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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Swallow (AM 4)

Call sign (1924):
Nan - Easy - Fox - Love

Call sign (1919):
George - Tare - Vice - King

ex-Minesweeper No. 4

Lapwing Class Minesweeper:

The first Swallow was laid down 18 March 1918 by the Todd Shipyard Corp., New York, NY

Launched 4 July 1918

Commissioned USS Swallow (Minesweeper No. 4), 8 October 1918

Designated AM-4 in 1920

Ran aground 19 February 1938 at Kanaga Island, Aleutian Islands, AK and was stranded

Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register 5 May 1938.

Specifications:

Displacement 950 t.

Length 187' 10"

Beam 35' 6"

Draft 9' 9"

Speed 14 kts.

Complement 78

Armament: Two 3" guns

Propulsion: Two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, one triple expansion reciprocating steam engine, one shaft.

Click on thumbnail for full size image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS Swallow (Minesweeper No. 4)
	24k	Namesake: Swallow - Any of numerous small, long-winged birds noted for their graceful flight and regular migrations	Tommy Trampp
	286k	Photo from "Sweeping the North Sea Mine Barrage" by the U.S. Navy North Sea Minesweeping Detachment	Joe Radigan
	256k	Celebrating the return of the Atlantic Fleet Mine-Sweeping Detachment return to U.S. on 24 November 1919, and being reviewed by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels. Ships identifiable here include: USS Woodcock (AM-14), USS SC-164, USS Eider (AM-17), USS SC-40, USS Swallow (AM-4), USS Teal (AM-23) Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 45238	Mike Green
USS Swallow (AM 4)
	102k	Photo by Mickey Hawkins	Marshall Hawkins
	186k	U.S. Navy Martin T3M-1 (No. 1T9) taking off from unidentified harbor. In the background the Swallow is anchored, with three more biplanes parked near the shore line U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum photo 2011.003.205.012	Mike Green
	223k	9 March 1921 Serving as an Alaska radio station tender Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 632	Mike Green
	68k	1 September 1923 Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington	Joe Radigan Photo added 3 March 2020
	281k	Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington View of part of the Yard's waterfront, 8 March 1926. Ships alongside the pier in the foreground are (from left to right): USS Eagle 32 (PE-32); USS Swallow (AM-4); and USS Thompson (DD-305). USS Idaho (BB-42) is in the drydock in the right center background, and Coal Barge No. 132 is tied up in front of the drydock entrance U.S. Navy photo NH 45227	Naval History and Heritage Command

Commanding Officers
01	LT Bennie Clark Phillips, USN - Awarded the Navy Cross (1919)	8 October 1918 - 8 January 1919
02	LT Frederick Benjamin Webber, USN	8 January 1919
03	LTJG Harold Levi Arnold, USN	28 July 1920
04	LT Stephen Andrew Loftus, USN	12 January 1921
05	LT Roy Melvin Cottrell, USN	10 March 1922
06	LT Peter John Gundlach, USN	10 November 1922
07	LT Charles William Van Horn, USN	16 November 1924
08	LT Omar Brown Earle, USN	6 September 1926
09	LT Orio Hugh Small, USN	1 December 1927 - 4 August 1931
10	LT John Ford Warris, USN	4 August 1931 - 1934
11	LCDR Bern Anderson, USN	30 April 1934
12	LT Artyn Little Maia, USN	10 June 1935 - 19 February 1938

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joe Radigan

View the Swallow (AM 4)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway website

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