''T-119'' was a

minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...

of the

Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

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

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

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

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

under

Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (),3,000 Hurricanes and >4,000 other aircraft) * 28 naval vessels: ** 1 Battleship. (HMS Royal Sovereign (05), HMS Royal Sovereign) * ...

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 The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...

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. Tampa'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 t ...

, by the Tampa Shipbuilding Co.; launched on 27 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. F. M. Arenberg; and completed on 29 September 1943. She was transferred to the

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

until she was struck on 1 January 1983.

References

External links

* {{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