This is a list of mine warfare vessels of the United States Navy.
Ship status is indicated as either currently active [A] (including ready reserve), inactive [I], or precommissioning [P]. Ships in the inactive category include only ships in the inactive reserve, ships which have been disposed from US service have no listed status. Ships in the precommissioning category include ships under construction or on order.
Historical overview Mine warfare consists of: minelaying, the deployment of explosive naval mines at sea to sink enemy ships or to prevent their access to particular areas; minesweeping, the removal or detonation of naval mines; and degaussing, the process of decreasing or eliminating a remnant magnetic field in a ship's hull to prevent its detection by magnetic mines. The US Navy has operated ships and craft for all three purposes. Mine planting is the laying and maintenance of controlled mines for harbor defense, which was traditionally a role of the US Army.
Classifications Mine warfare ships were originally considered by the US Navy to be either auxiliaries or yard and district craft, and so were given hull classification symbols beginning with either 'A' or 'Y', depending on their capabilities. The exceptions were four converted cargo ships with ID numbers (prior to the modern hull system), certain large 'cruiser' minelayers which were given hull symbols beginning with 'CM', converted destroyers which were given hull symbols beginning with 'DM', and three unclassified civilian cargo ships after World War II.
On 7 February 1955 all of these ships and craft still in service or reserve were reclassed and received new hull symbols beginning with 'M', usually without change of hull number. The exception was the degaussing ships, which retained the 'A' hull symbol.
Modern Littoral Combat Ships use 'L' hull symbols even though they can be used for mine warfare.
Auxiliary minelayers (ACM) All ACMs except USS Buttress and USS Monadnock were originally US Army mine planters.
Chimo class
, later ARC-5
PCE-842 class , ex-PCE-878
Camanche class
Other classes
Degaussing ships (ADG)
USS Lodestone (ADG-8), ex-YDG-8 USS Magnet (ADG-9), ex-YDG-9 USS Deperm (ADG-10), ex-YDG-10 USS Ampere (ADG-11), ex-YDG-11 USS Surfbird (ADG-383), ex-MSF-383
Minesweepers (AM)
, later AVP-1 , later AT-137, ATO-137 , later AT-140, ATO-140 , wrecked Kanaga Island, Alaska 19 February 1938 , sunk by Japanese artillery on Bataan 4 May 1942 , wrecked off Chirikof Island, Alaska 6 June 1923 , later AT-136, ATO-136 , wrecked Point Mosquito Panama 15 December 1925 , sunk in air attack, Corregidor, PI, 10 April 1942
, later AVP-2 , canceled 4 December 1918 , canceled 4 December 1918 , later AT-143, ATO-143 , later AT-145, ATO-145 , scuttled off Corregidor 5 May 1942 , later AT-138, ATO-138 , later YNG-20 , later AVP-3 , later AVP-4 , later AT-131, ATO-131 , later AT-168, ATO-168 , later ASR-1 , later AVP-5 , later ARS-32 , later AT-135, ATO-135 , later AT-139, ATO-139 , later AVP-6 , later ASR-2 , later ARS-2 , later AT-141, ATO-141 , later AT-142, ATO-142 , later ARS-1 , scuttled Guam 8 December 1941 , later AVP-7
, scuttled in Manila Bay, PI following damage from air attack 10 December 1941 , accidentally sank while under tow Hawaii 26 June 1937 , later ARS-3 , later ASR-3 , later AT-133, ATO-133 , later AVP-8 , canceled 4 December 1918 , later AT-134 , later ASR-4 , later ASR-5 , sunk in collision, 24 August 1940 , later ASR-6 , later ARS-4 , canceled 4 December 1918 , canceled 4 December 1918 , later AVP-9 , later AT-144 , later ARS-11 , later ARS-12
The Raven class became Minesweepers, steel hulled (MSF) on 7 February 1955.
, sunk by mine, English Channel, 5 June 1944, 6 killed
The Auk class became Minesweepers, Steel Hulled (MSF) on 7 February 1955.
, later AGS-19 , sunk by mine Okinawa 28 March 1945, 5 killed
, sunk by kamikaze Okinawa 22 April 1945
, later AGS-20 , later AGS-17 , later AGS-18
, sunk in air attack 10 July 1943, several killed
, sunk by torpedo 25 September 1943, 72 killed
, sunk by mine Anzio 9 July 1944
, sunk by mine Normandy 7 June 1944, at least 1 killed
Bullfinch class
Catbird class , later IX-183 , later IX-170
(1940) , later IX-171 , later IX-172
, later IX-166
Goshawk class , ex-AMc-4, later IX-195
Goldcrest class
All ships of this class were built on PC-461 class submarine chaser hulls, were deemed unsatisfactory as minesweepers, and so were converted back into submarine chasers.
, later PC-1586 , later PC-1587 , later PC-1588 , later PC-1589 , later PC-1590 , later PC-1591 , later PC-1592 , later PC-1593 , later PC-1594 , later PC-1595 , later PC-1596 , later PC-1597 , later PC-1598 , later PC-1599 , later PC-1600 , later PC-1601 , later PC-1602 , later PC-1603
All 1945 transfers to the Soviet Union (USSR) occurred under Project Hula. The Admirable class became Minesweepers, steel hulled (MSF) on 7 February 1955. , to USSR 19 July 1945 , to USSR 19 July 1945
, to USSR 19 July 1945 , to USSR 19 July 1945 , to USSR 19 July 1945 , to USSR 19 July 1945
AM-166 through AM-208 – canceled 9 April 1942 AM-209 through AM-213 – canceled 10 April 1942
, to USSR 22 May 1945
– canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944
, to USSR 21 May 1945
– canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944
, museum ship
– canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944
, to USSR 22 May 1945
, to USSR 21 May 1945 , to USSR 21 May 1945 , to USSR 21 May 1945 , to USSR 21 May 1945
, to USSR 21 May 1945
, to USSR 22 May 1945 , to USSR 22 May 1945 , to USSR 22 May 1945
, sunk by mine off Wonsan, Korea, 12 October 1950, 13 missing or killed
, sunk by mine off Wonsan, Korea, 10 October 1950
, to USSR 21 May 1945
– canceled December 1, 1944 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 , sunk by mine off Brunei 8 June 1945
– canceled November 1, 1945
– canceled November 1, 1945
– canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled June 6, 1944 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945 – canceled August 11, 1945
Algerine class (built for the United Kingdom)
These minesweepers were built for the U.K. and redesignated from an AM hull number to a J hull number. Most were returned to the US at the end of Lend-Lease.
and Aggressive class
These classes have considerable overlap; some ships are considered both Agile and Agreessive class. A few more are occasionally considered Dash class. These classes became Minesweepers, ocean (MSO) on 7 February 1955.
AM-450 – to France as AM-451 – to France as then to Uruguay as AM-452 – to France as AM-453 – to France as AM-454 – to France as
AM-475 – to France as AM-476 – to France as AM-477 – to France as AM-478 – to Portugal as AM-479– to Portugal as AM-480 – to the Netherlands as AM-481 – to the Netherlands as AM-482 – to the Netherlands as AM-483 – to the Netherlands as AM-484 – to the Netherlands as AM-485 – to the Netherlands as AM-486 – to Portugal as AM-487 – to Portugal as
AM-498 – to Norway as , then to Belgium as AM-499 – to Norway as , then to Belgium as AM-500 – to France as AM-501 – to France as AM-502 – to France as AM-503 – to Belgium as AM-504 – to Belgium as AM-505 – to France as AM-506 – to Italy as AM-507 – to Italy as AM-512 – to France as AM-513 – to France as AM-514 – to France as AM-515 – to Belgium as AM-516 – to Belgium as AM-517 – to Italy as AM-518 – to Italy as
Accentor or Acme class
The Acme class became Minesweepers, ocean (MSO) on 7 February 1955.
Ability class
The Ability class became Minesweepers, Ocean (MSO) on 7 February 1955.
Other/unknown class
, later IX-165
, later Agate (PYc-4) , later Captor (PYc-40), a Q-ship (armed decoy) – built for U.K. December 22, 1943 AM-342 through AM-350 – hull numbers not used – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945 – canceled November 1, 1945
Auxiliary base minesweepers (AMb) USS Raymonde (AMb-17), later YP-375, IX-199"Barcelo (IX-199)"
Coastal minesweepers (AMc) Pipit class
Goshawk class , later AM-79
Chatterer class
Grosbeak class
Crow class , sunk during torpedo training session, Puget Sound, 23 August 1943
Egret class , later IX-181
Frigate Bird class
Reedbird class
Firecrest class
, later IX-230
, later YTD-4
, wrecked by Typhoon Louise Okinawa October 1945 , later IX-202
, later IX-231 , later IX-232
, sunk in collision Buzzards Bay 29 June 1944, 7 killed
Agile class , later IX-203
Acme class
Admirable class
PCS-1376 class
The PCS-1376 class of coastal minesweepers were originally Patrol Craft Sweepers (PCS) which lacked minesweeping gear. They were built on 134-foot hulls and then converted into sonar school ships or back into minesweepers. , ex-PCS-1466 , ex-PCS-1465, later AMCU-14
Other/unknown classes
Many coastal minesweepers were civilian ships purchased by the US Navy and then converted for use as minesweeper ships. Among them are various designs and makes of yachts, fishing vessels, and other ships.
, later IX-175
, sunk in collision 3 June 1942
, sunk in collision 30 June 1942
, later IX-194 , later IX-180 , later YDT-6 , later YDT-7
, later YN-53
, later IX-176
, ex-YP-150, later IX-177
AMc-202, later YP-389
Coastal minesweepers (Underwater locator) (AMCU) On 7 February 1955, all AMCU's were redesignated as Coastal minehunters (MHC). Hull numbers were not changed.
AMCU-7 class
All AMCU-7 class minesweepers were conversions of Landing Craft Infantry (LCI).
, ex-LCI-589 , ex-LCI-400 , ex-LCI-409 , ex-LCI-513 , ex-LCI-514 , ex-LCI-652, conversion canceled , ex-LCI-653 USS Blue Jay (AMCU-17), ex-LCI-654, not commissioned USS Chaffinch (AMCU-18), ex-LCI-694, not commissioned USS Chewink (AMCU-19), ex-LCI-701, not commissioned USS Chimango (AMCU-20), ex-LCI-703, not commissioned , ex-LCI-709 USS Cotinga (AMCU-22), ex-LCI-776, not commissioned USS Dunlin (AMCU-23), ex-LCI-777, conversion canceled , ex-LCI-869 , ex-LCI-870 , ex-LCI-874 USS Killdeer (AMCU-27), ex-LCI-883, conversion canceled , ex-LCI-884 USS Magpie (AMCU-29), ex-LCI-944, not commissioned , ex-LCI-963, not commissioned USS Medrick (AMCU-31), ex-LCI-966, conversion canceled USS Minivet (AMCU-32), ex-LCI-969, conversion canceled , ex-LCI-973 , ex-LCI-976 , ex-LCI-982 , ex-LCI-1001, conversion canceled , ex-LCI-1022 , ex-LCI-1008 , ex-LCI-1052, not commissioned USS Shearwater (AMCU-40), ex-LCI-882, conversion canceled , ex-LCI-1093 , ex-LCI-1098
YMS-1 class
, ex-YMS-242, AGS-12, AGSC-12 , ex-YMS-262, AGS-13, AGSC-13 , ex-YMS-324, AMS-16 , ex-YMS-417, AMS-26 , ex-YMS-443, AMS-34 , ex-PCS-1393, YMS-446, AMS-35 , ex-PCS-1456, YMS-479, AMS-39
PCS-1376 class , ex-PCS-1465, AMc-204
Other/unknown classes
Ocean minesweepers (AMS) YMS-1 class