USS ''Devastator'' (AM-318) was an ''Auk''-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing naval mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

Construction history

''Devastator'' was launched 19 April 1943 by General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, California; sponsored by Mrs. D. A. Shaw; and commissioned 12 January 1944.

World War II service

''Devastator'' – the first ship in the U.S. Navy to bear that name—was an auxiliary ship of the United States Navy. She served as an escort vessel during the latter half of the Second World War, and later saw service in the Korean War. ''Devastator'' arrived at Pearl Harbor 30 March 1944 as escort for a convoy. The next day she began convoy escort duty in Majuro and Kwajalein, which continued until 30 July. During 3 to 17 August she swept off French Frigate Shoals, and after one voyage to Eniwetok from 4 to 25 September, served at Pearl Harbor on training duty for the remainder of the year.

Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations

''Devastator'' sailed from Pearl Harbor 27 January 1945 as escort for transports bound for the

Battle of Iwo Jima The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJ ...

. She participated in preinvasion minesweeping for 3 days before the invasion landings of 19 February, then escorted damaged vessels to

Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...

, returning to

Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...

1 March to patrol off the island until 7 March. On 19 March 1945 ''Devastator'' got underway from Ulithi for preinvasion minesweeping at Okinawa. She patrolled during and after the invasion and in the heavy

suicide attack A suicide attack is any violent Strike (attack), attack, usually entailing the attacker detonating an explosive, where the attacker has suicide, accepted their own death as a direct result of the attacking method used. Suicide attacks have oc ...

s of 6 April downed a Japanese plane about off her port quarter. On 4 July she cleared Okinawa for minesweeping operations in conjunction with the

U.S. 3rd Fleet The United States Third Fleet is one of the numbered fleets in the United States Navy. Third Fleet's area of responsibility includes approximately fifty million square miles of the eastern and northern Pacific Ocean areas including the Bering ...

raids on the Japanese mainland. She sailed from Okinawa 15 July for Seattle, Washington arriving 12 August for overhaul. ''Devastator'' remained on the U.S. West Coast for operations except for two extended periods at Pearl Harbor for experiments in hull design development. She was placed out of commission 30 January 1947 into Pacific Reserve Fleet, Long Beach.

Korean War-related service

Recommissioned 26 February 1952 ''Devastator'' served in the Far East from 8 July 1952 to 5 February 1953 and again from 5 October 1953 to 2 June 1954 carrying out dangerous sweeps in Korean waters. She then operated on the U.S. west coast until again placed out of commission in reserve 15 April 1955. She was reclassified MSF-318, 7 February 1955.

Decommissioning and disposal

''Devastator'' was decommissioned 15 April 1955. She was sold to Mexico in 1973.

Awards and honors

''Devastator'' received three battle stars for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean War service.

Mexican Navy service

The former ''Devastator'' was sold to the Mexican Navy in 1973 and renamed ARM ''Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada'' (C74). Her pennant number was later changed to G06, and again changed in 1993 to P105. ''Sabastian Lerdo de Tejada'' has been retired from service by 2004.

Notes

References

*
NavSource Online: Devastator (MSF 318)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Devastator (AM-318) Auk-class minesweepers of the United States Navy Ships built in Alameda, California 1943 ships World War II minesweepers of the United States Korean War minesweepers of the United States Valle-class patrol vessels Pacific Reserve Fleet, Long Beach Group