 Minivet sinking on 29 December 1945 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USSMinivet |
| Builder | Savannah Machine & Foundry Co.,Savannah, Georgia |
| Laid down | 19 July 1944 |
| Launched | 8 November 1944 |
| Commissioned | 29 May 1945 |
| Stricken | 21 January 1946 |
| Honours and awards | 1battle star (World War II) |
| Fate | Sunk by mine, 29 December 1945 |
| 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 |
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USSMinivet (AM-371) was anAuk-classminesweeper acquired by theUnited States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.
Minivet was named after theminivet, a type of cuckoo shrike of Asiatic origin.
Minivet was laid down 19 July 1944 bySavannah Machine & Foundry Co.,Savannah, Georgia: launched 8 November 1944; sponsored by Miss Henrietta G. Jerrell; commissioned 29 May 1945.
Minivet concludedshakedown training atLittle Creek, Virginia, and on 22 August 1945 steamed out ofNorfolk, Virginia, en route to assignment in theFar East. She arrivedSasebo, Japan 30 October withMine Division 23 to play her part in opening the sealanes to peacetime commerce.
During her first month in the area, escort trips toPusan, Korea, and fromOkinawa left little time to stream her minesweeping gear. After a brief availability periodAM-371 departed Sasebo on 23 December 1945 in company with eight Japanese vessels to complete the sweeping of theTsushima Straits. Following in the wake of the second pass of the day on 29 December she struck amine and in a matter of minutes rolled over and sank. Despite the discipline and courageous action of her crew and the bravery of American and Japanese rescuers,Minivet suffered 31 men killed or missing. She became the first American minesweeper lost during these hazardous operations that had destroyed 20,000 mines since the end of the war.
Her name was stricken from theNavy list on 21 January 1946 after her logbook and the last survivors had returned to the United States.
Minivet (AM-371) received onebattle star for her service in the aftermath ofWorld War II.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1945 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents | |
