History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Exploit |
Builder | Higgins Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana |
Laid down | 28 December 1951 |
Launched | 10 April 1953 |
Commissioned | 31 March 1954 |
Decommissioned | 16 December 1993 |
Reclassified | MSO-440 7 February 1955 |
Stricken | 28 March 1994 |
Identification | AM-440 |
Fate | Sold, 4 December 2000 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Aggressive-class minesweeper |
Displacement | 775 tons |
Length | 172 ft (52.43 m) |
Beam | 36 ft (10.97 m) |
Draft | 10 ft (3.05 m) |
Propulsion | 4 × Packard ID1700 diesel engines, replaced by 4 Waukasha Motors Co. diesels, two shafts, two controllable pitch propellers. |
Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
Complement | 70 |
Armament |
|
USS Exploit (MSO-440) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper. The ship was laid down on 28 December 1951 at Higgins Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana and launched on 10 April 1953. The vessel was commissioned USS Exploit (AM-440) on 31 March 1954 and redesignated as an ocean minesweeper MSO-440 on 7 February 1955.
As built the vessel was armed one single 40 mm gun mount on the bow and two .50 caliber machine guns. The ship's final weapons configuration replaced the bow gun with one twin 20 mm gun mount while maintaining the two .50 caliber machine guns.
USS Exploit arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, her home port on 13 March 1955, and began her participation in major fleet exercises, and local and Caribbean Sea training. In 1954, 1957, and 1958, she served with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, participating in exercises and visiting a variety of ports. Her stateside schedule through June 1960 included work in experimental development of mine warfare and defense in Florida waters. On 28 October 1960 USS Exploit again sailed for duty with the U.S. 6th Fleet and remained there through the end of the year.
Exploit was decommissioned on 16 December 1993 and laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Portsmouth, Virginia. The ship was struck from the Naval Register on 28 March 1994 and sold on 4 December 2000 to Baltimore Marine Industries, Baltimore, Maryland, for scrapping.
USS Fearless (AM/MSO-442) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper. She was the third United States Navy ship to carry the name.
USS Direct (AM-430/MSO-430) was an Agile-class minesweeper of the United States Navy. Laid down on 2 February 1952 at the Hiltebrant Dry Dock Co., of Kingston, New York, the ship was launched on 27 May 1953; commissioned on 9 July 1954 by Benjamin H. Dean; and reclassified as an Ocean Minesweeper, MSO-430, 7 February 1955.
USS Excel (MSO-439) was an Agile-class minesweeper: laid down, 9 February 1953 as AM-439 at the Higgins Corp., New Orleans, Louisiana; launched, 25 September 1953; reclassified an Ocean Minesweeper (non-magnetic) MSO-439, 7 February 1955; commissioned USS Excel (MSO-439), 24 February 1955.
USS Fidelity (AM-443/MSO-443) was an Agile-class minesweeper. Laid down on 15 December 1952 at Higgins Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana; launched on 21 August 1953; commissioned on 19 January 1955; redesignated as an Ocean Minesweeper, MSO-443, 7 February 1955.
USS Force (AM-445) was an Agile-class minesweeper. She was laid down 26 August 1952 at J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington, sponsored by Mrs. T. D. Wilson. She was launched 26 June 1953, commissioned 4 January 1955. She was redesignated an Ocean Minesweeper (MSO-445) on 7 February 1955.
USS Valor (AM-472/MSO-472) was an Agile-class minesweeper in service with the United States Navy from 1954 to 1970. She was sold for scrap in 1971.
USS Agile (MSO-421) was an Agile-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 Vigor (AM-473/MSO-473) was an Agile-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 Avenge (MSO-423) was an Agile-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the task of clearing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.
USS Exultant (AM-441/MSO-441) was an Aggressive-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 Nimble (AM-459/MSO-459) was an Agile-class minesweeper in service with the United States Navy from 1955 to 1970. She was sold for scrap in 1981.
USS Notable (AM-460/MSO-460) was an Aggressive-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 Observer (AM-461/MSO-461) was an Agile-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 Rival (AM-468/MSO-468) was an Agile-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 Sagacity (AM-469/MSO-469) was an Agile-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 Leader (AM-490/MSO-490) was an Agile-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 Stalwart (MSO-493) was an Agile-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 Venture (AM-496/MSO-496) was an Aggressive-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 Adroit (AM-509/MSO-509) was an 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 Affray (AM-511/MSO-511) 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.