History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USS Obstructor (ACM-7) |
Builder | Marietta Manufacturing Company, Point Pleasant, West Virginia |
Laid down | as USAMP 1st Lt. William G. Sylvester (MP-5) for the U.S. Army |
Acquired | 4 January 1945 |
Commissioned | 1 April 1945 |
Decommissioned | 28 June 1946 |
Renamed | Obstructor, 19 January 1945 |
Stricken | 19 July 1946 |
Fate |
|
Notes | Transferred to Seattle, 12 April 1968 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Chimo-class minelayer |
Displacement | 880 long tons (894 t) |
Length | 188 ft 2 in (57.35 m) |
Beam | 37 ft (11 m) |
Draft | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) |
Speed | 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) |
Complement | 69 |
Armament | 1 × 40 mm gun |
USS Obstructor (ACM-7) was a Chimo-class minelayer in the United States Navy during World War II.
Built by the Marietta Manufacturing Company in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, as a U.S. Army mine planter, USAMP 1st Lt. William G. Sylvester (MP-5) was delivered in December 1942[1] to the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps, Mine Planter Service. She was named for the first coast artillery officer killed (at Hickam Field, Hawaii, on 7 December 1941)[2] in action in World War II. Sylvester's embarked crew, designated, in Army terminology as the 12th Coast Artillery Mine Planter Battery, was implemented in November 1942 stationed at Fort Miles, Delaware.[3]
The ship was transferred to the Navy on 4 January 1945. She was renamed Obstructor on 19 January 1945, converted at the Charleston Navy Yard and commissioned on 1 April 1945.
After transfer to the United States Coast Guard in 1946 the ship was commissioned 1 February 1947 as USCGC Heather until 15 December 1967.
The second tender named Heather; one of the five Chimo-Class Army minelayers acquired by the U.S. Coast Guard, was commissioned in service with the Coast Guard on 1 February 1947. USCGC Heather (WAGL / WLB-331) was stationed at Mobile, Alabama and was assigned to tend Aids to Navigation (ATON) and conduct Search and Rescue (SAR) operations as needed. She served out of Mobile until 5 December 1949.
On 23 July 1949 she assisted a sinking barge off Isle aux Herbes (Alabama). On 6 December 1949 she began operations out of San Pedro, Los Angeles. In addition to tending ATON, she participated in numerous SAR operations as well as other duties.
On 9 February 1953 she escorted the M/V Greece Victory into San Francisco, California. On 23 April 1956 she escorted the P/C Avalon to San Pedro, California. From May to June 1957 she patrolled outboard races in Los Angeles harbor.
On 19 July 1960 Heather assisted following a deadly collision off Newport Beach, California between the USS Ammen (DD-527) and USS Collett (DD-730) as Ammen was in transit between Seal Beach and San Diego, California.[4][5]
From 15 to 16 March 1961 she rescued the Greek M/V Dominator off Palos Verdes Point, California and transported survivors to San Pedro. On 19 May 1961 she assisted in raising the sunken CG-40453. On 22 May 1966 she salvaged a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter that had crashed 96 miles off San Diego, California.
After 3 years of U.S. Army, 1 year of U.S. Navy and 20 years of U.S. Coast Guard service Heather was finally decommissioned on 15 December 1967 and transferred to Seattle, Washington on 12 April 1968.[6]