USS Harkness (AMCU-12)

	USS Harkness circa 1946
History
United States
Ordered	as YMS-242
Builder	Tacoma Boatbuilding Company
Laid down	1 June 1942
Launched	10 October 1942
Commissioned	27 March 1943
Decommissioned	22 September 1950
In service	5 September 1951
Out of service	2 April 1958
Stricken	1 November 1959
Fate	Sold, 1960; fate unknown
General characteristics
Displacement	245 tons
Length	186 ft (57 m)
Beam	23 ft 4 in (7.11 m)
Draught	8 ft 7 in (2.62 m)
Speed	14 knots
Complement	34
Armament	one machine guns, two depth charge racks, two depth charge tracks

USS Harkness (AMCU-12/YMS-242) was a

U.S. Navy

for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent ships from passing.

Harkness was laid down as YMS-242 by Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, Tacoma, Washington, 1 June 1942; launched 10 October 1942; commissioned 27 March 1943.

Operational history

After

U.S. West Coast

for conversion to a surveying ship.

After conversion by

Okinawa

.

After the end of

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Norfolk, Virginia; and arrived New York

Following overhaul, Harkness departed 25 July for

Vera Cruz, Mexico. Harkness surveyed coastal waters off Labrador and Newfoundland from July to October 1948 and 1949; and survey work continued for the first 5 months of 1950 in the Caribbean between Trinidad and Venezuela. She returned to New York

Harkness was converted to a minehunter by

5th Naval District in October 1953, Harkness again participated in training operations, primarily in the Virginia Capes Operation Area, finally steaming to Newport, Rhode Island

Reclassified MHC-12 on 1 February 1955, she continued her part in numerous mine clearing exercises, in July 1957 even operating in