USS Gadwall

USS Gadwall (AM-362) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was built to clear minefields in offshore waters.

History
United States
Name	USS Gadwall
Builder	Willamette Iron and Steel Works
Laid down	24 May 1943
Launched	15 July 1943
Commissioned	23 June 1945
Decommissioned	14 June 1946
Reclassified	MSF-362, 7 February 1955
Stricken	1 November 1966
Fate	Sold for scrap, 10 April 1967
General characteristics
Class & type	Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement	650 tons
Length	184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Draft	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion	2 × ALCO 539 diesel engines, 1,710 shp (1.3 MW) Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear 2 shafts
Speed	14.8 knots (27.4 km/h)
Complement	104
Armament	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun DP 2 × twin Bofors 40 mm guns 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar 2 × Depth charge tracks
Service record
Part of:	US Pacific Fleet (1945-1946) Atlantic Reserve Fleet (1946-1966)

Gadwall was launched 15 July 1943 by Willamette Iron and Steel Works, Portland, Oregon; sponsored by Mrs. Charles McNary; and commissioned 23 June 1945.

End-of-war Pacific Theatre activity

Gadwall departed Astoria, Oregon, 11 July 1945 for shakedown training out of San Pedro, Los Angeles, followed by mine warfare exercises and amphibious maneuvers with fleet units off the California bases of Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Newport Beach.

Post-war inactivation and decommissioning

On 7 December 1945 she put to sea from San Diego for inactivation overhaul at New Orleans, Louisiana, until 11 April 1946. She then shifted to Orange, Texas, where she decommissioned 14 June 1946 and was assigned to the Texas Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

She was reclassified MSF-362 on 7 February 1955 and she remained in reserve berthed at Orange, Texas, until struck from the Navy List 1 November 1966. Gadwall was stripped and designated for sale 10 April 1967.

References

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

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Gadwall at NavSource Naval History