USS ''Shoveler'' (AM-382) was an ''Auk''-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

Construction history

''Shoveler'' was laid down on 1 April 1944 by Gulf Shipbuilding Corp.,

Chickasaw, Alabama Chickasaw is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 6,457, up from 6,106 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Mobile metropolitan area. History Company town In the early 20th century bef ...

; launched on 10 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. William G. Burkhart; and commissioned on 22 May 1945.

World War II service

''Shoveler'' was fitted out at New Orleans, Louisiana, and then reported to the Mine Warfare Base, Little Creek, Virginia, on 15 June for

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. On 5 August, the minesweeper cleared that port en route to the

west coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

for assignment to

Mine Force, Pacific Fleet Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is a United States Navy vice admiral, who leads the Naval Surface Force, United States Pacific Fleet. The commander is also designated as commander, Naval Surface Force (COMNAVSURFOR), a "du ...

. The ship arrived at San Pedro, California, on 23 August and conducted further trials. On 30 August, ''Shoveler'' stood out of San Pedro, California, underway for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, via Pearl Harbor. ''Shoveler'' arrived at Eniwetok on 18 September and was routed to Okinawa. Upon her arrival there, on 26 September, she was ordered to sail at once for

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Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. She was back at Okinawa on 1 October to join the main task force which sailed for Sasebo on 18 October. ''Shoveler'' swept the Klondike mine field there during the period 26 October-2 November. The ship returned to Okinawa on 6 December 1945 and operated from there until returning to Sasebo on 20 January 1946. ''Shoveler'' swept mines from the areas around

Kikai Shima Kikai is a Japanese name and may refer to: Places in Japan *Kikai Caldera, Ōsumi Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture *Kikai Island, one the Amami Islands *Kikai, Kagoshima, a town on Kikaijima, Kagoshima Prefecture Other uses *Kikai language, a dial ...

Miyako Jima is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other populated island ...

, Amami Ōshima, Nagasaki, and Kagoshima. ''Shoveler'' sailed from

on 12 April en route to San Pedro, California, via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor. She entered the Todd Shipyard there on 27 June and prepared for inactivation. The minesweeper was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 5 November 1946.

Korean War service

''Shoveler'' was recommissioned on 24 July 1951 and assigned to Mine Squadron 5. After refresher training and fleet exercises off Santa Rosa, California, she entered the yard of the Harbor Boat Co., Long Beach, California, for alterations and repairs on 5 November 1951. When the work was completed on 7 January 1952, the ship moved down the coast of San Diego and acted as a mine warfare

schoolship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house classr ...

for three months. On 20 March, ''Shoveler'' was ordered to the Far East. After port calls at Pearl Harbor and Guam, and minesweeping exercises in the Bonin Islands, she arrived at Sasebo,

, on 20 May. A week later, she got underway for the Korean War zone. ''Shoveler'' arrived at Wonsan Harbor on 28 May to assist the United Nations forces. During the next four and one-half months, the minesweeper operated along the Korean coast from Musu Dan in the north to Kosong in the south. In addition to sweeping mines, she destroyed nine

sampans A sampan is a relatively flat-bottomed Chinese and Malay wooden boat. Some sampans include a small shelter on board and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. The design closely resembles Western hard chine boats like th ...

with gunfire and bombarded the coast when afforded the opportunity. On 17 June, she was fired on by an enemy shore battery on Mayang Do but received no hits. ''Shoveler'' returned to Sasebo in mid-October; and, on the 20th, she cleared that port for Long Beach, California. The minesweeper arrived there on 20 November 1952 and, for the next two years, operated along the coast of California as a unit of Mine Division 72. ''Shoveler'' was again deployed to the Far East on 21 October 1954 and operated out of Sasebo,

. On 21 November 1954, she commenced a series of patrols along the east coast of Korea. She steamed from Sasebo to

Keelung Keelung () or Jilong () (; Hokkien POJ: '), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. The city is a part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with its neighbors, New Taipe ...

, Taiwan, on 1 February 1955 and five days later departed that port for the Tachen Islands to assist in the evacuation there. The minesweeper swept channels during the days and ran antitorpedo boat patrols during the nights until 14 February when she returned to Sasebo. ''Shoveler's'' hull classification was changed from AM-382 to MSF-382 on 7 February. She departed the Far East on 9 May and arrived at Long Beach, California, on 1 June 1955.

Decommissioning and disposal

The minesweeper operated from that port for the next year. ''Shoveler'' moved to San Diego, California, on 29 June 1956 for inactivation and was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 28 September 1956.

Peruvian service

''Shoveler'' was loaned to Peru on 1 November 1960 under the Foreign

Military Assistance Program The Mutual Defense Assistance Act was a United States Act of Congress signed by President Harry S. Truman on 6 October 1949. For US Foreign policy, it was the first U.S. military foreign aid legislation of the Cold War era, and initially to Euro ...

and was renamed BAP ''Diez Canseco''.

Awards and honors

''Shoveler'' received one battle star for World War II service and one for service in the Korean War.

References

*
NavSource Online Shoveler (MSF-382)

External links

USS Shoveler AM-382 pictures from military photos on webshots

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shoveler (AM-382) Auk-class minesweepers of the United States Navy Ships built in Chickasaw, Alabama 1944 ships World War II minesweepers of the United States Korean War minesweepers of the United States Auk-class minesweepers of the Peruvian Navy