USSScurry(AM-304)

History
United States
Name	USSSkurry
Builder	Associated Shipbuilders
Laid down	24 May 1943
Launched	1 October 1943
Commissioned	29 July 1944
Decommissioned	22 June 1946
Renamed	USSScurry,3 August 1944
Reclassified	MSF-304, 7 February 1955
Stricken	1 May 1967
Fate	Sunk as a target off theVirginia Capes,14 August 1967
General characteristics
Class and type	Admirable-classminesweeper
Displacement	650 tons 945 tons (full load)
Length	184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Draft	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion	2 ×Cooper BessemerGSB-8diesel engines,1,710 shp (1,280 kW) National SupplyCo.single reduction gear 2shafts
Speed	14.8 knots (27.4 km/h)
Complement	104
Armament	1 ×3 "/50 caliber gun 1 × twinBofors 40 mm guns 6 ×Oerlikon 20 mm cannons 1 ×Hedgehoganti-submarine mortar 4 ×Depth chargeprojectors (K-guns) 2 × Depth charge tracks
Service record
Part of:	US Pacific Fleet(1944-1946) Atlantic Reserve Fleet(1946-1967)
Operations:	Battle of Iwo Jima Battle of Okinawa
Awards:	4Battle stars

USSScurry(AM-304)was a steel-hulledAdmirable-classminesweeperconstructed for theU.S. NavyduringWorld War II.She was crewed by sailors who were trained inminesweeping,and quickly sent to the Pacific Ocean to clearminefieldsso thatAlliedforces could invadeJapanese-held beaches. For this dangerous work, often under enemy fire, she was awarded four battle stars.

She waslaid downon 24 May 1943 byAssociated Shipbuilders,Seattleandlaunchedon 1 October 1943; sponsored by Miss Winette DeLaye. The minesweeper wascommissionedon 29 July 1944. The spelling of her name was changed fromSkurrytoScurryon 3 August 1944.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

Followingshakedownbetween 15 August and 19 September 1944,Scurrydeparted the west coast on 1 October escorting aconvoytoEniwetok.After arriving there on 3 November,Scurryescorted convoys in the vicinity of Eniwetok andManusuntil returning toPearl Harboron 13 December. Between 31 December 1944 and 18 January 1945, the ship underwent two six-day periods of minesweeping training offMaui.

Supporting the Invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa

She sailed on 22 January to support the landings atIwo Jima.Arriving there three days before the assault she swept the assault and transport areas in preparation for the larger ships. Departing Iwo Jima on 3 March, the ship arrived offOkinawaon 25 March and carried out a week of preparatory sweeps before the landings there. She remained off Okinawa until 8 July, sweepingminesand maintainingantisubmarinepatrols around the transports. The minesweeper underwent overhaul atLeyte,Philippines,from 13 July to 17 August and, after escorting aconvoyto Okinawa, sailed from there on 30 August to clear minefields off Japan.

End-of-War Pacific Theater operations

Scurryswept mines in theYellow Seabetween 1 and 7 September, and then helped to sweep the approaches toSaseboandNagasaki,Japan. She was one of the last American ships to enter these ports after the war. Between 17 and 26 September, she acted as pilot vessel at Nagasaki for transports repatriating Alliedprisoners of war.She then returned to mine clearance operations, sweeping in theKorea Straituntil sailing from Sasebo for the United States on 10 December.

Post-war decommissioning

The minesweeper arrived atOrange, Texas,on 24 April 1946, and wasdecommissionedand placed in reserve there on 29 June 1946.

Scurrywas reclassified MSF-304 on 7 February 1955. She was struck from theNaval Vessel Registeron 1 May 1967 and converted into a salvage training hulk for use by the U.S. Navy atNorfolk, Virginia.Used as a test targetScurrywas sunk off theVirginia Capeson 14 August 1967.

Awards

Scurryreceived 4battle starsfor her World War II service.

References

This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

External links

• NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive -Scurry(MSF 304) - ex-Scurry(AM 304) - ex-Skurry(AM 304)