USS ''Liberator'' (AMc-87) was an ''Accentor''-class

coastal minesweeper Coastal minesweeper is a term used by the United States Navy to indicate a minesweeper intended for coastal use as opposed to participating in fleet operations at sea. Because of its small size—usually less than 100 feet in length—and construct ...

acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. ''Liberator'' was laid down 5 May 1941 by

Fulton Shipyard Fulton Shipyard was a shipbuilding company in Antioch, California. The shipyard was founded in 1924 by Frank Fulton and Angeline Fulton Fredericks. To support the World War II demand for ships, Fulton Shipyard built minesweepers, tugboats, a ...

, Antioch, California; launched 6 September 1941; sponsored by Miss Pay Hill; and placed in service 22 February 1942. Assigned to the

13th 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 ...

, ''Liberator'' operated out of

Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...

until she sailed for

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

in April 1944. She swept the Alaskan shipping lanes and returned to the

in September. Reclassified ''IX-202'' on 20 December 1944, ''Liberator'' was used as a general utility ship until she was placed out of service 3 May 1945. She was turned over to

War Shipping Administration The War Shipping Administration (WSA) was a World War II emergency war agency of the US government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the United States needed for fighting the war. Both shipbuilding under the Maritime Co ...

(WSA) 2 July 1946 for disposal.

References

External links

NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - Liberator (AMc 87) - IX-202
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liberator World War II minesweepers of the United States 1941 ships Ships built in Antioch, California