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Ocean Minesweepers (AM)

Most recent update: December 28, 2011.

In World War I, 12 U.S. yards built 49 Lapwing-class minesweepers: these were originally designated Minesweeper No. 1, etc., but became AMs in 1920.  In World War II, 19 U.S. yards and one in Canada built 251 minesweepers of three designs - the 221-foot, 18-knot Auk class, the 185-foot, 15-knot Admirable class and the 174-foot, 16-knot Adroit class, the last based on the Navy's subchaser (PC) hull.  In addition, 19 commercial trawlers were converted for service as minesweepers.  Post-war construction is listed here.

Type # Name Shipbuilder Location LOA LDT FY Delivered Disposition
World War I Construction
AM 1 Lapwing Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1917 12-Jun-18 AVP 1 1936, sold 1946
AM 2 Owl Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1917 11-Jul-18 AT 137 1942, scrapped 1947
AM 3 Robin Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1917 29-Aug-18 AT 140 1942, sold 1946 as Hyacinth, later Margaret Rose 1951, scrapped 1954
AM 4 Swallow Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1917 8-Oct-18 Wrecked in Alaska 1938
AM 5 Tanagier Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1917 28-Jun-18 Sunk off Corregidor 4-May-42
AM 6 Cardinal Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1917 23-Aug-18 Wrecked in Alaska 1923
AM 7 Oriole Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1917 5-Nov-18 AT 136 1942, sold 1947, scrapped 1952
AM 8 Curlew Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1917 7-Jan-19 Wrecked off Panama 1925
AM 9 Finch Standard SB Shooters Island NY 188 950 1917 10-Sep-18 Sunk off Corregidor 10-Apr-42, salvaged by IJN, sunk off Cape Padaran 12-Jan-45
AM 10 Heron Standard SB Shooters Island NY 188 950 1917 30-Oct-18 AVP 2 1936, to DoS 1947
AM 11 Condor     188 950 1917   Cancelled
AM 12 Plover     188 950 1917   Cancelled
AM 13 Turkey Merchants SB Chester PA 188 950 1917 13-Dec-18 AT 143 1942, scrapped 1946
AM 14 Woodcock Merchants SB Chester PA 188 950 1917 19-Feb-19 AT 145 1942, scrapped 1947
AM 15 Quail Merchants SB Chester PA 188 950 1917 29-Apr-19 Damaged off Corregidor 5-May-42 and scuttled
AM 16 Partridge Merchants SB Chester PA 188 950 1917 17-Jun-19 AT 138 1942, sunk by torpedo 11-Jun-44
AM 17 Elder Pusey & Jones Wilmington DE 188 950 1917 23-Jan-19 YNg 20 1940, to MARAD 1947
AM 18 Thrush Pusey & Jones Wilmington DE 188 950 1917 25-Apr-19 AVP 3 1936, sold 1946 as Semper Paratus, sank 1951
AM 19 Avocet Baltimore DD Baltimore MD 188 950 1917 17-Sep-19 AVP 4 1936, scrapped 1946
AM 20 Bobolink Baltimore DD Baltimore MD 188 950 1917 28-Jan-19 AT 131 1942, sold 1946
AM 21 Lark Baltimore DD Baltimore MD 188 950 1917 12-Apr-19 AT 168 1944, to MARAD 1947
AM 22 Widgeon Sun SB Chester PA 188 950 1917 22-Jul-18 ASR 1 1929, scrapped 1947
AM 23 Teal Sun SB Chester PA 188 950 1917 20-Aug-18 AVP 5 1936, sold 1946
AM 24 Brant Sun SB Chester PA 188 950 1917 6-Sep-18 AT 132 1942, ARS 32 1942, to MARAD 1946
AM 25 Kingfisher Puget Sound NSY Bremerton WA 188 950 1917 27-May-18 AT 135 1942, scrapped 1947
AM 26 Rail Puget Sound NSY Bremerton WA 188 950 1917 5-Jun-18 AT 139 1942, scrapped 1947
AM 27 Pelican Consolidated SB Morris Heights NY 188 950 1918 10-Oct-18 AVP 6 1936, scrapped 1946
AM 28 Falcon Consolidated SB Morris Heights NY 188 950 1918 11-Dec-18 ASR 2 1929, scrapped 1947
AM 29 Osprey Consolidated SB Morris Heights NY 188 950 1918 7-Jan-19 To USC+GS 1922 as Crusader, ARS 2 1941, sold 1948 as Victoria, scrapped 1952
AM 30 Seagull Consolidated SB Morris Heights NY 188 950 1918 6-Mar-19 AT 141 1942, scrapped 1946
AM 31 Tern Consolidated SB Morris Heights NY 188 950 1918 17-May-19 AT 142 1942, sold 1947, scrapped 1969
AM 32 Flamingo New Jersey DD Elizabethport NJ 188 950 1918 2-Dec-19 To USC+GS 1922 as Guide, ARS 1 1941, scrapped 1953
AM 33 Penguin New Jersey DD Elizabethport NJ 188 950 1918 21-Nov-19 Scuttled off Guam 8-Dec-41
AM 34 Swan Alabama DD Mobile AL 188 950 1918 31-Jan-19 AVP 7 1936, scrapped 1947
AM 35 Whipporwill Alabama DD Mobile AL 188 950 1918 1-Apr-19 AT 169 1944, scrapped 1947
AM 36 Bittern Alabama DD Mobile AL 188 950 1918 28-May-19 Scuttled in Manila Bay 10-Dec-41
AM 37 Sanderling Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1918 4-Dec-18 Accidentally sunk 26-Jun-37
AM 38 Auk Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1918 30-Nov-18 To USC+GS 1922 as Discoverer, ARS 3 1941, to Venezuela 1947 as Felipe Larrazabel (R-11), abandoned 1962
AM 39 Chewink Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1918 9-Apr-19 ASR 3 1929, sunk as target 1947
AM 40 Cormorant Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1918 15-May-19 AT 133 1942, sold 1947
AM 41 Gannet Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1918 7-Oct-19 AVP 8 1936, torpedoed near Bermuda 7-Jun-42
AM 42 Goshawk Todd SY Brooklyn NY 188 950 1918   Cancelled 1918
AM 43 Grebe Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1918 1-May-19 AT 134 1942, wrecked in Fiji 6-Dec-42
AM 44 Mallard Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1918 25-Jun-19 ASR 4 1929, sunk as target 1947
AM 45 Ortolan Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1918 17-Sep-19 ASR 5 1929, sold 1946
AM 46 Peacock Staten Island SB Port Richmond NY 188 950 1918 27-Dec-19 In collision and sank 24-Aug-40
AM 47 Pigeon Baltimore DD Baltimore MD 188 950 1918 15-Jul-19 ASR 6 1929, sunk off Corregidor 4-May-42
AM 48 Redwing Baltimore DD Baltimore MD 188 950 1918 17-Oct-19 ARS 4 1941, sunk off Bizerte 29-Jun-43
AM 49 Raven Baltimore DD Baltimore MD 188 950 1918   Cancelled 1918
AM 50 Shrike Baltimore DD Baltimore MD 188 950 1918   Cancelled 1918
AM 51 Sandpiper Philadelphia NSY Philadelphia PA 188 950 1918 9-Oct-19 AVP 9 1936, scrapped 1946
AM 52 Vireo Philadelphia NSY Philadelphia PA 188 950 1918 16-Oct-19 AT 144 1942, scrapped 1946
AM 53 Warbler Philadelphia NSY Philadelphia PA 188 950 1918 22-Dec-19 ARS 11 1941, scrapped 1947
AM 54 Willet Philadelphia NSY Philadelphia PA 188 950 1918 29-Jan-20 ARS 12 1941, scrapped 1947
World War II Construction
AM 55 Raven Norfolk NSY Norfolk VA 220 810 1939 11-Nov-40 Sunk as target 1967
AM 56 Osprey Norfolk NSY Norfolk VA 220 810 1939 16-Dec-40 Mined en route to Normandy 5-Jun-44
AM 57 Auk Norfolk NSY Norfolk VA 221 890 1941 26-Aug-41 Scrapped 1959
AM 58 Broadbill Defoe SB Bay City MI 221 890 1941 13-Oct-42 Scrapped 1973
AM 59 Chickadee Defoe SB Bay City MI 221 890 1941 9-Nov-42 To Uruguay 1966 as Comandante Pedro Campbell (MSF 1), struck 2003
AM 60 Nuthatch Defoe SB Bay City MI 221 890 1941 19-Nov-42 Sunk as target 1967
AM 61 Pheasant Defoe SB Bay City MI 221 890 1941 12-Dec-42 Sunk as target 1966
AM 62 Sheldrake General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 14-Oct-42 AGS 19 1952, scrapped 1971
AM 63 Skylark General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 12-Mar-43 Mined off Okinawa 28-Apr-45
AM 64 Starling General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 21-Dec-42 To Mexico 1973 as Valentin Gomez Farias (G 11), active
AM 65 Swallow General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 14-Jan-43 Kamikazied off the Ryukyu Islands 22-Apr-45
AM 66 Bullfinch Bath IW Bath ME 136 516   1-Nov-37 Trawler Villanova, acquired 1940, to MARAD 1945
AM 67 Cardinal Bath IW Bath ME 136 516   23-Oct-37 Trawler Jeanne d'Arc, acquired 1940, to MARAD 1945
AM 68 Catbird Charleston SB Charleston SC 148 570   15-Mar-38 Trawler Bittern, acquired 1940, later IX 183, sold 1947 as Salhus, later Punta Palma 1952, scrapped 1966
AM 69 Curlew Charleston SB Charleston SC 148 570   15-Jan-38 Trawler Kittiwake, acquired 1940, later IX 170, sold 1946 as Raagan, later Haugar 1947, Blue Ocean 1979, Aleutian Trawler 1986, Alaskan Harvester 1988, Seaboard Harvester 1990, Yukon Viking 1993, Hessafjord 1994, Clipper Express 2000, active
AM 70 Flicker Bath IW Bath ME 147 510   20-Mar-37 Trawler Delaware, acquired 1940, later IX 165, to MARAD 1945
AM 71 Albatross Bath IW Bath ME 147 510   30-Mar-31 Trawler Illinois, acquired 1940, later IX 171, to Norway as Illinois 1945
AM 72 Bluebird Bath IW Bath ME 132 520   18-Apr-31 Trawler Maine, acquired 1940, later IX 172, to Norway 1945 as Rytter, later Trane 1952, Stokkvik 1955, Basto 1957, scrapped 1970
AM 73 Grackle Bath IW Bath ME 132 525   21-Dec-29 Trawler Notre Dame, acquired 1940, to MARAD 1946
AM 74 Gull Bath IW Bath ME 124 410   1-Dec-28 Trawler Boston College, acquired 1940, aold 1946 as Gudrun, sank 1951
AM 75 Kite Bath IW Bath ME 124 482   27-Nov-28 Trawler Holy Cross, acquired 1940, to MARAD 1945
AM 76 Linnet Bath IW Bath ME 124 410   19-Dec-28 Trawler Georgetown, acquired 1940, later IX 166, sold 1945 as Cambridge
AM 77 Goldfinch Bath IW Bath ME 132 455   14-Jan-30 Trawler Fordham, acquired 1940, to Norway 1945
AM 78 Goldcrest John H. Mathis Camden NJ         Yacht, conversion cancelled, reclassified PYc 4
AM 79 Goshawk Foundation Savannah GA 150 585   15-Aug-19 Trawler Eckmuhl, later Lexington 1933, acquired 1938 as Penobscot (AMc 4), later Goshawk 1940, IX 195, sold 1945 as Bering Sea
AM 80 Goldcrest Bethlehem Steel Quincy MA 122 400   5-Nov-28 Trawler Shawmut, acquired 1940, sold 1946 as Batavia, later Minnie 1955, Newton 1960
AM 81 Chaffinch Bethlehem Steel Quincy MA 122 400   19-Nov-28 Trawler Trimount, acquired 1940, to the Netherlands 1947, returned and sold, later Medan
AM 82 Adroit Commercial IW Portland OR 174 295 1941 28-Jul-42 PC 1586 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 83 Advent Commercial IW Portland OR 174 295 1941 19-Aug-42 PC 1587 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 84 Annoy Commercial IW Portland OR 174 295 1941 2-Sep-42 PC 1588 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 85 Conflict Commercial IW Portland OR 174 295 1941 7-Sep-42 PC 1589 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 86 Constant Commercial IW Portland OR 174 295 1941 21-Sep-42 PC 1590 1944, sunk as target 1954
AM 87 Daring Commercial IW Portland OR 174 295 1941 10-Oct-42 PC 1591 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 88 Dash Commercial IW Portland OR 174 295 1941 27-Oct-42 PC 1592 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 89 Despite Dravo Pittsburgh PA 174 295 1941 31-Aug-42 PC 1593 1944, sold 1948 as Mustang
AM 90 Direct Dravo Pittsburgh PA 174 295 1941 31-Aug-42 PC 1594 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 91 Dynamic Dravo Pittsburgh PA 174 295 1941 15-Sep-42 PC 1595 1944, to MARAD 1948
AM 92 Effective Dravo Pittsburgh PA 174 295 1941 1-Oct-42 PC 1596 1944, sold 1948
AM 93 Engage Dravo Pittsburgh PA 174 295 1941 22-Oct-42 PC 1597 1944, to the Dom. Rep. 1947 as Cibao (P 103), later Constitucion (P-203), discarded 1968
AM 94 Excel Jakobson SY Oyster Bay NY 174 295 1941 10-Dec-42 PC 1598 1944, sold 1947
AM 95 Exploit Jakobson SY Oyster Bay NY 174 295 1941 5-Feb-43 PC 1599 1944, sold 1949
AM 96 Fidelity Nashville Bridge Nashville TN 174 295 1941 1-Nov-42 PC 1600 1944, sold 1948
AM 97 Fierce Nashville Bridge Nashville TN 174 295 1941 5-Mar-43 PC 1601 1944, sold 1948 as Seaborn II
AM 98 Firm Penn-Jersey SB Camden NJ 174 295 1941 10-Apr-43 PC 1602 1944, sold 1948
AM 99 Force Penn-Jersey SB Camden NJ 174 295 1941 16-Jun-43 PC 1603 1944, kamikazied off Okinawa 26-May-45 and destroyed
AM 100 Heed General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 27-Feb-43 MSF 100 1956, struck 1967
AM 101 Herald General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 23-Mar-43 MSF 101 1956, to Mexico 1973 as Mariano Matamoros, discarded
AM 102 Motive General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 17-Apr-43 MSF 102 1956, sunk as target 1968
AM 103 Oracle General Eng. Alameda CA 221 890 1941 14-May-43 MSF 103 1956, sunk as target 1967
AM 104 Pilot Pennsylvania SY Beaumont TX 221 890 1941 3-Feb-43 MSF 104 1956, to Mexico 1972 as Juan Aldama (C 85), active
AM 105 Pioneer Pennsylvania SY Beaumont TX 221 890 1941 27-Feb-43 MSF 105 1956, to Mexico 1973 as Leandro Valle (C 70), active
AM 106 Portent Pennsylvania SY Beaumont TX 221 890 1941 3-Apr-43 Mined off Anzio and lost 22-Jan-44
AM 107 Prevail Pennsylvania SY Beaumont TX 221 890 1941 17-Apr-43 AGS 20 1952, scrapped 1964
AM 108 Pursuit Winslow MR Winslow WA 221 890 1941 30-Apr-43 AGS 17 1952, scrapped 1964
AM 109 Requisite Winslow MR Winslow WA 221 890 1941 7-Jun-43 AGS 18 1952, scrapped 1964
AM 110 Revenge Winslow MR Winslow WA 221 890 1941 27-Jul-43 MSF 110 1956, scrapped 1967
AM 111 Sage Winslow MR Winslow WA 221 890 1941 23-Aug-43 MSF 111 1956, to Mexico 1973 as Hermenegildo Galeana, now Mariano Matamoros (C 86), active
AM 112 Seer AmShip Lorain Lorain OH 221 890 1941 21-Oct-43 MSF 112 1956, to Norway 1962 as Uller (N 50), active
AM 113 Sentinel AmShip Lorain Lorain OH 221 890 1941 3-Nov-43 Bombed off Sicily and lost 10-Jul-43