Chief in 1952 | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name | HMS Alice (BAM-2) |
Builder | General Engineering & Dry Dock Company, Alameda, California |
Laid down | 25 July 1942 |
Launched | 5 January 1943 |
Renamed | USS Chief (AM-315), 23 January 1943 |
Commissioned | 9 October 1943 |
Decommissioned | 17 March 1947 |
Recommissioned | 28 February 1952 |
Reclassified | MSF-315, 7 February 1955 |
Decommissioned | 15 March 1955 |
Stricken | 1 July 1972 |
Honours and awards |
|
Fate | Sold to Mexico, February 1973 |
History | |
Mexico | |
Name | ARM Jesús González Ortega (C83) |
Namesake | Jesús González Ortega |
Acquired | February 1973 |
Reclassified | G15 [1] |
Reclassified | P114, 1993 [1] |
Status | in active service, as of 2007 [update] [1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Auk-class minesweeper |
Displacement | 890 long tons (904 t) |
Length | 221 ft 3 in (67.44 m) |
Beam | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
Draft | 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) |
Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement | 100 officers and enlisted |
Armament |
|
USS Chief (AM-315) 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, and named after the word "chief," the head or leader of a group.
Originally intended for Great Britain, HMS Alice (BAM-2) was launched 5 January 1943 by General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, California; renamed and reclassified USS Chief (AM-315), 23 January 1943; and commissioned 9 October 1943.
Departing San Diego, California, 7 December 1943, Chief joined in exercises in Hawaiian waters until 22 January 1944 when she sailed for Kwajalein. She swept the harbor and joined the antisubmarine patrol until 14 February, when she returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs. Except for a convoy escort voyage to Eniwetok (21 March-15 April), she remained at Pearl Harbor until 29 May.
Joining Task Force TF 52 at Eniwetok, Chief sortied 12 June 1944 for the Marianas operation. Between 15 June and 7 August, she cleared mines for the invasions of Saipan and Tinian, and gave fire support to troops ashore, then had local duty at Saipan. Departing 9 September she escorted cargo ship De Grasse (AP-164) to Pearl Harbor, then continued to San Francisco, California for overhaul.
Returning to Pearl Harbor on 2 January 1945, Chief voyaged to Eniwetok on convoy escort duty, then conducted exercises in Hawaiian waters until clearing for Ulithi, where she arrived 4 March. After receiving new equipment, she sailed for Okinawa on 15 May. From 26 May to 21 August she acted as flagship for the group conducting hydrographic survey of Unten Ko, and developing it as a minecraft typhoon anchorage.
On 8 September Chief put out for Wakayama, Japan, where until 6 October she swept minefields in preparation for the arrival of occupation forces. She also assisted in the salvage of YMS-418 on 28 September. Chief remained on occupation duty at Nagoya and Sasebo, Japan, until 10 March 1946 when she steamed for San Francisco, California, arriving 19 April. She was placed out of commission in reserve 17 March 1947, berthed at San Pedro, California.
Recommissioned 28 February 1952 at Long Beach, Chief conducted training exercises off San Diego, California, until 7 July when she sailed for Sasebo, Japan, arriving 3 August. She operated with Task Force TF 95 around mine-infested Wonsan Harbor and was twice fired on by enemy shore batteries. She returned to Long Beach, California 5 February 1953 for local operations and training.
Her second Korean tour from 5 October 1953 to 2 June 1954 found her patrolling with Task Force TF 95 off both coasts of Korea to preserve the truce. She returned to west coast operations.
On 1 November 1954 Chief was placed in commission in reserve. Reclassified MSF-315 on 7 February 1955, she was placed out of commission in reserve 15 March 1955. Chief was sold to Mexico in February 1973. Renamed ARM Jesús González Ortega (C83), she remained in active service with the Mexican Navy as of 2007 [update] , [1] and was afloat as of 2016. [2]
Chief received five battle stars for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean war service.
USS Defense (AM-317) 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.
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USS Herald (AM-101) 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 Motive (AM-102) was an Auk-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She earned three battle stars for World War II service. She was decommissioned in 1946 and placed in reserve where she remained until struck from the Naval Vessel Register in December 1966. She was sunk as a target in April 1968.
USS Oracle (AM-103) was an Auk-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was commissioned in May 1943 and decommissioned in May 1946. She was placed in reserve and remained there until struck from the Naval Vessel Register in December 1966. She was sunk as a target in 1967.
USS Gladiator (AM-319) 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 Competent (AM-316/MSF-316) was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy. Competent was a U.S. Navy oceangoing minesweeper, named after the word "competent", meaning adequate, capable, or fit.
The second USS Ardent (AM-340) was a Auk-class minesweeper in the United States Navy.
USS Spear (AM-322) 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.
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USS Climax (AM-161) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was built to clear minefields in offshore waters, and served the Navy in the Pacific Ocean.
USS Hilarity (AM-241) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was awarded two battle stars for service in the Pacific during World War II. She was decommissioned in 1946 and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. While she remained in reserve, Hilarity was reclassified as MSF-241 in February 1955 but never reactivated. In October 1962, she was sold to the Mexican Navy and renamed ARM DM-02. She was stricken in 1986 and scrapped in August 1988.
USS Implicit (AM-246) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was built to clear minefields in offshore waters, and served the Navy in the North Atlantic Ocean and then in the Pacific Ocean. She finished the war with two battle stars to her credit.
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USS Silverstein (DE-534) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1958. She was sold for scrapping in 1973.