USS ''Pigeon'' (AM-374) was an acquired by 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 ...

for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. ''Pigeon'' was laid down 10 November 1944 by the

Savannah Machine and Foundry A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground ...

Co.,

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...

; launched 28 March 1945; sponsored by Miss Jean Ross; and commissioned at Savannah on 30 October 1945.

Decommissioned and reactivated

After fitting out at the

Charleston Navy Yard Charleston Naval Shipyard (formerly known as the Charleston Navy Yard) was a U.S. Navy ship building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River, in North Charleston, South Carolina and part of Naval Base Charleston. ...

and operations out of the Naval Mine Warfare School,

Yorktown, Virginia Yorktown is a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Virginia. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while York Co ...

, ''Pigeon'' was decommissioned on 10 July 1946. Following Communist aggression in

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, she was recommissioned at

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, on 30 November 1950.

North Atlantic operations

''Pigeon'' departed Orange, Texas, on 2 January 1951 to join

Mine Squadron MinRon is a standard U.S. Navy abbreviation for "Minesweeper Squadron." The Commander of a Minesweeper Squadron is known, in official Navy communications, as COMMINRON (followed by a number), such as COMMINRON FOUR. Mine Groups A MinGru or MINGR ...

8 at Charleston, South Carolina. Tactics and Atlantic Fleet exercises took her to

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, and to

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

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, and the

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. On 25 August 1952 she departed Charleston, with

Mine Division MinDiv was a standard U.S. Navy abbreviation or acronym for "Minesweeper Division." The Commander of a minesweeper division is known, in official Navy communications, as COMMINDIV (followed by a number), such as COMMINDIV EIGHT. References See ...

82 for the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

combined fleet exercise Operation Mainbrace. She arrived at

Rosyth, Scotland Rosyth ( gd, Ros Fhìobh, "headland of Fife") is a town on the Firth of Forth, south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to the census of 2011, the town has a population of 13,440. The new town was founded as a Garden city-style suburb ...

on 11 September 1952 and put to sea the 19th to participate in "Mainbrace" minesweeping operations off

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...

. ''Pigeon'' returned to

Falmouth, England Falmouth ( ; kw, Aberfala) is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,797 (2011 census). Etymology The name Falmouth is of English ...

on 27 September 1952 and sailed the 29th with the same amphibious attack force for

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

Operation Longstep Exercise Longstep was a ten-day NATO naval exercise held in the Mediterranean Sea during November 1952 under the overall command of Admiral Robert B. Carney, USN, the Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe (CINCAFSOUTH). This exercise in ...

" in the

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. These and other operations with the powerful

U.S. 6th Fleet The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixth Fleet in ...

took her from ports of

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria ...

to ports in

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, and

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. The minesweeper returned to Charleston, South Carolina, on 7 February 1953. Overhauled in the

Charleston Naval Shipyard Charleston Naval Shipyard (formerly known as the Charleston Navy Yard) was a U.S. Navy ship building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River, in North Charleston, South Carolina and part of Naval Base Charleston. ...

, ''Pigeon'' resumed readiness and training operations along the eastern seaboard as far north as

Quebec, Canada Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

. She departed Charleston on 6 January 1954 and joined the 6th Fleet at

Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...

, on 19 January 1954. After serving in fleet and

combined operations throughout the Mediterranean, she returned to Charleston on 29 May 1954.

Decommissioning

''Pigeon'' departed Charleston on 15 November to prepare for inactivation at

Green Cove Springs, Florida Green Cove Springs is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 6,908. The city is named after the porti ...

. She decommissioned there 14 January 1955 and was placed in reserve. On 7 February 1955, she was reclassified a fleet minesweeper and redesignated MSF-374. She remained in reserve until her name was struck from the

Navy List A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval autho ...

on 1 December 1966. She was sold for scrapping.

References

External links

*
Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-374 USS ''Pigeon''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pigeon (AM-374) Auk-class minesweepers of the United States Navy Ships built in Savannah, Georgia 1945 ships World War II minesweepers of the United States