USSObstructor
History | |
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Name | USSObstructor(ACM-7) |
Builder | Marietta Manufacturing Company, Point Pleasant, West Virginia |
Laid down | as USAMP1st Lt. William G. Sylvester(MP-5) for theU.S. Army |
Acquired | 4 January 1945 |
Commissioned | 1 April 1945 |
Decommissioned | 28 June 1946 |
Renamed | Obstructor,19 January 1945 |
Stricken | 19 July 1946 |
Fate |
|
Notes | Transferred to Seattle, 12 April 1968 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Chimo-classminelayer |
Displacement | 880 long tons (894 t) |
Length | 188 ft 2 in (57.35 m) |
Beam | 37 ft (11 m) |
Draft | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) |
Speed | 12.5knots(23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) |
Complement | 69 |
Armament | 1 ×40 mmgun |
USSObstructor(ACM-7)was aChimo-classminelayerin theUnited States NavyduringWorld War II.
Built by theMarietta Manufacturing CompanyinPoint Pleasant, West Virginia,as a U.S. Army mine planter, USAMP1st Lt. William G. Sylvester(MP-5)was delivered in December 1942[1]to the U.S. ArmyCoast Artillery Corps,Mine Planter Service.She was named for the first coast artillery officer killed (atHickam Field,Hawaii, on 7 December 1941)[2]in action in World War II.Sylvester'sembarked crew, designated, in Army terminology as the 12th Coast Artillery Mine Planter Battery, was implemented in November 1942 stationed atFort Miles,Delaware.[3]
The ship was transferred to the Navy on 4 January 1945. She was renamedObstructoron 19 January 1945, converted at theCharleston Navy Yardand commissioned on 1 April 1945.
After transfer to theUnited States Coast Guardin 1946 the ship was commissioned 1 February 1947 asUSCGCHeatheruntil 15 December 1967.
U.S. Navy service history
[edit]Pacific Theatre operations
[edit]Following shakedown inChesapeake Bay,Obstructor,a minesweep gear and repair ship, loaded gear and other supplies atNorfolk, Virginia,and sailed on 11 June 1945 for thePanama Canal.Transiting the canal on 21 June 1945, she proceeded up the coast to San Diego. There at the end of the war, she sailed for the Far East on 18 August 1945. Steaming via theMarshallsand theMarianas,she arrived atManilaand reported for duty with MinRon 106 on 8 October 1945. On 17 October 1945 she got underway forHaiphong,arriving and joiningtask unitTU 74.4 on 22 October 1945. Assuming duties asflagship,MinRon 106, the same day,Obstructorserved as a minesweeper tender for that task unit as it operated off Haiphong harbor, the island ofHainanand off Chinese ports during the next six months.
Decommissioning
[edit]In early May 1946, she sailed east en route back to the United States. Arriving at San Francisco on 15 June 1946, she was decommissioned and was transferred to theU.S. Coast Guardon 28 June 1946 and was struck from theNavy Liston 19 July 1946.
U.S. Coast Guard service history
[edit]The second tender namedHeather;one of the five Chimo-Class Army minelayers acquired by the U.S. Coast Guard, was commissioned in service with the Coast Guard on 1 February 1947. USCGCHeather(WAGL / WLB-331) was stationed atMobile, Alabamaand was assigned to tendAids to Navigation (ATON)and conductSearch and Rescue (SAR)operations as needed. She served out of Mobile until 5 December 1949.
On 23 July 1949 she assisted a sinking barge offIsle aux Herbes (Alabama). On 6 December 1949 she began operations out ofSan Pedro, Los Angeles.In addition to tending ATON, she participated in numerous SAR operations as well as other duties.
On 9 February 1953 she escorted the M/VGreece VictoryintoSan Francisco,California. On 23 April 1956 she escorted the P/CAvalonto San Pedro, California. From May to June 1957 she patrolled outboard races inLos Angeles harbor.
On 19 July 1960Heatherassisted following a deadly collision offNewport Beach, Californiabetween theUSSAmmen(DD-527)andUSSCollett(DD-730)asAmmenwas in transit betweenSeal BeachandSan Diego,California.[4][5]
From 15 to 16 March 1961 she rescued the Greek M/VDominatoroff Palos Verdes Point, California and transported survivors to San Pedro. On 19 May 1961 she assisted in raising the sunkenCG-40453.On 22 May 1966 she salvaged a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter that had crashed 96 miles off San Diego, California.
After 3 years of U.S. Army, 1 year of U.S. Navy and 20 years of U.S. Coast Guard service Heatherwas finally decommissioned on 15 December 1967 and transferred to Seattle, Washington on 12 April 1968.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^T. Colton."U.S. Army Mine Craft".Shipbuilding History.Archived fromthe originalon 23 June 2013.Retrieved23 January2012.
- ^U.S. National Park Service."U.S. National Park Service – World War II Valor in the Pacific – U.S. Army Casualties".Retrieved23 January2012.
- ^FortMiles.org."Principle Armament – Mine Field".FortMiles.org. Archived fromthe originalon 27 February 2012.Retrieved23 January2012.
- ^Naval History And Heritage Command (16 June 2015)."Ammen II (DD-527)".Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.Naval History And Heritage Command.Retrieved10 March2020.
- ^Naval History And Heritage Command (30 June 2015)."Collett (DD-730)".Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.Naval History And Heritage Command.Retrieved10 March2020.
- ^U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office."USCG History –Heather(WABL / WLB-331) "(PDF).Cutter History File.U.S. Coast Guard.Retrieved19 October2015.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.