. The other two USS Adams that have existed were named after the second president.
Adams was
launched on 23 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Maude Ryan Adams, the widow of Lieutenant Adams. Adams was commissioned at Boston
, Massachusetts, on 10 October 1944.
Service history
World War II
After fitting out there, she embarked upon her shakedown cruise on 1 November. That cruise, which took her to Bermuda waters, lasted for the entire month. On 29 November, she headed back toward the United States and arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, on 3 December. Following post-shakedown availability in the navy yard there, she put to sea on 11 December with Shea, bound for New York City and a rendezvous with Bennington. The two destroyer minelayers departed New York with the aircraft carrier on 15 December and set a course for the Panama Canal. The three warships transited the canal on 20 December and, on 22 December, headed for the California coast. They arrived at San Diego on 29 December and remained there two days undergoing repairs. On New Year's Day 1945, they got underway again, headed for Oahu, and they arrived in Pearl Harbor six days later.
For almost two months, Adams remained in the Hawaiian operating area. During that time, she acted as plane guard for
Pearl Harbor Navy Yard—once for the installation of VF radar equipment and again to have her main deck plating strengthened. Early in February, she laid mines
and tested mine detection equipment on them. Later, the warship conducted mine laying exercises. She finished out her tour of duty in the Hawaii area late in February with another plane guard mission with Bataan.
The destroyer minelayer stood out of Pearl Harbor on 2 March, bound for the western Pacific. She arrived in
minesweepers
doing the actual sweeping.
Those operations continued over the next few days in spite of Japanese air resistance. During that time, she was attacked by at least twelve different planes. She confirmed six kills and claimed probable kills of two others. On 28 March, one of those attackers splashed about 25 ft (7.6 m) from her port bow showering her with debris and gasoline.
She sustained damage in a collision with a
Kerama Retto for emergency repairs. On 1 April, while she was operating to the southeast of Kerama Retto, a badly damaged Japanese plane splashed close aboard her stern; and what must have been two bombs exploded under her fantail causing severe damage and jamming her rudders at hard right. While she steamed in righthand circles, two more kamikaze planes swooped in at her. Adams destroyed one while the other succumbed to the antiaircraft battery on Mullany, the ship dispatched to assist Adams. Later, Adams was towed into Kerama Retto to begin temporary repairs alongside Endymion
.
Adams departed Kerama Retto on 7 April, bound ultimately for the United States and permanent repairs. She made stops at
Santa Catalina, CA
and entered port at San Diego on 10 July. After brief post-repair shakedown training and inspections, the destroyer minelayer stood out of San Diego on 17 July on her way back to Hawaii. She arrived at Oahu on 23 July and spent the next 11 days in gunnery exercises—both antiaircraft and shore bombardment—in the Hawaiian operating area.
On 4 August, she and
Eniwetok Atoll where they picked up Sitka. They escorted the attack transport to the Marianas and arrived at Guam
on 15 August, the day hostilities ceased.
Post war
The following day, she got underway for Okinawa, arrived in
Kyūshū, on 3 September and began sweeping a channel into the port. That operation continued until 9 September at which time she headed back toward Okinawa. She reached Buckner Bay on 11 September and re mained at anchor until 16 September. On that day, she put to sea to evade a typhoon
but returned to port on 18 September.
She departed Okinawa again on 24 September, headed for Japan, and arrived in
Sasebo
where she arrived two days later. She stayed there through most of November provisioning units preparing to return home.
On 25 November, Adams left Sasebo to voyage to Kiirun,
Yangtze River on 21 December. Adams remained at Shanghai until 3 January 1946. Between 3 and 6 January, the warship voyaged back, to Sasebo where she rejoined the 5th Fleet
.
Adams continued similar duty in Far Eastern waters until early April when she headed back to the United States. Upon her arrival home, she was assigned to the
Pacific Reserve Fleet. She remained in reserve for almost 23 years. On 7 February 1955, while still in reserve, she was redesignated a fast minelayer MMD-27. Her name was finally struck from the Navy List on 1 December 1970, and she was sold to Chow's Iron & Steel Company
United States
United States Navy
