- USS Threat (AM-124)
USS "Threat" (AM-124) was an "Auk"-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."Threat" was laid down on
15 December 1941 atSavannah, Georgia , by theSavannah Machine and Foundry Co.; launched on15 August 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs. Allan M. Robinson; and commissioned on14 March 1943 , Comdr. Allan M. Robinson,USNR , in command.Convoy operations to North Africa
In March and April of 1943 "Threat" completed shakedown and exercises off the
U.S. East Coast as she prepared for duty as aconvoy escort on theEastern Sea Frontier . During April, the minesweeper escorted convoys along the Atlantic coast; and, on11 May , she got underway for her firsttransatlantic voyage. Theconvoy arrived atCasablanca on1 June 1943 , and, on9 June , "Threat" departedNorth Africa with a convoy bound forNew York . Throughout 1943, she continued escort duties in the Atlantic, completing three voyages toNorth Africa and numerousconvoy shuttles along theEastern Sea Frontier and into theCaribbean .European operations
Early in 1944, "Threat" helped to protect a convoy as it steamed via the
Azores to theBritish Isles . After this mission, "Threat" remained in the Falmouth area for repairs. In April and May, she operated out ofBatten Bay and conducted exercises with ships of the BritishRoyal Navy in preparation forOperation Overlord , the invasion ofNormandy .Operation Overlord
On
2 June 1944 , the ship was sealed and briefing commenced. On5 June 1944 , "Threat" departedTor Bay with a minesweeping unit to take part inOperation Neptune , the assault phase ofOperation Overlord . "Threat" helped clear the channels to be used by fire support ships in theBaie de la Seine . In the days that followed, "Threat" witnessed the sinking by mines of USS "Glennon", USS "Tide", and USS "Rich". On8 June , while aiding the disabled USS "Rich", "Threat" narrowly missed becoming the victim of a mine that sank the destroyer escort offCardonet Bank .A shore battery fired on "Threat" as she was running acoustic and magnetic sweeps off
Cherbourg on9 June . The doughty minesweeper returned the fire with her 3-inch gun, silencing two shore gun employments and exploding a small ammunition dump. Commander,Mine Squadron 7, later commended "Threat" for her performance that day and gave special praise to the smart ship-handling operations that those operations had entailed.Throughout June 1944, "Threat" continued to sweep waters off the French coast, occasionally drawing fire from German guns but escaping unscathed. While she swept channels for fire support ships in preparation for the bombardment of
Cherbourg , she came under heavy fire from enemy emplacements. In July, "Threat" conducted daily sweeps of theBaie de la Seine , necessitated by the delayed action and time-release settings of mines left by the German forces.Supporting the invasion of southern France
After replenishment at
Plymouth, England , late in July, "Threat" returned to theMediterranean . In August, she escortedconvoys betweenGibraltar andNorth Africa before proceeding toCorsica where she cleared shipping channels despite the activity of enemy planes. On19 August , she got underway for assault areas on the southern coast ofFrance . Operating out ofSt. Tropez and theGolfe de Fos , "Threat" conducted support activities forOperation Dragoon .In September, "Threat" continued sweeps, patrols, and mine-watching missions off the coast of
southern France . Following a quick run to Naples for provisions and fuel, she returned to the French coast to supplyYMS 's and continue minesweeping. Early in October, "Threat" escorted aconvoy toBizerte before engaging in visual sweeps for mines off the German-held Italian coast. While pursuing these duties, "Threat" exchanged gunfire with enemy shore batteries on more than one occasion before returning to French waters late in October.Throughout November, "Threat" operated off France's southern coast. She cleared fire support channels and patrolled for floating mines in the area between
Cannes and San Remo, before departingCannes on27 November 1944 for provisioning and ammunition replenishment atBizerte .The sweeper continued operations in the western
Mediterranean in December. Early in the month, she swept mines offCagliari ,Sardinia ; and, on28 December , she departedOran , escorting TG 81.14 bound for American ports. On17 January 1945 , she reached Norfolk after nearly a year of action in European waters.Stateside overhaul
"Threat" remained on the east coast for major overhaul and the installation of SA-2
radar until26 April when she departedMiami, Florida and steamed, via thePanama Canal Zone andSan Diego, California , forHawaii . She reachedPearl Harbor on26 May 1945 and commenced gunnery and minesweeping exercises in preparation for her new assignment in thePacific Ocean . On11 June , she got underway forUlithi where she rendezvoused with anOkinawa -bound convoy.Pacific Ocean operations
After her arrival at
Buckner Bay on6 July , "Threat" soon joined sweeping operations in theChina Sea . She continued these duties afterV-J Day in August and, in September, took part in the clearing of heavily minedTsugaru Strait in preparation for the occupation ofOminato . Through October and November, "Threat" continued sweeps in theEast China Sea operating out ofHonshū and Sasebo. In December, she plied the waters offShanghai before setting course for San Diego and inactivation.Decommissioning
"Threat" was decommissioned on
31 May 1946 . Although she was reclassified as a steel-hulled fleet minesweeper (MSF-124) on7 February 1955 , "Threat" never resumed active service in theU.S. Navy , and was ultimately struck from thenaval vessel register on1 July 1972 . Transferred to the government ofMexico along with several sisterships during 1973, she was renamed "Francisco Zarco" and given the pendant number IG-13 (later changed to G-13). She served in theMexican Navy through the end of the 1980s.Awards
"Threat" received three
battle stars forWorld War II service.References
See also
*
List of United States Navy ships
*Auk class minesweeper
*World War II
* Minesweeper
*Minesweeping External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AM/AM-124_Threat.html Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-124 USS Threat]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-eur/normandy/normandy.htm Normandy Invasion, June 1944]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02124.htm NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - Threat (MSF-124) - ex-AM-124]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5237.html USS Threat (AM 124)]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/t5/tide.htm Threat (AM-124) and Pheasant (AM-61) tried to aid Tide, but the ship was beyond saving]
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