USS Devastator (AM-318)

	USS Devastator
History
United States
Name	as HMS Augusta (BAM-5)
Builder	General Engineering & Dry Dock Company, Alameda, California
Laid down	15 December 1942
Renamed	USS Devastator (AM-318)
Launched	19 April 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. D. A. Shaw
Commissioned	12 January 1944
Decommissioned	15 April 1955
Recommissioned	26 February 1952
Reclassified	MSF-318, 7 February 1955
Decommissioned	15 April 1955
Homeport	Long Beach, California
Honors and; awards	three battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean War
Fate	Sold to Mexico, 1973
History
Mexico
Name	ARM Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada (C74)
Namesake	Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada
Acquired	1973
Reclassified	G06
Reclassified	P105, 1993
Decommissioned	retired from service by 2004
Fate	unknown
General characteristics
Class and type	Auk-class minesweeper
Displacement	890 tons
Length	221 ft 2 in (67.41 m)
Beam	32 ft 2 in (9.80 m)
Draft	10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Propulsion	two 2,976 shp (2,219 kW) Baldwin VO8 diesel electric drive engines, Westinghouse single reduction gear, two shafts.
Speed	18 knots
Complement	105 officers and enlisted
Armament	one 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount; two twin 40 mm gun mounts; two single 20 mm gun mounts; two depth charge tracks; five depth charge projectiles;

USS Devastator (AM-318) was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing naval mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

Construction history

Devastator was launched 19 April 1943 by General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, California; sponsored by Mrs. D. A. Shaw; and commissioned 12 January 1944.

World War II service

Devastator – the first ship in the U.S. Navy to bear that name—was an auxiliary ship of the United States Navy. She served as an escort vessel during the latter half of the Second World War, and later saw service in the Korean War.

Devastator arrived at Pearl Harbor 30 March 1944 as escort for a convoy. The next day she began convoy escort duty in Majuro and Kwajalein, which continued until 30 July. During 3 to 17 August she swept off French Frigate Shoals, and after one voyage to Eniwetok from 4 to 25 September, served at Pearl Harbor on training duty for the remainder of the year.

Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations

Devastator sailed from Pearl Harbor 27 January 1945 as escort for transports bound for the Battle of Iwo Jima. She participated in preinvasion minesweeping for 3 days before the invasion landings of 19 February, then escorted damaged vessels to Saipan, returning to Iwo Jima 1 March to patrol off the island until 7 March.

On 19 March 1945 Devastator got underway from Ulithi for preinvasion minesweeping at Okinawa. She patrolled during and after the invasion and in the heavy suicide attacks of 6 April downed a Japanese plane about 50 yards (46 m) off her port quarter. On 4 July she cleared Okinawa for minesweeping operations in conjunction with the U.S. 3rd Fleet raids on the Japanese mainland. She sailed from Okinawa 15 July for Seattle, Washington arriving 12 August for overhaul.

Devastator remained on the U.S. West Coast for operations except for two extended periods at Pearl Harbor for experiments in hull design development. She was placed out of commission 30 January 1947 into Pacific Reserve Fleet, Long Beach.

Korean War-related service

USS Devastator (second ship from left) at Sasebo, Japan, 1952

Recommissioned 26 February 1952 Devastator served in the Far East from 8 July 1952 to 5 February 1953 and again from 5 October 1953 to 2 June 1954 carrying out dangerous sweeps in Korean waters. She then operated on the U.S. west coast until again placed out of commission in reserve 15 April 1955. She was reclassified MSF-318, 7 February 1955.

Decommissioning and disposal

Devastator was decommissioned 15 April 1955. She was sold to Mexico in 1973.

Awards and honors

Devastator received three battle stars for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean War service.

Mexican Navy service

The former Devastator was sold to the Mexican Navy in 1973 and renamed ARM Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada (C74). Her pennant number was later changed to G06, and again changed in 1993 to P105. Sabastian Lerdo de Tejada has been retired from service by 2004.^[1]

Notes

1 2 3 4 Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 472. ISBN 978-1-59114-955-2. OCLC 140283156.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
NavSource Online: Devastator (MSF 318)
USS Devastator (AM-318, later MSF-318), 1944-1973

External links

The Mine Sweeper USS Devastator AM-318 Scrapbook
USS DEVASTATOR (AM-318) - US Navy - Korean War Project
Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-318 USS Devastator
Devastator (AM-318), and Defense (AM317
Photo gallery of Devastator at NavSource Naval History

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[Wertheim-1] 1 2 3 4 Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 472. ISBN 978-1-59114-955-2. OCLC 140283156.

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