USS Waxwing

History
United States
Name	USS Waxwing (AM-389)
Namesake	waxwing
Builder	American Ship Building Company, Lorain, Ohio
Laid down	24 May 1944
Launched	10 March 1945
Commissioned	6 August 1945
Decommissioned	12 May 1947
Recommissioned	19 March 1952
Reclassified	MSF-389, 1955
Decommissioned	15 January 1957
Fate	Transferred to Republic of China, 14 October 1965
History
Taiwan
Name	ROCS Chu Yung (PCE-67) 居庸
Acquired	14 October 1965
Decommissioned	16 February 1998
Fate	Sunk as fish reef (24-30.543N,121-51.516E)
General characteristics
Class and type	Auk-class minesweeper
Displacement	890 long tons (904 t)
Length	221 ft 3 in (67.44 m)
Beam	32 ft (9.8 m)
Draft	10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	100 officers and enlisted
Armament	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun; 2 × 40 mm guns; 2 × 20 mm guns; 2 × Depth charge tracks;

USS Waxwing (AM-389) was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the waxwing, any of several American and Asiatic songbirds which are for the most part brown and are characterized by predominant crests and velvety plumage.

Waxwing was laid down on 24 May 1944 by the American Ship Building Company, Lorain, Ohio; launched on 10 March 1945; and commissioned on 6 August 1945.

Service history

Post-World War II

Commissioned a little over a week before

Saint Lawrence River; stopped at Quebec; and then continued on to the Atlantic Ocean. The minesweeper was fitted out at Boston, Massachusetts, and then conducted shakedown in nearby waters. On 28 September, she arrived at the Norfolk, Virginia

, operating area to prepare for service in the Pacific Fleet.

Waxwing transited the

Pacific Reserve Fleet

.

Korean War

Following the outbreak of

Yokosuka, Japan. These operations continued until 9 June 1953 when the ship sailed for home. She reached Long Beach, California

, on 8 July 1953.

Pacific Fleet

From 20 August to 28 October 1953, Waxwing underwent an overhaul at the

Washington's Birthday at San Francisco, California, then spent the remainder of February and half of March engaged in "Pactraex 54R", a full-scale invasion exercise conducted in the Santa Cruz Channel and the coastal area from Santa Cruz to Long Beach, California

, which utilized nearly all types of ships and aircraft.

The ship then prepared for

United States Air Force plane and returned with six of its survivors on board. Waxwing completed her tour of duty in the Far East

on 3 November 1954; departed Sasebo bound for home; and arrived at Long Beach on 24 November.

Shortly after returning, the minesweeper served as a salvage ship for divers examining the wreckage of an experimental jet plane that had crashed off

San Diego and underwent three weeks of intensive training under simulated battle conditions followed by a visit to Astoria, Oregon, from 18 to 29 August for participation in the sesquicentennial celebration of the arrival of the Lewis and Clark Expedition at the mouth of the Columbia River. For the remainder of the year and through February 1956, Waxwing conducted local operations along the California

coast. In 1955, Waxwing was re-designated as a fleet minesweeper, MSF-389.

On 1 March 1956, Waxwing set course for the western

South Pacific Ocean. She returned to Long Beach, California, on 9 October 1956 and prepared to become part of the "mothball" fleet at Astoria, Oregon

.