History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Builder | Higgins, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana |
Laid down | 22 May 1952 |
Launched | 6 June 1953 |
Commissioned | 22 June 1954 |
Decommissioned | 30 June 1993 |
Reclassified | MSO-441 on 7 February 1955 |
Stricken | 9 March 1994 |
Homeport | Charleston, South Carolina |
Fate | Scrapped, 2000 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Aggressive-class minesweeper |
Displacement | 620 tons |
Length | 172 ft (52.43 m) |
Beam | 36 ft (10.97 m) |
Draught | 10 ft (3.05 m) |
Propulsion | Four Packard ID1700 diesel engines, two shafts, two controllable pitch propellers |
Speed | 16 knots |
Complement | 74 |
Armament | one 40 mm mount |
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.
The second ship to be named Exultant by the Navy, AM-441 was launched 6 June 1953 by Higgins, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana; sponsored by Miss A. Brooks, and commissioned 22 June 1954. She was reclassified MSO-441 on 7 February 1955.
Exultant first tied up at Charleston, South Carolina, her home port and headquarters for the Mine Force, Atlantic Fleet, 23 July 1954. Along with the coastwise training operations vital to maintaining her readiness, she cruised to the Mediterranean to serve with the U.S. 6th Fleet in 1955, 1957–1958, and 1959-1960 & 1963. During all of these tours of duty, she exercised with ships of other NATO navies, joined in fleet operations, and visited a large variety of Mediterranean ports.
In both 1956 and 1957, Exultant spent a month in northern waters, in 1956 exercising with minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and in 1957, participating in cold weather sweeping operations out of Argentia, Newfoundland. Her other activities through July 1960 included fleet operations in the Caribbean, as well as individual training there, amphibious exercises on the beaches of North Carolina, and participation in experimental operations in the development of mine warfare.
On 12 August 1960, while underway off the U.S. East Coast, Exultant suffered extensive interior damage from a flash fire in her engineering spaces. Valiant performance of duty by the minesweeper's damage control parties, and gallant help from USS Nimble (MSO-459) extinguished the flames and enabled Exultant to return safely to port. Five of Exultant's crew lost their lives in the blaze.
Exultant decommissioned 30 June 1993 and was stricken from the Navy list on 9 March 1994. Exultant was sold for scrapping in 2000.
USS Vital (AM-474/MSO-474) was an Agile-class minesweeper in service with the United States Navy from 1955 to 1972. She was sold for scrap in 1979.
USS Bold (MSO-424) 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 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 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.
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 Pinnacle (AM-462/MSO-462) 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 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 Dominant (MSO-431) was an Agile-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy.
USS Energy (AM-436/MSO-436) 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 Esteem (AM-438/MSO-438) 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 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 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 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 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.
USS Alacrity (AM-520/MSO-520) was an Ability-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.