AMS-27 was laid down as YMS-419 on 17 September 1943 by Henry C. Grebe & Co., Chicago, Illinois; launched 23 March 1944; and commissioned 18 November 1944.
Following her shakedown and training period, YMS-419 was assigned to duty in the western Pacific Ocean. She departed San Pedro, California, 27 August 1945 and 27 October began minesweeping operations off occupied Japan. Until the spring of 1946 she swept shipping channels in the Far East, first off Honshū, then between Kyūshū and Korea, and finally around the approaches to the Yangtze River. She then returned to the United States for an extended stay, during which she was redesignated AMS-27 and named Mockingbird 18 February 1947.
Korean War operations
USS Mockingbird destroying an enemy mine
At the end of 1947, Mockingbird returned to the Far East, joining MinRon 7 in early January 1948. For the next year and a half she operated in Japanese waters, primarily in the Inland Sea area and in the Straits of Shimonoseki June 1950 brought open hostilities to the Far East again as troops from North Korea streamed over the border separating it from the Republic of Korea, formerly an American occupation zone. From 14 to 16 July Mockingbird conducted a check sweep of Hoko Ko, Korea, with her squadron, in preparation for an amphibious landing at Pohang by the 1st Cavalry Division 18 July. After that mission, the squadron made a similar sweep at Chinhai and then returned to Japan.
On 10 September Mockingbird was underway to pave the way for another landing, this time Inchon. As a unit of task force TF 90, she conducted a check sweep of Inchon harbor, and then took station in the outer screen of the antisubmarine patrol. At the end of the month, having been transferred to task force TF 95, she proceeded to Kunsan, where she swept her first mine of the Korean War, and then returned to Sasebo.
She departed on her next combat mission 7 October, arriving off Wonsan on the 10th. Remaining through the 31st, she swept 19 mines and, after the loss of Pirate (AM-275) and Pledge (AM-277) and the hazardous rescue of survivors (12 October), became the flagship of MinDiv 31. This honor allowed her to be the first to penetrate all minefields and channels. In November she sailed north and cleared channels into Hungnam and Songjin before returning to Yokosuka, her homeport, for repairs.
Her availability period cut short by the Hungnam evacuation, Mockingbird returned to Pusan in late December and the following month conducted a "cleanup" sweep of the Korean east coast from the 39th parallel to Pohang to provide easy access to the beaches for the fire support ships of TF 95. She then returned briefly to Japan before resuming operations in the Wonsan area in preparation for a landing by Republic of Korea Marines. She next retired to Pusan where she Joined MinDiv 33 and swept in various ports on the south coast of Korean through March.
For the remainder of the war, Mockingbird alternated between the east and west coasts of Korea, sweeping chant nets and conducting anti-junk patrols from Chinnampo and Haeju, south to Mokpo and around the peninsula to Wonsan, Hungnam, and Songjin. Following the signing of the Truce Agreement, 27 July 1953, Mockingbird became a unit of the escort and blockading forces which remained on patrol off Korea.
In January 1955 she returned to Japan and for the next year conducted operations primarily in the Inland Sea. During that time she was again redesignated, to MSC(O)-27, 7 February 1955.
As YMS-419, the mine sweeper received one battle star for post-World War II sweeping operations in the Pacific; as Mockingbird she received 10 battle stars for Korean service.
Related Research Articles
USS Manchester was a Cleveland-class light cruiser of the United States Navy, which were built during World War II. The class was designed as a development of the earlier Brooklyn-class cruisers, the size of which had been limited by the First London Naval Treaty. The start of the war led to the dissolution of the treaty system, but the dramatic need for new vessels precluded a new design, so the Clevelands used the same hull as their predecessors, but were significantly heavier. The Clevelands carried a main battery of twelve 6-inch (152 mm) guns in four three-gun turrets, along with a secondary armament of twelve 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose guns. They had a top speed of 32.5 knots.
USS Toledo (CA-133) was a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy active during the Korean War.
USS Surfbird (AM-383) was an Auk-class minesweeper built during World War II for the United States Navy. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the surfbird.
USS Seminole (AKA-104/LKA-104) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1970. She was scrapped in 1977.
USS Pledge (AM-277) 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 Atlantic Ocean and then was transferred to the North Pacific Ocean. She survived the world war and was awarded one battle star, but, during the Korean War, she struck a mine and was sunk. She received the Presidential Unit Citation for her Korean service.
USS Ruddy (AM-380) 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. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the North American ruddy duck.
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 Ptarmigan (AM-376) 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 ptarmigan, a grouse with feathered feet, found in northern regions.
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.
USS Heron was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II.
USS Merganser (AMS-26/AMCU-47/MHC-47) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II.
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 Kite was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II.
USS Mainstay (AM-261) 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 Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
USS Lipan (AT-85) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II and the Korean War. She was awarded two battle stars for World War II and four battle stars for the Korean War.
USS Rhea (AMS-52/YMS-299) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent ships from passing.
USS Hummer (AMS-20/YMS-372) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent ships from passing.
USS Osprey (AMS-28/YMS-422) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the third U.S. Navy ship to be named for the osprey.
USS Redhead (AMS-34/YMS-443) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first U.S. Navy ship to be named for the Redhead duck.
↑ "AMS-27 Mockingbird". NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive. NavSource. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
External links
Photo gallery of Mockingbird at NavSource Naval History
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States
South Korea
