Peacock was laid down 29 January 1953, as AMS-198, by the Harbor Boat Building Company, Terminal Island, California; launched, 19 June 1954; sponsored by Miss B. Rechenmacher; reclassified as a coastal minesweeper, MSC-198, 7 February 1955; commissioned 16 March 1955.[2]
An interesting feature of Peacock was her non-magnetic construction, including all-wooden hull and stainless steel, aluminium and bronze engine and hull fittings. This unique construction rendered the ship safe from magnetic mines and was the reason for her very high initial cost of approximately $3,500.000.
Pacific Ocean operations
Upon completion of fitting out, the Peacock conducted training and minesweeping exercises along the California coast until 4 February 1956, when she departed for her first deployment to the Far East.[2]
Vietnam operations
While overseas, Peacock participated in several joint exercises with Allied navies, participated in "Operation Market Time" off Vietnam and made port calls in the Far East. She has remained overseas since her first deployment and has continued in the same pattern as her first deployment into 1970.[2]
Peacock was a coastal minesweeper capable of sweeping both moored and bottom sea mines of either contact or influence variety. The ship was the first of her class to be assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet, and was homeported in Sasebo, Japan since 1956.[citation needed]
Peacock took part in the General emergency operations during the Lebanon emergency in the summer of 1958, and patrolled the Formosa Straits during the Taiwan crisis in the fall of 1958. As part of the U.S. 7th Fleet, Peacock stood ready and able at all times to do her part in maintaining the freedom of the seas.
Since her arrival in the Far East, homeported in Sasebo, Japan, Peacock traveled to such places as Hong Kong, Okinawa, Taiwan, the Philippines, Korea and the Ryukyu Islands, as well as numerous ports-of-call in Japan. She has regularly participated in Mine Exercises with the Navies of Japan, Korea, Nationalist China and the Republic of the Philippines. Peacock played an active role in Market Time Patrol off the coast line of Vietnam throughout the Vietnam War.
Lt. Michael A. McDevitt (later RADM) served on board as commanding officer from October 1968 to April 1971. He is the only commanding officer who remained aboard after making Lt.Cdr, which he pinned on in Subic Bay, January 1970.
Peacock was the last of the Sasebo-based MSC's to depart Japan. She headed for Long Beach, California just after Christmas, 1970, for further assignment as a Reserve training ship. Peacock sailed "unaccompanied" from Sasebo to Taiwan where she laid over for New Years 1971. She then sailed to Subic Bay, PI where she hooked up with four MSO class minesweepers for the transit east. Off Johnston IslandPeacock detached from the other ships and headed to Pearl Harbor on her own. Following a short stay in Pearl Harbor she departed for the last leg of the transit to her new homeport of Long Beach, CA. The total transit took 57 days.
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USS Towhee (AM-388) was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.
USS Parrot (AMS/MSC-197) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper in the United States Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Turkey (AMS-56/YMS-444) was a YMS-135 subclass of YMS-1-class minesweepers built for the United States Navy during World War II.
USS Widgeon (AMS/MSC-208) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Cormorant (AMS-122/MSC-122) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper in the United States Navy.
USS Gannet (MSC-290) was an Albatross-class coastal minesweeper of the United States Navy. Laid down on 1 May 1959 by the Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., Inc., Tacoma, Washington, the ship was launched on 2 May 1960, sponsored by Mrs. Frank P. Luongo, Jr.; and commissioned in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 14 July 1961.
USS Whippoorwill (AMS/MSC-207) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Waxbill (MHC-50/AMCU-50/AMS-39/YMS-479/PCS-1456) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-446 subclass acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines placed in the water to prevent ships from passing.
USS Bluebird (AMS/MSC-121) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing minefields in coastal waterways.
USS Frigate Bird (AMS/MSC-191) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Phoebe (AMS/MSC-199) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper in the United States Navy for clearing coastal minefields..
USS Shrike (AMS/MSC-201) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Spoonbill (AMS/MSC-202) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Albatross (MSC-289) was the lead ship of the Albatross-class coastal minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Swallow was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-446 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was originally laid down as PCS-1416, and, when renamed later in her career, became the third U.S. Navy ship named for the swallow.
USS Advance (AM-510/MSO-510) was an Acme-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.
USS Thrasher (AMS/MSC-203) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Vireo (AMS/MSC-205) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper acquired by the US Navy for clearing coastal minefields.
USS Woodpecker (AMS/MSC-209) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper of the United States Navy, that saw service during the Vietnam War, and was later sold to the Republic of Fiji where she served as HMFS Kikau (MSC-204).
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