USS Pledge (MSO-492)

Last updated
USS Pledge (MSO-492) underway at sea (L45-230.04.01).jpg
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Pledge (MSO-492)
Laid down24 June 1954
Launched20 July 1955
Commissioned20 April 1956
Decommissioned31 January 1994
Stricken31 January 1994
Homeport Long Beach, California
FateSold to the Republic of China, 9 September 1994
Flag of the Republic of China.svgTaiwan
NameROCS Yung Teh (MSO-1309)
Acquired9 September 1994
Commissioned1 March 1995
Decommissioned16 March 2021
General characteristics
Displacement775 tons (full load)
Length172 ft (52 m)
Beam36 ft (11 m)
Draught10 ft (3.0 m)
Speed15 knots
Complement74
Armamentone 40 mm mount

USS Pledge (MSO-492) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy.

Contents

The second ship to be named Pledge by the Navy, MSO-492, a minesweeper, was laid down on 24 June 1954 by the J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington, launched 20 July 1955, sponsored by Mrs. T. F. Uitsch, and commissioned 20 April 1956.

West Coast operations

After sea trials, Pledge joined her sister ships at Long Beach, California, 25 May 1956. Following training from July 1956 to February 1957 she operated in WESTPAC March to September 1957. She underwent modification from October 1957 to March 1958. In May-June of 1958 the Pledge participated in training exercises with Canadian minesweepers off the coast of Vancouver Island near Cook Inlet. September of 1959 the Pledge and the other four ships in her division (the Esteem, Gallant and two others) again deployed to Sasebo Japan. Enroute, carrying the division doctor, the Pledge was detached to rendezvous with a submarine where a high line transfer of the doctor was completed (and returned after diagnosing a submariner with appendicitis).

Vietnam operations

USS Pledge (MSO-492) underway off Vietnam in October 1967 USS Pledge (MSO-492) underway off Vietnam in October 1967.jpg
USS Pledge (MSO-492) underway off Vietnam in October 1967

Deployed to WESTPAC 24 August 1961, she visited Bangkok, Thailand, in November, and Saigon, Vietnam, in December. In early 1962 she participated in special training operations at Da Nang, Vietnam until her departure 17 February. Her deployment to WESTPAC, 12 August 1963 included exercises with South Korean ships in October and Nationalist Chinese ships in November. On her next assignment to WESTPAC, 13 August 1965, She performed coastal surveillance duties off the Republic of Vietnam from 18 October to 16 November 1965 and from 18 December into early 1966.

Into 1970 Pledge remained active with the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Decommissioning

Decommissioned and stricken 31 January 1994, Pledge was sold to Taiwan on 8 March of that year.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Gallant</i> (MSO-489) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Gallant (MSO-489), an Aggressive-class minesweeper, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named Gallant. The ship served in the US Navy from 1954 until 1994, when it was sold to Taiwan under the Security Assistance Program and renamed to Yung Ku.

Mine Squadron 7, is the designation for a United States Navy minelaying and retrieval command and unit. COMINRON SEVEN was assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet from some time before 1943 until the unit's decommissioning in 1968. The word Commander in the unit's nomenclature refers both the entire unit, the headquarters section, and to the actual commanding officer.

USS <i>Lucid</i> (MSO-458) Aggressive-class minesweeper

USS Lucid (AM-458/MSO-458) is an Aggressive-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing naval mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships. She was launched soon after the Korean War, sailed on five Western Pacific (Westpac) cruises and served four tours in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Lucid was decommissioned at the end of 1970 and placed in mothballs after only 15 years of service, as the Vietnam War was winding down and there was no longer a need for a large fleet of minesweepers. She was purchased by civilians and served as a houseboat for ten years, before being sold again in 1986 and used as a warehouse by a scrap metal dealer on Bradford Island, in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. The scrap metal dealer was murdered in 2004 over a property dispute, and in 2005, Lucid was acquired by a foundation seeking to save a ship of its class. In 2011, the ship was moved to the Stockton Maritime Museum to be restored for use as a museum ship. Lucid is the last Aggressive-class minesweeper afloat in the United States.

USS Swerve (AM-495/MSO-495) 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 <i>Acme</i> (MSO-508) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Acme (MSO-508) was an Acme-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.

USS <i>Firm</i> (AM-444) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Firm (AM-444/MSO-444) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper in the United States Navy.

USS <i>Bold</i> (AM-424) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Bold (MSO-424) was an Agile-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of clearing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.

USS <i>Force</i> (AM-445) Lost American mine-sweeping warship

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 <i>Valor</i> (AM-472) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

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 <i>Dominant</i> (AM-431) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Dominant (MSO-431) was an Agile-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy.

USS <i>Fortify</i> (AM-446) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Fortify (AM-446/MSO-446) was an Agile-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing Contact, Magnetic, and Acoustic mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.

USS <i>Illusive</i> (AM-448) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Illusive (AM-448/MSO-448) 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 <i>Implicit</i> (AM-455) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Implicit (AM-455/MSO-455) 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 <i>Inflict</i> (AM-456) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Inflict (AM-456/MSO-456) 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 <i>Notable</i> (MSO-460) U.S. Navy minesweeper

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 <i>Observer</i> (MSO-461) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Observer (AM-461/MSO-461) 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 <i>Pluck</i> (MSO-464) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Pluck (AM-464/MSO-464) 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 <i>Reaper</i> (MSO-467) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Reaper (MSO-467) 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 <i>Leader</i> (MSO-490) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

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 (AM-493/MSO-493) 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.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.