USS Broadbill (AM-58)

Last updated

History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Broadbill
Builder Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan
Laid down1942
Launched21 May 1942
Commissioned21 July 1943
Decommissioned3 June 1946
Recommissioned19 March 1952
Decommissioned24 January 1954
ReclassifiedMSF-58, 7 February 1965
Stricken1 July 1972
Honours and
awards
2 battle stars (World War II)
FateSold for scrap, 1 December 1973
General characteristics
Class and type Auk-class minesweeper
Displacement890 long tons (904 t)
Length221 ft 3 in (67.44 m)
Beam32 ft (9.8 m)
Draft10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Speed18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement100 officers and enlisted
Armament

USS Broadbill (AM-58), was an Auk-class minesweeper of the United States Navy, named after the broadbill, a hunters' nickname for the greater scaup, a diving duck common in the winter along the Atlantic coast. Broadbill was launched on 21 May 1942 at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Bay City, Michigan, sponsored by Mrs. A. Loring Swasey, wife of Captain Swasey. She was commissioned on 13 October 1942.

Contents

Service history

19421946

After commissioning, Broadbill reported at Boston, Massachusetts to the Commander, Service Force, Atlantic Fleet.

Until April 1944, she escorted convoys between east coast and Gulf coast ports, and made two voyages to the Caribbean. On 11 April 1944, she got underway for England where she conducted numerous practice sweeps in preparation for the invasion of Normandy.

On 5 June 1944 Broadbill, as a unit of Mine Squadron 7, in company with 10 other minesweepers, cleared the approach channel to Utah Beach for fire support ships, and on 6 June, commenced sweeping the actual support area. On 25 June, she helped clear fire support areas off Cherbourg. Operations were continued off England and France until August.

She then proceeded to Naples, via Oran, Algeria, and conducted sweeping operations in the Ligurian Sea, Strait of Bonifacio, and around Sardinia and Corsica. Completing this assignment, Mine Squadron 7 arrived at Cavalaire Bay in southern France on 23 August 1944 to clear French harbors and approaches during Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France. On 28 May 1945, Broadbill, in company with Mine Division 21, departed for Norfolk, Virginia, where she underwent repairs until 30 August 1945.

On 17 September 1945, in company with Service Squadron 5, Broadbill got underway for San Pedro, California. She was subsequently ordered to Astoria, Oregon, arriving on 7 December for pre-inactivation overhaul. Broadbill went out of commission in reserve at San Diego on 3 June 1946.

19521954

Recommissioned on 19 March 1952, Broadbill operated off the California coast until 27 June 1952. She then sailed to Charleston, South Carolina, arriving there on 15 July. During the remainder of 1952, she operated out of Charleston and conducted one Caribbean training cruise.

In January 1953, she proceeded to the Mediterranean for a cruise with the 6th Fleet, returning to Charleston on 21 May 1953. She conducted routine operations off the Atlantic coast until August, when she reported for inactivation overhaul. Broadbill was placed out of commission in reserve on 25 January 1954, berthed at Orange, Texas. She was reclassified MSF-58 on 7 February 1955.

Broadbill was struck from the Navy list on 1 July 1972, and disposed of by Navy sale on 1 December 1973.

Related Research Articles

USS Chickadee (AM-59) was an Auk-class minesweeper of the United States Navy, named after the Chickadee, a family of small passerine birds which appear in North America and Africa.

USS Pigeon (AM-374) 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 <i>Auk</i> (AM-57) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Auk (AM-57) 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 <i>Seer</i> (AM-112) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Seer (AM-112/MSF-112/MMC-5) was an Auk-class minesweeper of the United States Navy that served during World War II and the Korean War, and was sold to Norway in 1962.

USS Swift (AM-122) 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 <i>Toucan</i> (AM-387) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Toucan (AM-387) 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. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the toucan, a brightly colored and easily tamed bird of the American tropics, characterized by its large but thin beak.

USS <i>Waxwing</i> (AM-389) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Waxwing (AM-389) 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. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the waxwing, any of several American and Asiatic songbirds which are for the most part brown and are characterized by predominant crests and velvety plumage.

USS <i>Shoveler</i> (AM-382) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

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.

USS <i>Towhee</i> (AM-388) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

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 <i>Sprig</i> (AM-384) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Sprig (AM-384) 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 Pochard (AM-375) 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 <i>Staff</i> (AM-114) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Staff (AM-114) 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 <i>Strive</i> (AM-117) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Strive (AM-117) 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 <i>Steady</i> (AM-118) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Steady (AM-118) 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 <i>Sustain</i> (AM-119) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Sustain (AM-119) 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 <i>Threat</i> (AM-124) Minesweeper in the United States Navy

USS Threat (AM-124) 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 Token (AM-126) 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 Strategy (AM-308) was a steel-hulled Admirable-class minesweeper built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She had a courageous and adventurous life in clearing minefields in areas controlled by Japanese forces. She survived attacks by Japanese gunfire and planes, and won four battle stars for her service under battle conditions.

USS Staunch (AM-307) was a steel-hulled Admirable-class minesweeper built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her crew was quickly trained in the art of minesweeping and then sent to the Pacific Ocean to clear dangerous mine fields so that Allied troops could land on Japanese-held beaches. Because of her courageous work under fire, she was awarded four battle stars.

USS Ransom (AM-283) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was awarded three battle stars for service in the Pacific during World War II. She was decommissioned in March 1947 and placed in reserve. Although she did not see service in the war zone, Ransom was recommissioned in March 1951 during the Korean War and remained in commission until September 1953, when she was placed in reserve again. While she remained in reserve, Ransom was reclassified as MSF-283 in February 1955 but never reactivated. In 1962 she was sold to the Mexican Navy and renamed ARM DM-12. In 1994 she was renamed ARM Teniente Juan de la Barrera (C55). She was stricken in 2000, but her ultimate fate is not reported in secondary sources.

References