USS Force (AM-445)
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| History | |
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| Name: | USS Force |
| Builder: | J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington |
| Laid down: | 26 August 1952 |
| Launched: | 26 June 1953 |
| Commissioned: | 4 January 1955, as AM-445 |
| Reclassified: | MSO-445 (Ocean Minesweeper), 7 February 1955 |
| Fate: | Lost by fire off Guam, 24 April 1973 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Aggressive-class minesweeper |
| Displacement: | 620 long tons (630 t) full load |
| Length: | 172 ft (52 m) |
| Beam: | 35 ft (11 m) |
| Draft: | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement: | 74 |
| Armament: |
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USS Force (AM-445) was an Agile-class minesweeper. She was laid down 26 August 1952 at J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington, sponsored by Mrs. T. D. Wilson. She was launched 26 June 1953, commissioned 4 January 1955, Lieutenant J. W. Boiler in command. She was redesignated an Ocean Minesweeper (MSO-445) on 7 February 1955.
Force was armed with one single 40 mm gun mount, two .50 cal. machine guns. Later, her bow gun was replaced with one twin 20 mm.
Force reported to Mine Force, Pacific Fleet, at Long Beach, California, 20 January 1955, and sailed along the California coast in training exercises until 1 May 1956. She departed then for her first tour of duty in the Far East, during which she made a good will cruise of ports in the northern islands of Japan, as well as training with ships of the Chinese Nationalist Navy. Damaged by typhoons in August, she was repaired at Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan, and returned to Long Beach 15 November.
Special operations took Force to the Panama Canal Zone between 30 August and 6 December 1957. She returned to Long Beach for exercises and preparations for her next deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet, completed between 3 November 1958 and 1 June 1959. During this time, she again trained with the Chinese, Korean, and Thai navies.
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