Soviet minesweeper T-112

Career (United States)
Name: USS Agent (AMc-116)
Builder: Tampa Shipbuilding Company
Reclassified: AM-139, 21 February 1942
Laid down: 8 April 1942
Launched: 1 November 1942
Completed: 10 July 1943
Fate: Transferred to the USSR, 10 July 1943
Reclassified: As MSF-138, 7 February 1955
Struck: 1 January 1983
Career (Soviet Union)
Name: T-112
Acquired: 10 July 1943
Renamed: TB-21, 15 October 1955
Renamed: VTR-2Y, 8 March 1966
Renamed: UTS-288, 20 April 1972
Fate: Abandoned, 31 January 1991; hulk still extant, as of 10 June 2007 (2007 -06-10)
General characteristics
Class and type: Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement: 650 tons
840 tons (full load)
Length: 184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam: 33 ft (10 m)
Draft: 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion: 2 × ALCO 539 diesel engines, 1,710 shp (1.3 MW)
Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear
2 shafts
Speed: 14.8 knots (27.4 km/h)
Complement: 85
Armament: 2 × 3"/50 caliber gun DP
8 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
2 × 7.63mm Browning machine guns
1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar
2 × Depth charge racks

T-112 was a minesweeper of the Soviet Navy during World War II and the Cold War. She had originally been built as USS Agent (AM-139), an Admirable-class minesweeper, for the United States Navy during World War II, but never saw active service in the U.S. Navy. Upon completion she was transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease as T-112; she was never returned to the United States. The ship was renamed several times in Soviet service and was finally abandoned in January 1991. Her hulk was still extant as of 10 June 2007 (2007 -06-10). Because of the Cold War, the U.S. Navy was unaware of the ship's status and the vessel remained on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was struck on 1 January 1983.

Career

Agent was laid down on 8 April 1942 by the Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Florida; launched on 1 November 1942; and completed 10 July 1943. She was transferred to the Soviet Navy that same day as T-112 with Senior Lieutenant Vladimirov in command. She was never returned to U.S. custody.

In Soviet service, the ship was renamed TB-21 on 15 October 1955; VTR-2Y on 8 March 1956; and UTS-288 on 20 April 1972. The ship was abandoned on 31 January 1991, and, as of 10 June 2007 (2007 -06-10) her hulk was still extant.

Due to the ongoing Cold War, the U.S. Navy was unaware of the fate of the former Agent. They had reclassified the vessel as MSF-139 on 7 February 1955, and kept her on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was struck on 1 January 1983.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

External links