Service history USS Redstart (AM-378)

1 service history

1.1 post-world war ii operations
1.2 korean war
1.3 post-korea operations

service history
post-world war ii operations

following shakedown cruise off virginia , maryland coasts, ship proceeded through panama canal , berthed @ pipeline pier in long beach, california. use in minesweeping operations, ship carried, on fantail, towable finned devices called pigs because of size , shape, plus cables cutters, plus other devices used removing , destroying mines, such acoustical hammer , hedgehog weapons. after towed equipment cut mine cable, mine floated surface, mine exploded fire on-board 20 mm or 40 mm gun.

redstart steamed japan way of pearl harbor post-war minesweeping operations. war had ended japanese, causing shutdown of military activities, , large number of defensive mines still in place in various harbors , bays. on 1 of mine-clearing operations in japanese waters @ nagoya bay, ship struck underwater object , damaged shaft, requiring repaired in drydock in kyūshū port of sasebo, japan. during remainder of operations in japanese area, earned 1 battle star, berthed in sasebo, japan, or buckner bay, okinawa, between assignments. in april 1946, completed operations in japanese theatre, , returned long beach, california, , towed , placed in reserve fleet in san diego, california.

korean war

redstart recommissioned on 1 december 1950. korean war in progress, , proceeded wonsan operating area swept mines , traded artillery fire shoreside enemy batteries. beside minesweeping functions, served variety of other purposes, including patrol work, courier duty, escort duty, , establishing presence offshore @ 38th parallel. on 11 august 1951, in company dextrous (am-341), , on 10 september 1951 in company heron (ams-18), redstart received enemy fire off korean coast , sustained minor damage. in february 1952, after having won 5 additional battle stars, sailed japan , returned, via pearl harbor, berth @ pipeline pier in long beach.

redstart assigned local operations off california coast, including participating in operation philbex 1, amphibious operation off coast @ oceanside, california. on 1 december 1952, departed again japanese , korean theatre , continued minesweeping activities off korean coast, accumulating total of 81 minesweeping operations, record in korean theatre of operations in june 1953, departed japan , returned long beach on 3 july 1953.

post-korea operations

on 16 january 1954, war over, redstart assigned far east tour. based out of sasebo practiced minesweeping operations off korean coast, south of 38th parallel. showed colors in various far east ports before returning long beach 19 august 1954. during remainder of 1954, redstart operated off california coast. on 4 january 1955, departed long beach cold weather operations off coast of alaska, returning long beach on approximately thirty days later.

redstart redesignated msf-378 on 1 march 1955.

redstart commenced tour of far east on 7 october 1955, stopping @ pearl harbor , midway islands food , fuel before arriving @ temporary home port of sasebo, japan, on 4 november 1955. while in far east, ship continued minesweeping practice @ koje , tojang po on korean coast, , participated in mock atomic warfare off coast of okinawa. during tour-of-duty made ports-of-call @ yokosuka, japan , hong kong, china. 21 january 23 january 1956, participated @ kaoshiung, formosa, in operations formosan navy of personnel stationed observers aboard formosan warships. on 19 march 1956, ship set sail sasebo, long beach, california, after stopping @ midway island , @ pearl harbor fuel , supplies. docked again @ pipeline pier in long beach, california harbor, in california, on 13 april 1956.