USS Hornbill (AMS-19)

USS Hornbill (YMS-371 / AMS-19 / MSC(O)-19) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass built for the United States Navy during World War II. After World War II, she continued to be in use until the mid-1950s.

A YMS-1-class minesweeper
History
United States
Name	USS YMS-371
Builder	Weaver Shipyards Orange, Texas
Laid down	17 November 1942[1]
Launched	27 November 1943
Completed	29 February 1944[1]
Commissioned	29 February 1944
Renamed	USS Hornbill (AMS-19), 7 February 1947
Namesake	the hornbill bird
Reclassified	MSC(O)-19, 17 February 1955
Decommissioned	September 1957
Stricken	1 November 1959
Honors and awards	2 battle stars, World War II
Fate	Sold, 30 June 1960; Later sank at Santa Cruz Island[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	YMS-135 subclass of YMS-1-class minesweepers
Displacement	270 tons
Length	136 ft (41 m)
Beam	25 ft (7.6 m)
Draft	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1]
Propulsion	2 × 880 bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines 2 shafts
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement	50[1]
Armament	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun mount 2 × 20 mm guns 2 × depth charge projectors

Hornbill was laid down as YMS-371 on 17 November 1942[1] by Weaver Shipyards, Orange, Texas and launched 27 November 1943. She was completed and commissioned on 29 February 1944,[1].

After her commissioning, YMS-371 participated in operations in the Gulf of Mexico until the summer of 1945, when she transited the Panama Canal en route to Okinawa, where she arrived 5 July to begin minesweeping operations. On 17 August, she departed Okinawa for Japan to sweep mines in Tokyo Bay, around the island of Honshū and in the naval base of Sasebo.

On 16 February 1946, she ended her occupation duties and sailed for San Pedro, California, arriving 4 April. On 7 February 1947, YMS-371 was renamed USS Hornbill (AMS-19).

Hornbill served as a training ship on the U.S. West Coast and at Pearl Harbor until 1953, when she commenced duty with the U.S. Naval Schools of Mine Warfare, Yorktown, Virginia.

Reclassified MSC(O)-19 on 17 February 1955, Hornbill decommissioned September 1957. She was struck from the Naval Register 1 November 1959, and sold 30 June 1960.

Hornbill earned two battle stars for her service in World War II.