''T-119'' was a minesweeper of the Soviet Navy during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

. She had originally been built as USS ''Aspire'' (AM-146), an , for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during

, but never saw active service in the U.S. Navy. Upon completion she was transferred to the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

under

Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...

as ''T-119''; she was never returned to the United States. The ship was renamed several times in Soviet service and was scrapped on 4 November 1966. Because of the

, the U.S. Navy was unaware of this fate and the vessel remained on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was struck on 1 January 1983.

Career

''Aspire'' was laid down on 1 November 1942 at

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

, by the

Tampa Shipbuilding Tampa Shipbuilding Company, or TASCO, was one of a number of shipyards in Tampa, Florida. It operated from 1917 to after World War II, closing in 1947. History Origins Originally Tampa Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, founded in 1917, the y ...

Co.; launched on 27 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. F. M. Arenberg; and completed on 29 September 1943. She was transferred to the Soviet Navy that same day as ''T-119''. She was never returned to U.S. custody. In Soviet service, the ship was renamed ''TB-24'' on 11 July 1956, and ''VTR-YYAO'' on 8 June 1966. She was eventually scrapped on 4 November 1966. Due to the ongoing

, the U.S. Navy was unaware of this fate. They had reclassified the vessel as ''MSF-146'' on 7 February 1955, and kept her on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was struck on 1 January 1983.

References

External links

NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive – Aspire (MSF 146) – ex-AM-146 – ex-AMc-123
{{DEFAULTSORT:T-119 Admirable-class minesweepers Ships built in Tampa, Florida 1942 ships World War II minesweepers of the United States Admirable-class minesweepers of the Soviet Navy World War II minesweepers of the Soviet Union Cold War minesweepers of the Soviet Union