USS Redhead (AMS-34)

History
United States
Ordered	as USS YMS-443
Laid down	21 October 1943
Launched	5 May 1944
Commissioned	15 December 1944
Decommissioned	6 December 1957
Stricken	1 November 1959
Fate	fate unknown
General characteristics
Displacement	320 tons
Length	136 ft (41 m)
Beam	24 ft 6 in (7.47 m)
Draught	10 ft (3.0 m)
Speed	13 knots
Complement	34
Armament	one machine guns, two depth charge tracks

USS Redhead (AMS-34/YMS-443) was a

Redhead duck

.

History

YMS-443 was laid down 21 October 1943 by the Hiltebrant Dry Dock Co., Kingston, New York; launched 5 May 1944; and commissioned 15 December 1944.

World War II service

Following

Hiro Wan areas until 12 February 1946 when, with a crew of men eligible for discharge, she departed Kobe

for the United States.

Arriving at

Chichi Jima, and Yokosuka

.

Korean War service

Remaining in Japanese waters throughout 1948, 1949, and into 1950, Redhead steamed for Korea on 12 July 1950 to help defend South Korea. A unit of

Mine Division 31, Redhead served in task force

TF 95 and, during the latter part of 1950 and the early months of 1951, operated off both coasts of the Korean Peninsula, sweeping moored mines with "O" type gear, acting as a mine destruction vessel and as a minesweep gear retriever.

Redhead receives the Presidential Unit Citation

Redhead received the

task unit TU 95.61, Redhead assisted in sweeping and buoying a channel 2,000 yards wide and 14 miles in length, to the outer limits of Wonsan Harbor, during which time heavy concentrations of enemy contact mines were swept. On 12 October, after aiding in the clearance of a channel through two heavily mined contact-type minefields, Redhead encountered a third field of extreme density and immediately conducted rescue operations for the survivors of Pirate (AM-275) and Pledge (AM-277)

which had both been sunk by mines. Straddled continually by enemy shore battery fire for approximately a half-hour, Redhead assisted in silencing at least three of the hostile shore batteries and successfully evaded many mines to carry out rescue activities. She then returned to the minesweeping assignment and completed the clearance of an area through "one of the heaviest concentrations of enemy mines ever encountered in naval history."

Varied minesweeping operations in Korean waters

During the latter part of 1951 and the early months of 1952, Redhead's operations took her to Pukhan Suido; Yasu, South Korea; and Wonsan. There, in addition to her "O" type gear, she now streamed the acoustic hammerbox and "open and closed jigs" for use in sweeping acoustic and magnetic minefields, while incidental duties included air-sea rescue, night patrols, and investigation of suspicious fishing vessels and junks, which were often used by the Communists for minelaying.

Clearing mines under enemy fire

From 7 May until 3 June 1952, Redhead penetrated deep into

Songjin during August. Participating in operations off the east coast of Korea, 12 August to 8 September, Redhead dispersed a concentration of enemy sampans by scoring hits on two of the craft in the face of heavy enemy shore battery fire. Then from 12 to 15 October, she led her formation close to the shore at Kojo

, where, under intense enemy fire, they successfully completed their mission.

During 1953 Redhead continued minesweeping and night identification patrol duties off Wonsan, the Yang Do Islands, Cho To, Po Hang, and Daengyong Do.

Post-Korean War operations

Remaining in Korea after the July 1953 truce, Redhead continued to carry out night patrol duties off the eastern coast of Korea into the later summer of 1954. On 1 September 1954, she reported to the

San Francisco, California

, arriving 25 May.

She then proceeded to

Navy list

1 November 1959.

Awards and honors

In addition to receiving the Presidential Unit Citation, Redhead earned three

battle stars

for World War II service and 10 battle stars during the Korean War.

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 Redhead at NavSource Naval History