USS ''Portent'' (AM-106) was an acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. ''Portent'' — a metal-hulled minesweeper — was named after the word "portent," something that foreshadows a coming event. In this case, it was an appropriate name since the ''Portent'' struck a mine and was sunk not long after her commissioning. ''Portent'' was laid down on 15 November 1941 by the

Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc Bethlehem Beaumont Shipyard was a shipyard in Beaumont, Texas that opened in 1948. The yard is located on an island in the Neches River and upstream of the Sabine Pass that grants access to the Gulf of Mexico. The deep-water port shipyard was f ...

Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat, seat of government of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur, Texas, Port Arthur Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, metropo ...

, launched on 16 August 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Arthur L. Kline, Jr., and commissioned on 3 April 1943.

North Atlantic World War II operations

''Portent'' sailed via Algiers, Louisiana, and

Key West, Florida Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Isla ...

, to New York City to join a convoy to

Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...

and various North African ports on 14 May 1943. From May–November, she escorted convoys between New York City and Casablanca, Morocco. Assigned to a convoy entering the Mediterranean, she anchored outside

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

, Algeria on 22 November.

Sunk off the Italian coast

Deployed to Italy, she arrived at Naples on 19 December. Assigned to the invasion of Anzio, Italy ''Portent'' struck a mine while patrolling near the Italian coast and sank at on 22 January 1944. Nearby ships rescued survivors.

Awards

''Portent'' received one battle star for World War II service.

References

External links

Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-106 USS Portent
* ttp://www.usspennsylvania.com/NavalLosses.htm Naval Losses World War II
Photo gallery
at navsource.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Portent (AM-106) Auk-class minesweepers of the United States Navy Ships built in Port Arthur, Texas 1942 ships World War II minesweepers of the United States World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea Maritime incidents in January 1944 Ships sunk by mines