USS Cliffrose (AN-42) In a harbor, c. 1945. She appears to be lifting a large anchor
History
United States
Name	USS Cliffrose (YN-61)
Namesake	Cliffrose
Builder	Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Everett, Washington
Launched	27 November 1943
Sponsored by	Miss S. Morgan
Commissioned	30 April 1944
Decommissioned	7 January 1947 at Shanghai, China
Reclassified	AN-42, 20 January 1944
Stricken	c. 1947
Honors and awards	two battle stars for World War II service
Fate	turned over to the Republic of China through the U.S. State Department, 7 January 1947
General characteristics
Class and type	Ailanthus-class net laying ship
Displacement	1,100 tons
Length	194' 7"
Beam	37'
Draft	13' 6"
Propulsion	diesel electric, 2,500shp
Speed	12.1 knots
Complement	56 officers and enlisted
Armament	one single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount, two single 20 mm AA gun mounts

USS Cliffrose (AN-42/YN-61) was an Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served with the U.S. Navy in the western Pacific Ocean theatre of operations during World War II. Her career was without major incident, and she returned home safely after the war with two battle stars to her credit.

Launched in Washington

Cliffrose (YN-61) was launched 27 November 1943 by Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Everett, Washington; sponsored by Miss S. Morgan; reclassified AN-42, 20 January 1944; and commissioned 30 April 1944.

World War II service

Cliffrose sailed from San Pedro, California, 21 June 1944 for Pearl Harbor, arriving 4 July for local duty. She departed 8 August for the Florida Islands and the invasion of Peleliu on 15 September. She carried out surveys for the installation of moorings, and then laid an anti-torpedo net across the western entrance of Kossol Passage, remaining in the Palau Islands until 8 December, when she sailed for Ulithi. Arriving 10 December, she was briefly overhauled and had duty repairing nets.

Cliffrose put out from Ulithi 25 March 1945 for the Okinawa invasion, arriving on 1 April, the day of the first landings, for duty installing and repairing nets until 5 August. After upkeep at Saipan, she returned to Okinawa 20 September, loaded supplies, and cleared 25 October for Bungo Suido, Japan, arriving 29 October. Here she laid navigational aids until the end of the year, sailing then for Pearl Harbor and San Pedro, California, where she arrived 1 January 1946.

Cliffrose cleared San Pedro, after local operations, 3 July 1946 for Pearl Harbor, where she operated from 16 July to 16 August; Guam and Subic Bay, arriving 14 September. She served in Philippine waters until 25 December, when she cleared Subic Bay for Shanghai, arriving 31 December.

Post-war decommissioning

Cliffrose was decommissioned 7 January 1947 and turned over to the Republic of China through the U.S. State Department.

Honors and awards

Cliffrose received two battle stars for World War II service.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - YN-61 / AN-42 Cliffrose