USS ''Hilarity'' (AM-241) was an built 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

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 awarded two

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 service in the Pacific during World War II. She was decommissioned in 1946 and placed in the

Atlantic Reserve Fleet The United States Navy maintains a number of its ships as part of a reserve fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet". While the details of the maintenance activity have changed several times, the basics are constant: keep the ships afloat and s ...

. While she remained in reserve, ''Hilarity'' was reclassified as MSF-241 in February 1955 but never reactivated. In October 1962, she was sold to the

Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy is one of the two independent armed forces of Mexico. The actual naval forces are called the ''Armada de México''. The ''Secretaría de Marina'' (''SEMAR'') (English: Naval Secretariat) includes both the ''Armada'' itself and ...

and renamed ARM ''DM-02''. She was stricken in 1986 and scrapped in August 1988.

U.S. Navy career

''Hilarity'' was launched 30 July 1944 by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Co., Inc.,

Winslow, Washington Winslow is the name of the downtown area of the city of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and is the original name of the city, named for shipbuilder Winslow Hall. It encompasses the area around the main street, Winslow Way, and is made up of approxima ...

; sponsored by Mrs. L. H. Hirschy; and commissioned 27 November 1944. Following her

shakedown Shakedown may refer to: * Shakedown (continuum mechanics), a type of plastic deformation * Shakedown (testing) or a shakedown cruise, a period of testing undergone by a ship, airplane or other craft before being declared operational * Extortion, ...

training off

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, ''Hilarity'' took part in exhaustive minesweeping and

antisubmarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...

exercises to ready herself for participation in the Pacific war. She sailed 10 February 1945 from

San Pedro, California San Pedro ( ; Spanish: "St. Peter") is a neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, California. Formerly a separate city, it consolidated with Los Angeles in 1909. The Port of Los Angeles, a major international seaport, is partially located wi ...

, and, after her arrival at

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...

7 days later, operated in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

an waters on training exercises. Beginning 12 April the minesweeper took up

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 ...

escort duties, sailing to

Eniwetok Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; mh, Ānewetak, , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ja, ブラウン環礁) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with i ...

, Saipan, and finally to

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

, arriving

Kerama Retto The are a subtropical island group southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Geography Four islands are inhabited: Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island, Aka Island, and Geruma Island. The islands are administered as Tokashiki Village and Zamami Vill ...

30 May 1945. Joining the massive naval forces taking part in the capture of

, ''Hilarity'' served as a

picket ship A radar picket is a radar-equipped station, ship, submarine, aircraft, or vehicle used to increase the radar detection range around a nation or military (including naval) force to protect it from surprise attack, typically air attack, or from cr ...

off the bitterly contested island, protecting the transports and landing beaches. She remained at Okinawa until the

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

surrender, and sailed 30 August to sweep mines around Korea and the Japanese home islands preparatory to the occupation. ''Hilarity'' operated in the harbors of

Jinsen Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...

, Korea, and

Nagasaki is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It became the sole Nanban trade, port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hi ...

, as well as in the East China Sea during the remainder of 1945. The ship sailed 28 December from

Sasebo is a core city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is also the second largest city in Nagasaki Prefecture, after its capital, Nagasaki. On 1 June 2019, the city had an estimated population of 247,739 and a population density of 581 persons p ...

for the United States, and arrived

, 6 February 1946 via Saipan,

, and

. ''Hilarity'' departed 26 February for

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, via the

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 ...

, and decommissioned 26 August 1946 at Consolidated Shipyard,

Orange, Texas Orange is a city and the county seat of Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 19,324. It is the easternmost city in Texas, located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, and is from Hous ...

. ''Hilarity'' received two

battle stars 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 ...

for World War II service. ''Hilarity'' was placed in the

, and remained there until being sold to Mexico on 30 August 1962. Her classification was changed to MSF-241 on 7 February 1955, while in reserve. ''Hilarity'' was sold to Mexico on 2 October 1962.

Mexican Navy career

The former ''Hilarity'' was acquired by the

on 2 October 1962 and renamed ARM ''DM-02''. She was stricken in 1986 and scrapped on 1 August 1988.

Notes

References

External links

DANFS: USS ''Hilarity''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilarity (AM-241) Admirable-class minesweepers Ships built in Seattle 1944 ships World War II minesweepers of the United States Admirable-class minesweepers of the Mexican Navy