Allied Warships

USS Towhee (AM 388)

Minesweeper of the Auk class

NavyThe US Navy
TypeMinesweeper
ClassAuk 
PennantAM 388 
Built byAmerican Shipbuilding Co. (Lorain, Ohio, U.S.A.) 
Ordered3 Aug 1943 
Laid down21 Mar 1944 
Launched6 Jan 1945 
Commissioned18 May 1945 
End service30 Apr 1969 
History

Decommissioned in March 1954 at Orange, Texas
Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Orange Group
Redesignated a Fleet Minesweeper (Steel-hulled) (MSF-388) on 7 February 1955
Converted to a Survey Ship at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and recommissioned as USS Towhee (AGS-28) on 1 April 1964
Decommissioned on 30 April 1969
Custody transferred to Inactive Ship Facility, Vallejo, California
Struck from the Naval Register 1 May 1969
Sold for scrapping to Learner Co., Oakland, California 6 March 1970.

 

Commands listed for USS Towhee (AM 388)

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and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Lt. Howard Leslie Rich, Jr., USN18 May 194518 Aug 1945 (1)

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Notable events involving Towhee include:


Was flagship for minesweeping operation between Sasebo, Japan and island of Tsu Shima involving 8 American and 8 Japanese minesweepers under command of an American Commodore. Based at Sasebo Feb., Mar., and April , 1946. Returned to U.S. (Charleston, SC Navy Yard) via Eniwetok, Pearl Harbor, and Panama Canal May 1946 under Capt. Henning. (2)

Sources

  1. http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/mine/am388.htm
  2. Personal communication

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