USS Swallow (AMS-36)

USS ''Swallow'' (MSC(O)-36/AMS-36/YMS-461) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was originally laid down as ''PCS-1416'', and, when renamed later in her career, became the third U.S. Navy ship named for the swallow.

History

''Swallow'' was laid down as ''PCS-1416'' on 8 June 1943 by Stadium Yacht Basin, Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio; redesignated ''YMS-461'' on 27 September 1943; launched on 8 January 1944, and commissioned on 22 June 1944.

''YMS-461'' departed Cleveland on 3 July and sailed down the St. Lawrence River. She made stops at Montreal, Quebec, and Halifax, before arriving in Norfolk, Virginia, on 22 August. She completed shakedown training out of Norfolk on 2 September and began patrolling the U.S. East Coast under the command of the Commander Eastern Sea Frontier. She patrolled for enemy submarines and escorted coastal convoys until mid-March 1945.

On 17 March, she got underway from Norfolk and sailed south, stopping at Miami, Florida, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before transiting the Panama Canal at the end of the first week in April. She stopped at San Diego, California, from 20 to 27 April, and at Pearl Harbor on 6 May, then continued on to the Central Pacific Ocean. After brief stops at Eniwetok and Guam, she arrived off Okinawa on 27 June and served there for almost two months.

Late in August, she moved to Tokyo Bay and, for the next few months, operated in that area. In February 1946, she returned to the Marianas, at Saipan, then continued east via Eniwetok to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived on 14 March. She reached San Francisco, California, on the 26th, remained there in overhaul until 20 October, and then shifted to San Diego. On 16 November, ''YMS-461'' headed back to the Far East. She stopped at Pearl Harbor, Johnston Island, and Eniwetok Atoll, before entering Apra Harbor at Guam on 9 January 1947. On 18 February 1947, she was named ''Swallow'' and redesignated AMS-36.

''Swallow'' served in the Far East, operating out of Yokosuka and Sasebo, Japan, for the remainder of her career which included minesweeping duties during the Korean War.

In October 1950, ''Swallow'' was part of a group consisting of , , , , , , , , four Republic of Korea minesweepers, and a helicopter from that cleared the heavily mined port of Chinnampo in less than two weeks.

On 7 February 1955, she was redesignated MSC(O)-36. She was decommissioned on 16 April 1955 and loaned to Japan. She served the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force as ''Yugeshima'' (MSC-660) and was later redesignated YAS-41.

On 1 May 1968 she was returned to the custody of the United States Navy; and her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day. Her hulk was sold to Kitajima Choke Co., of Sasebo, Japan, on 5 September 1969, for scrapping.

Awards and honors

''YMS-461'' earned three battle stars for World War II service.

References

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External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Swallow (AMS-36)
PCS-1376-class minesweepers
YMS-1-class minesweepers of the United States Navy
Ships built in Cleveland
1944 ships
World War II minesweepers of the United States
Korean War minesweepers of the United States
YMS-1-class minesweepers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force