USS ''Brant'' (AM-24) was a in 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

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 opposing ...

. She was named by the U.S. Navy for the brant, a small goose. ''Brant'' was launched 30 May 1918 by Sun Shipbuilding Co.,

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; sponsored by Miss Lois Graham; commissioned 5 September 1918 and reported to the Minesweeping Force,

5th Naval District The naval district was a U.S. Navy military and administrative command ashore. Apart from Naval District Washington, the Districts were disestablished and renamed Navy Regions about 1999, and are now under Commander, Naval Installations Command ...

, to sweep

convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

courses off the coast of

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East Coast operations

She served as a lightship off the

coast in December 1918. In May 1919 she was placed under Director of Tugs,

, for towing and harbor operations at

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

. On 17 September 1919 ''Brant'' reported to Train, Pacific Fleet, at

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. She remained on the

United States West Coast The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific states, and the western seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S. ...

with the fleet until June 1941, serving as 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 ...

, target vessel, and fleet tug, except for short periodic moves to the east coast, the Caribbean,

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...

area, and the Hawaiian Islands on fleet concentrations and exercises. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, ''Brant'' arrived at New York Navy Yard 1 August 1941 and commenced operations between

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, and Solomons Island, Maryland, testing mines. On 26 November 1941 ''Brant'' arrived at the Naval Operating Base,

Argentia Argentia ( ) is a Canadian commercial seaport and industrial park located in the Town of Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is situated on the southwest coast of the Avalon Peninsula and defined by a triangular shaped headland which r ...

, Newfoundland, where she carried out towing operations and picket and escort duty until June 1942. Between 10 and 13 February 1942 she aided the Norwegian steamer , aground off Shots Cove, Newfoundland, and transported her crew to Argentia. On 16 February she assisted the British steamer off a shoal in

Placentia Bay Placentia Bay (french: Baie de Plaisance) is a body of water on the southeast coast of Newfoundland, Canada. It is formed by Burin Peninsula on the west and Avalon Peninsula on the east. Fishing grounds in the bay were used by native people lo ...

. Between 18 and 24 February she was on duty at Great St. Lawrence Harbor near the scene of the grounded and . On 6 May she rescued the crew from the grounded on Virgin Rocks.

World War II Atlantic operations

On 29 June 1942 she arrived at

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for an extensive overhaul. Her designation was changed to Ocean tug AT-132 on 1 June 1942, and to rescue salvage ship ARS-32 on 1 September 1942. On 6 November 1942 ''Brant'' departed the United States for the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...

where she remained between 25 November 1942 and 16 December 1943 conducting salvage operations. During this time she operated at various ports in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy. She also participated in the Sicilian occupation (9–15 July 1943) and the Salerno landings (9–21 September 1943).

Damaged by friendly fire off Sicily

USS ''Brant'' was accidentally damaged 10 August 1943, off

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, when inadequate signals caused friendly naval forces to shell her. ''Brant'' was on a mission to locate a drifting LCT and left from Licata, Sicily in the regular convoy channel. At 0100, the destroyer USS ''Benson'' fired two star shells and 15 service rounds at the ''Brant'' from greater than 4000 yards. Extensive fires occurred, but were immediately controlled. Ten of her crew were killed and 18 wounded. On the same day ''Brant'' steamed to Sicily and the ''Benson'' proceeded to Malta. The formal inquest on 24 August 1943 in Bizerte, Tunisia stated the following Findings of Facts: 1. The moon had set and visibility was poor. (Glass range 3000 yards) 2. BRANT was not equipped with radar. 3. BRANT only knew BENSON was in area after star shell had burst. 4. BRANT used her aldis lamp to challenge BENSON because her 12-in lamp was immediately destroyed. 5. The BENSON used a blue signal lamp from 4500 yards. (Not visible until 2500 yards) 6. BRANT was in a regular convoy route. 7. BRANT damage was on main deck. 8. 5 known dead, 5 missing, 18 wounded. 9. BRANT used correct challenge under fire. 10. Neither BRANT nor BENSON challenge lights were strong enough for visibility conditions. 11. BRANT proceeded under own power to Bizerte in Tunisia 12. BRANT was tied up to Large Repair Ship in Bizerte for extensive repairs.

Normandy Invasion operations

Returning to the United States in January 1944, ''Brant'' underwent a yard overhaul at Norfolk, Virginia, and then departed for Falmouth, England, where she arrived 9 March 1944. She carried out salvage and towing operations at various ports in England and Scotland until June when she departed for the invasion of the European continent. Between 6 and 19 June 1944 she furnished logistic support to ships participating in the invasion of Normandy. ''Brant'' continued with her salvage duties in English and French waters until June 1945 when she proceeded to Bremerhaven, Germany. Remaining at Bremerhaven until 26 July 1945, she then sailed for the United States, via Ireland. She arrived at

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decade ...

, 25 August 1945 and then steamed to New York where she remained moored until 4 October. She was decommissioned 19 December 1945 at New York Navy Yard and transferred to the

Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 195 ...

19 August 1946. ''Brant'' received three

battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...

s for her service in

References

External links

Temporary Lightships USS ''Brant''

U.S. Navy Temporary Lightships
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brant Lapwing-class minesweepers 1918 ships Ships built by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company World War I minesweepers of the United States World War II minesweepers of the United States Friendly fire incidents of World War II Lapwing-class minesweepers converted to tugs Lapwing-class minesweepers converted to rescue and salvage ships Maritime incidents in August 1943