View source for USS Chief (AM-315)

{{short description|Minesweeper of the United States Navy}}
{{other ships|USS Chief}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:USS Chief AM-315 in 1952.jpg|300px|USS Chief]]
|Ship caption=''Chief'' in 1952
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1955}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Alice'' (BAM-2)
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[General Engineering & Dry Dock Company]], [[Alameda, California]]
|Ship laid down=25 July 1942
|Ship launched=5 January 1943
|Ship renamed=USS ''Chief'' (AM-315), 23 January 1943
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship commissioned=9 October 1943
|Ship decommissioned=17 March 1947
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship recommissioned=28 February 1952
|Ship reclassified=MSF-315, 7 February 1955
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship decommissioned=15 March 1955
|Ship struck= 1 July 1972
|Ship honours=*5 [[battle star]]s (World War II)
*2 battle stars (Korea)
|Ship fate=Sold to Mexico, February 1973
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=Mexico
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Mexico|naval}}
|Ship name=ARM ''Jesús González Ortega'' (C83)
|Ship namesake=[[Jesús González Ortega]]
|Ship acquired=February 1973
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship reclassified=G15<ref name=Wertheim>{{cite book | editor-last = Wertheim | editor-first = Eric | edition = 15th | title = The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]] | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]] | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-1-59114-955-2 | oclc = 140283156 | page = 472 }}</ref>
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship reclassified=P114, 1993<ref name=Wertheim />
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=
|Ship status={{ship in active service|2007}}<ref name=Wertheim />
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class= {{sclass|Auk|minesweeper|1}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|890|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|221|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|32|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|10|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed={{convert|18|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=100 officers and enlisted
|Ship armament=*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun]]
*2 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] guns
*2 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] guns
*2 × [[Depth charge]] tracks
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Chief'' (AM-315)''' was an {{sclass|Auk|minesweeper}} acquired by the [[United States Navy]] for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing, and named after the word "chief," the head or leader of a group.

Originally intended for Great Britain, HMS ''Alice'' (BAM-2) was launched 5 January 1943 by [[General Engineering and Dry Dock]] Co., [[Alameda, California]]; renamed and reclassified USS ''Chief'' (AM-315), 23 January 1943; and commissioned 9 October 1943.

==Service history==

===World War II===
Departing [[San Diego]], California, 7 December 1943, ''Chief'' joined in exercises in [[Hawaii]]an waters until 22 January 1944 when she sailed for [[Kwajalein]]. She swept the harbor and joined the [[antisubmarine]] patrol until 14 February, when she returned to [[Pearl Harbor]] for repairs. Except for a [[convoy]] escort voyage to [[Eniwetok]] (21 March-15 April), she remained at Pearl Harbor until 29 May.

Joining [[Task Force]] TF 52 at Eniwetok, ''Chief'' sortied 12 June 1944 for the [[Marianas]] operation. Between 15 June and 7 August, she cleared mines for the invasions of [[Saipan]] and [[Tinian]], and gave fire support to troops ashore, then had local duty at Saipan. Departing 9 September she escorted cargo ship [[USS De Grasse (AK-223)|''De Grasse'' (AP-164)]] to Pearl Harbor, then continued to [[San Francisco]], California for overhaul.

Returning to Pearl Harbor on 2 January 1945, ''Chief'' voyaged to Eniwetok on convoy escort duty, then conducted exercises in Hawaiian waters until clearing for [[Ulithi]], where she arrived 4 March. After receiving new equipment, she sailed for [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] on 15 May. From 26 May to 21 August she acted as [[flagship]] for the group conducting hydrographic survey of [[Unten Ko]], and developing it as a minecraft [[typhoon]] anchorage.

On 8 September ''Chief'' put out for [[Wakayama, Japan]], where until 6 October she swept minefields in preparation for the arrival of occupation forces. She also assisted in the salvage of ''YMS-418'' on 28 September. ''Chief'' remained on occupation duty at [[Nagoya]] and [[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo]], Japan, until 10 March 1946 when she steamed for San Francisco, California, arriving 19 April. She was placed out of commission in reserve 17 March 1947, berthed at [[San Pedro, California]].

===Korea===
Recommissioned 28 February 1952 at [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard|Long Beach]], Chief conducted training exercises off San Diego, California, until 7 July when she sailed for Sasebo, Japan, arriving 3 August. She operated with Task Force TF 95 around mine-infested [[Wonsan]] Harbor and was twice fired on by enemy shore batteries. She returned to [[Long Beach, California]] 5 February 1953 for local operations and training.

Her second [[Korea]]n tour from 5 October 1953 to 2 June 1954 found her patrolling with Task Force TF 95 off both coasts of Korea to preserve the truce. She returned to west coast operations.

===Decommissioning and sale===
On 1 November 1954 ''Chief'' was placed in commission in reserve. Reclassified MSF-315 on 7 February 1955, she was placed out of commission in reserve 15 March 1955. ''Chief'' was sold to [[Mexico]] in February 1973. Renamed '''ARM ''Jesús González Ortega'' (C83)''', she remained in active service with the [[Mexican Navy]] {{as of|2007|lc=on}},<ref name=Wertheim /> and was afloat as of 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2421235|title=ARM ORTEGA P114|website=ShipSpotting|access-date=10 May 2017}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
''Chief'' received five [[battle stars]] for [[World War II]] service and two [[battle stars]] for [[Korean War]] service.

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
* {{DANFS|https://web.archive.org/web/20040313225116/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c8/chief.htm}}

== External links ==
* {{navsource|11/02315|USS Chief}}
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/am315.htm USS ''Chief'' (AM-315, later MSF-315), 1943-1973]
* [http://www.koreanwar.org/html/units/navy/uss_chief.htm USS ''Chief'' (AM-315) - US Navy - Korean War Project]
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AM/AM-315_Chief.html Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-315 USS ''Chief'']
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5245.html uboat.net - Minesweeper USS ''Chief'' of the ''Auk'' class]

{{Auk class minesweeper|others}}
{{Mexican Navy ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chief (AM-315)}}
[[Category:Auk-class minesweepers of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Alameda, California]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:World War II minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:Korean War minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:Valle-class patrol vessels]]
[[Category:Patrol vessels of Mexico]]