 were returned to the U.S. after the war.

In total, eleven minesweepers of the Auk class were lost in World War II, six to direct enemy action including USS Skill, torpedoed by U-593.

List of Auk-class minesweepers

Royal Navy

US Navy

Ship name Hull number Date removed from Naval Vessel Register Fate
USS Ardent AM-340 1 July 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 19 September 1972
USS Auk AM-57 1 August 1956 Discarded 1959 [2]
USS Broadbill AM-58 1 July 1972 Sold for scrap on 1 December 1973
USS Champion AM-314 Unknown Donated to the Mexican Navy on 19 September 1972. Still in active service.
USS Chickadee AM-59 Unknown Transferred to the National Navy of Uruguay on 18 August 1966
USS Chief AM-315 1 July 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy in February 1973.
USS Competent AM-316 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy in September 1972.
USS Defense AM-317 Approx. 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 3 January 1973.
USS Devastator AM-318 Unknown Transferred to the Mexican Navy in 1973.
USS Dextrous AM-341 Unknown Transferred to Republic of Korea Navy in December 1967 after service in the Korean War.
USS Gladiator AM-319 1 July 1972 Donated to the Mexican Navy in 1973.
USS Heed AM-100 1 March 1967 Unknown
USS Herald AM-101 1 July 1972 Donated to the Mexican Navy on 1 February 1973.
USS Impeccable AM-320 1 July 1972 Sold for scrap on 1 April 1974
USS Minivet AM-371 21 January 1946 Sunk by mine in the Tsushima Strait on 29 December 1945
USS Motive AM-102 1 December 1966 Sunk as a target in April 1968
USS Murrelet AM-372 1 December 1964 Transferred under FMS to the Philippine Navy in June 1965
USS Nuthatch AM-60 1 December 1966 Sunk as a target.
USS Oracle AM-103 1 December 1966 Sunk as a target in the Winter of 1967
USS Peregrine AM-373 1 February 1969 Unknown
USS Pheasant AM-61 1 December 1966 Sunk as a target.
USS Pigeon AM-374 1 December 1966 Sold for scrap.
USS Pilot AM-104 1 July 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 19 July 1972.
USS Pioneer AM-105 1 July 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 19 September 1972.
USS Pochard AM-375 1 December 1966 Sold for scrap.
USS Portent AM-106 Unknown Sunk in action off Anzio, Italy on 22 January 1944
USS Prevail AM-107 10 January 1964 Sold for scrap on 13 October 1964.
USS Ptarmigan AM-376 1 July 1963 Transferred to Republic of Korea Navy on 25 July 1963.
USS Pursuit AM-108 1 July 1960 Discarded 1960[3]
USS Quail AM-377 1 December 1966 Sold for scrap.
USS Redstart AM-378 1 April 1965 Transferred to the Republic of China Navy on 25 July 1963.
USS Requisite AM-109 1 April 1964 Sold for scrap on March 1965.
USS Revenge AM-110 1 November 1966 Sold for scrap on May 1967.
USS Roselle AM-379 1 July 1972 Donated to the Mexican Navy on 1 February 1973.
USS Ruddy AM-380 Unknown Transferred to the Peruvian Navy on 1 November 1960
USS Sage AM-111 1 July 1972 Donated to the Mexican Navy on 4 February 1973.
USS Scoter AM-381 1 December 1966 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 19 September 1972
USS Seer AM-112 1 March 1963 Sold to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 15 December 1962
USS Sentinel AM-113 19 August 1943 Sunk in action off Licata, Italy on 10 July 1943
USS Sheldrake AM-62 30 June 1968 Sold for scrap on 2 November 1971
USS Shoveler AM-382 17 May 1974 Transferred to the Peruvian Navy on 1 May 1974
USS Skill AM-115 11 October 1943 Sunk in action off North Africa on 25 September 1943
USS Skylark AM-63 28 April 1945 Sunk in action off Yomitan, Okinawa on 28 April 1945
USS Spear AM-322 1 July 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 19 September 1972.
USS Speed AM-116 Unknown Transferred to Republic of Korea Navy on 17 November 1967.
USS Sprig AM-384 1 July 1972 Sold for scrap on 20 December 1973
USS Staff AM-114 1 March 1967 Sold for scrap on 17 November 1967
USS Starling AM-64 1 July 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 16 February 1973.
USS Steady AM-118 1 February 1968 Sold to the Republic of China Navy on 15 August 1967.
USS Strive AM-117 1 October 1959 Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 1 October 1959
USS Surfbird AM-383 21 February 1975 Sold to a private company on 5 December 1975
USS Sustain AM-119 1 October 1959 Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 1 October 1959
USS Swallow AM-65 2 June 1945 Sunk in action off the Ryukyu Islands on 22 April 1945
USS Sway AM-120 1 July 1972 Donated to the Mexican Navy on 16 February 1973.
USS Swerve AM-121 22 August 1944 Sunk in action off Anzio, Italy on 9 June 1944
USS Swift AM-122 1 July 1972 Scrapped
USS Symbol AM-123 1 July 1972 Transferred to the Mexican Navy on 19 September 1972.
USS Tanager AM-385 1 November 1963 Transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard on 16 July 1964.
USS Tercel AM-386 1 July 1972 Scrapped
USS Threat AM-124 1 July 1972 Donated to the Mexican Navy in 1973.
USS Tide AM-125 29 July 1944 Sunk in action off the coast of Normandy on 7 June 1944
USS Token AM-126 1 December 1966 Unknown
USS Toucan AM-387 Unknown Transferred to the Republic of China Navy on 22 December 1964.
USS Towhee AM-388 1 May 1969 Sold for scrap on 6 March 1969
USS Triumph AM-323 1 March 1961 Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 27 January 1961
USS Tumult AM-127 1 May 1967 Sold for scrap
USS Usage AM-130 Unknown Sold to the Turkish Navy.
USS Velocity AM-128 1 July 1972 Donated to the Mexican Navy on the same day it was struck.
USS Vigilance AM-324 1 December 1966 Transferred under FMS to the Philippine Navy August 1967
USS Vital AM-129 23 April 1947 Sold to foreign purchaser. Served as a merchant marine vessel until sold for scrap in July 1956.
USS Waxwing AM-389 Unknown Transferred to the Republic of China Navy on 14 October 1965
USS Wheatear AM-390 1 July 1972 Sold for scrap on 20 December 1973
USS Zeal AM-131 1 December 1966 Sunk as a target on 9 January 1967

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "NavSource photo archive: index of mineSweepers". NavSource.
  2. ^ per US WARSHIPS OF WORLD WAR 2, Paul H. Silverstone, Naval Institute Press, 1965)
  3. ^ (per US WARSHIPS OF WORLD WAR 2, Paul H. Silverstone, Naval Institute Press, 1965)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Auk class minesweeper.


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