| Career (US) | |
|---|---|
| Builder: | Wilmington Boat Works, Inc., Wilmington, California |
| Laid down: | 29 October 1952 |
| Launched: | 16 October 1953 |
| Commissioned: | 11 May 1954 |
| Decommissioned: | 30 March 1990 |
| Struck: | 23 May 1990 |
| Homeport: | Long Beach, California |
| Fate: | sold, 1 December 1992 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Aggressive class minesweeper |
| Displacement: | 620 tons |
| Length: | 172 ft (52.43 m) |
| Beam: | 36 ft (10.97 m) |
| Draught: | 10 ft (3.05 m) |
| Propulsion: | Four Packard ID1700 diesel engines, two shafts, two controllable pitch propellers |
| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Complement: | 72 |
| Armament: | one 40mm mount |
USS Inflict (AM-456/MSO-456) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.
The second ship to be named Inflict by the Navy, AM-456 was launched 16 October 1953 by Wilmington Boat Works, Inc., Wilmington, California; sponsored by Mrs. Robert E. Carlson; and commissioned 11 May 1954, Lt. G. T. Ragon in command.
Contents |
After shakedown along the U.S. West Coast, Inflict engaged in sonar and minesweeping exercises until she departed Long Beach, California, 1 July for the western Pacific Ocean. Arriving Yokosuka, Japan 5 August she began operations with the navies of South Korea, Nationalist China, and Japan, In February 1955 she was reclassified MSO 456. Inflict returned to Long Beach 17 February 1956 and spent the remainder of the year on training operations.
During 1957 Inflict continued operations off California and Mexico, helping to maintain one of America's mighty antisubmarine warfare forces. The minesweeper sailed 3 January 1958 for duty in the Far East. She arrived there as a crisis loomed in Indonesia. The strength of this mighty armada made itself felt as the crisis diminished quickly without incident.
Between 19 - 22 March 1958, Inflict participated in Exercise "Bulwark", the first bilateral exercise between Philippine and US Navy called. It took part in the 3rd phase of the exercise which taken place in the waters of Corregidor and Caballo Islands.[1]
During her tour Inflict participated in joint exercises with the Thailand, and Chinese Nationalist navies before returning to Long Beach 15 July.
For the next 20 months she remained in California waters constantly training to keep at peak readiness. Inflict sailed 3 May 1960 for joint operations with our Asian allies, remaining there for the next 6 months as a symbol of joint naval co-operation for security of the Free World. She resumed to Long Beach 16 November. During 1961, Inflict was engaged in minesweeping operations and midshipman training out of Long Beach. She sailed 7 April 1962 for exercises in Hawaiian waters, returning to Long Beach 17 August. In 1963, in addition to her training in California waters, Inflict sailed 28 October for joint countermeasure exercises with Canada. Returning to Long Beach 3 December she resumed operations out of Long Beach until 22 May 1964 when she sailed for duty in the Far East. Inflict again operated with the friendly navies of Asia, and during the summer was deployed for service along South Vietnam, as our support of that embattled republic was increased to assist its struggle against aggression. Inflict returned to Long Beach 7 December.
She sailed for the Far East 7 February 1966. Arriving Subic Bay 28 March, she headed for her "Market Time" station 5 April and remained on patrol preventing the infiltration of arms and men from North Vietnam to the south. Except for brief interludes, she continued this important duty until she left the war zone 1 November and returned to Long Beach 13 December.
Inflict operated on the West Coast through mid-1967.
Inflict, USS Fearless (MSO-442) and USS Illusive (MSO-448) were towed to the Gulf of Oman by USS Grapple (ARS-53) departing Little Creek, Virginia on September 6, 1987. Traveling via the Suez Canal and arriving in the Gulf of Oman November 2, 1987. At the time, the 9,000-nautical-mile (17,000 km) trip was the longest distance three ships were towed by one.[2] Implicit would remain in the Gulf to support of Operation Earnest Will.
Decommissioned 30 March 1990 Inflict was stricken 23 May 1990 and disposed of by Navy sale 1 December 1992, for scrapping for $12,000.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||