| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | HMSSepoy (BAM-30) |
| Builder | Gulf Shipbuilding Corp.,Chickasaw, Alabama |
| Renamed | USSDextrous (AM-341) |
| Launched | 17 June 1943 |
| Commissioned | 8 September 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 5 June 1946 |
| Recommissioned | 1 December 1950 |
| Reclassified | MSF-341, 7 February 1955 |
| Decommissioned | 31 October 1956 |
| Honours & awards |
|
| Fate | Transferred toSouth Korea in December 1967 |
| History | |
 South Korea | |
| Name | ROKSKoje (PCE-1003) |
| Acquired | December 1967 |
| Fate | Unknown |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Auk-classminesweeper |
| Displacement | 890 long tons (904 t) |
| Length | 221 ft 3 in (67.44 m) |
| Beam | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Draft | 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) |
| Speed | 18knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement | 100 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
|
USSDextrous (AM-341) was anAuk-classminesweeper built for theUnited States Navy which served inWorld War II, theKorean War, and beyond. She was later transferred to theRepublic of Korea Navy where she served as ROKS Koje (PCE-1003).
The ship was laid down by theGulf Shipbuilding Corp.,Chickasaw, Alabama as HMSSepoy (BAM-30), renamed and reclassified USSDextrous (AM-341), and launched on 17 June 1943; sponsored by Miss S. S. Kenney; and commissioned 8 September 1943.[1]
Dextrous sailed fromNorfolk, Virginia, 14 November 1943 as aconvoy escort, arriving atBizerte,Tunisia, 3 January 1944. Ten days later she sailed forNaples, Italy, to sweep in theGulf of Salerno. On 21 January she left Naples for theAnzio-Nettuno beachhead where she swept mines prior tothe assault the next day, and patrolled and provided anti-aircraft fire during the bitter fighting ashore. Except for two voyages to Bizerte to replenish,Dextrous served off Anzio until 12 August 1944 when she sailed from Naples forpre-invasion minesweeping off the southern coast ofFrance. She swept and patrolled there until 1 October when she put into Bizerte. Escorting a convoy ofLSTs, she returned to Norfolk, Virginia, 11 December for overhaul.
Dextrous sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, 15 February 1945 for thePacific Ocean, arriving atPearl Harbor 18 March. She aided in the training ofsubmarines in theHawaiian Islands until 23 May, when she sailed west. After calling atGuam to remove some experimental gear, she reachedOkinawa on 14 July to join the minesweeping operations coordinated with theU.S. 3rd Fleet's final raids on Japan.
After the warDextrous remained in the Far East, clearing minefields in Japanese waters until 15 January 1946 when she sailed fromSasebo, Japan, for theU.S. West Coast. She arrived atSan Pedro, California, 22 February and was placed out of commission in reserve 5 June 1946.
Recommissioned 1 December 1950 for service in theKorean War,Dextrous made her first Far Eastern cruise from 3 March 1951 to 28 February 1952. She patrolled and swept on both coasts ofKorea. Often under fire from shore batteries which hit her three times,Dextrous captured twosampans and five prisoners-of-war. She returned to Korean waters for similar duty from 1 December 1952 to 3 July 1953.
Following the cease fire in KoreaDextrous made cruises to the western Pacific in 1954 and 1955-56 during which she patrolled off Korea, and participated in various exercises with the Fleet. Alternating with this duty were local exercises out of her home port atLong Beach, California, and a cruise along the west coast toSan Francisco, California andSeattle, Washington, in the summer of 1955.
Dextrous was again placed out of commission in reserve on 31 October 1956. She was reclassified MSF-341, 7 February 1955. In December 1967, the ship was transferred toSouth Korea where she served as ROKSKoje (PCE-1003).
Dextrous received fivebattle stars forWorld War II service and five for Korean War service.
