USS Curlew (AM-8)
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Launched: | 29 August 1918 |
| Commissioned: | 7 January 1919 |
| Battle Stars: | None indicated |
| Decommissioned: | 28 February 1926 |
| Fate: | Grounded on the rocks at Point Mosquito, Panama, 15 December 1925 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class: | Lapwing class minesweeper |
| Displacement: | 950 tons |
| Length: | 187'10" |
| Beam: | 35'6" |
| Draft: | 9'10" |
| Speed: | 14 kt |
| Complement: | 72 |
| Armament: | 2 3" |
USS Curlew (AM-8) was a Lapwing-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.
Curlew was launched 29 August 1918 by Staten Island Shipbuilding Co., New York; sponsored by Mrs. G. C. Rhodes; and commissioned 7 January 1919, Lieutenant J. McCloy in command.
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[edit] North Atlantic operations
Clearing Boston, Massachusetts 5 April 1919 Curlew arrived at Inverness, Scotland, 20 April and was fitted out for experimental minesweeping out of Kirkwall, the Orkney Islands base for operations in the North Sea minefields. She sailed for home 2 October, calling at Chatham, England; Brest, France; Lisbon, Portugal; the Azores; and Bermuda, and reaching New York 19 November. Arriving at Portsmouth Navy Yard 26 November 1919, she was placed in ordinary 16 November 1920 without a crew.
[edit] East Coast operations
In commission from 29 December 1920 to 7 February 1921, Curlew served with the Atlantic Fleet, then returned to reserve at Portsmouth. Recommissioned 29 October 1921, she cruised to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in the first 4 months of 1922 to give support to the ships training there, then sailed north to New London to serve as submarine tender until September. Between September and February 1923, she operated with submarines in Chesapeake Bay and off the Virginia coast.
Reassigned to the 15th Naval District, Curlew reported at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, 6 August 1923. Besides acting as tender for seaplanes, she carried out rescue and salvage operations from Coco Solo.
[edit] Grounding on the rocks
On 15 December 1925, Curlew grounded on the rocks at Point Mosquito, Panama. Determined efforts were made to save her, but the heavy surf pounded her to pieces.
[edit] Decommissioning
She was decommissioned 28 February 1926, after all salvageable material was removed.
[edit] References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- Tenders - USS Curlew
- uboat.net - Allied Warships - Minesweeper USS Curlew of the Lapwing class
- Lapwing class
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