USS Lapwing (AMS-48)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Lapwing.

300px Right to left: Tutuila (ARG 4), Peregrine (AM 373), Fulmar (AMS 47), Hawk (AMS 17), Lapwing, and Cardinal (AMS 4)
Career (United States)
Name:	USS YMS-268
Builder:	Kruse & Banks Shipbuilding Co. North Bend, Oregon
Laid down:	1 December 1942
Launched:	15 April 1943
Sponsored by:	Mrs. J. H. Granger
Commissioned:	31 July 1943
Decommissioned:	1 November 1946
In service:	1 November 1946, Naval Reserve training ship
Renamed:	USS Lapwing (AMS-48), 1 September 1947
Namesake:	Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Recommissioned:	12 February 1951
Reclassified:	MSC(O)-48 on 7 February 1955
Decommissioned:	15 November 1957
Struck:	1 November 1959
Honors and awards:	1 battle star, World War II
Fate:	Sold for use as fishing boat; ultimate fate unknown
General characteristics
Class and type:	YMS-135 subclass of YMS-1-class minesweepers
Displacement:	236 tons
Length:	136 ft (41 m)
Beam:	24 ft 6 in (7.5 m)
Draft:	10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion:	2 × 880 bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines 2 shafts
Speed:	15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement:	32
Armament:	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun mount 2 × 20 mm guns 2 × depth charge tracks 1 × depth charge projectors

USS Lapwing (MSC(O)-48/AMS-48/YMS-268) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after the lapwing (Vanellus vanellus).

History

YMS-268 was laid down 1 December 1942 by Kruse & Banks Shipbuilding Co., North Bend, Oregon; launched 15 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. J. H. Granger; and commissioned 31 July 1943.

After shakedown along the west coast, YMS-268 trained minesweeper crews out of San Pedro, California, throughout the most of the war, contributing to the war effort by increasing the efficiency of American minesweeping operations throughout the world.

Following 2 years of training operations, the minesweeper arrived Pearl Harbor 26 May 1945 for deployment to the western Pacific. Assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet, YMS-268 operated out of Guam, the Philippines, and Okinawa from July to August. Following the surrender of Japan, she removed mines from Tokyo Bay and around the Island of Honshū.

Departing Kobe 9 March 1946, the veteran ship reached San Francisco, California 24 April. After 1 month on the west coast, YMS-268 steamed to the Great Lakes via the St. Lawrence River. Upon arriving at Chicago on 25 July, she was assigned to the 9th Naval District Reserve Training program. YMS-268 decommissioned and was placed in service 1 November 1946.

Reclassified AMS-48 and named Lapwing 1 September 1947, she continued operations in the Reserve Training program. Lapwing recommissioned 12 February 1951 at Orange, Texas, Lt. Charles M. Kirkham in command. Arriving Charleston, South Carolina, 19 March, the minesweeper engaged in operations along the U.S. East Coast, developing new techniques in mine warfare until 1957. During this period she was reclassified MSC(O)-48 on 7 February 1955.

Lapwing decommissioned 15 November 1957 at New York and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 November 1959.

The veteran minesweeper was sold to Standard Products Co., Inc. of Kilmarnock, Virginia, who converted her to a menhaden fishing boat and renamed her Weems. In the early 1990s, the ship was sold to an Ohio religious group for planned usage as an Outward Bound-type training ship, but her ultimate fate is unknown.

Awards and honors

YMS-268 received one battle star for World War II service.

References

• This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of Lapwing at NavSource Naval History
• uboat.net - Allied Warships - Minesweeper USS YMS-268 of the YMS class
• DANFS Online: Mine Warfare Vessels