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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Thrush (AVP 3)



Call sign:
Nan - Item - King - Sugar

ex-AM-18
ex-Minesweeper No. 18



Call sign (1919):
George - Rush - Pup - Love
Lapwing Class Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 27 May 1918 at Pusey and Jones Co., Wilmington, Delaware
  • Launched 15 September 1918
  • Commissioned USS Thrush, Minesweeper No. 18, 25 April 1919
  • Designated AM-18, 17 February 1920
  • Decommissioned 3 April 1922 at Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, Territory of Hawaii
  • Recommissioned 31 October 1935 at Pearl Harbor
  • Converted to a Small Seaplane Tender at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA and reclassified AVP-3, 22 January 1936
  • Decommissioned 13 December 1945 at Boston, MA
  • Struck from the Naval Register 8 January 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission 19 August 1946 for disposal
  • Sold 21 August 1946 to John A. Pohl of Haworth, NJ and renamed Semper Paratus
  • Sank 10 March 1951.

    AM-18 Specifications:

  • Displacement 950 t.
    1936 - 1,350 t.
  • Length 187' 10"
  • Beam 35' 6'
  • Draft 9' 10"
    1936 - 13' 1"
  • Speed 14 kts.
    13.5 kts.
  • Complement 78
    1936 - 85
  • Armament: Two 3" gun mounts and two machine guns
    1936 - Two 3"/50 dual purpose mounts
    World War II - Added two 20mm mounts
  • Propulsion: Two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, triple expansion reciprocating steam engine, one shaft
    1936 - Two Babcock and Wilcox header boilers, one 1,400shp Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co. 200psi saturated steam vertical triple expansion reciprocating engine.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Thrush (Minesweeper No. 18)
    Thrush 45k Namesake: Thrush - A bird of a family of approximately 700 species and sub-species. The thrush is found world-wide and is known for its beautiful songs Tommy Trampp
    Photo added 29 February 2020
    Thrush 44k Photos from "Sweeping the North Sea Mine Barrage" by the U.S. Navy North Sea Minesweeping Detachment Joe Radigan
    Thrush 282k
    Lapwing 118k Review of the Atlantic Fleet Minesweeping Squadron, November 1919. Ships of the squadron anchored in the Hudson River, off New York City, while being reviewed by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels on 24 November 1919, following their return to the United States after taking part in clearing the North Sea mine barrage. Identifiable ships present include (left column, from front to rear): USS Turkey (Minesweeper No. 13); USS Quail (Minesweeper No. 15) with SC-354 alongside; USS Lark (Minesweeper No. 21) with SC-208 alongside; Swan (Minesweeper No. 34) with SC-356 alongside; and USS Flamingo (Minesweeper No. 32) with an unidentified submarine chaser alongside. (right column, from front to rear): Thrush; Two unidentified minesweepers, one of which is probably USS Lapwing (Minesweeper No. 1); USS Kingfisher (Minesweeper No. 25); and, in no particular order, tugs Patapsco and Patuxent. USS SC-245 is at the far right, passing between the two anchored columns
    U.S. Navy photo NH 44904    		 Naval Historical Center
    Thrush 133k Thrush alongside USS Mercy (ID 1305), later AH-4, circa 1919
    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1974
    U.S. Navy photo NH 79069
    Thrush 193k Closeup of above photo Tommy Trampp
    Thrush (AM 18)
    Oriole 189k Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory: View taken circa 1922 or somewhat later, looking toward 1010 Dock and into the Southeast Loch, from over Ford Island. Several laid-up minesweepers are present. USS Thrush (AM-18) is at left, moored to a buoy with a sister ship. Tied up at the end of 1010 dock are USS Oriole (AM-7), USS Pigeon (AM-47) and USS Pelican (AM-27). A Hog Island-type freighter at right is probably USS Procyon (AG-11), flagship of the Battle Fleet's Base Force. A fleet tug is in the center, hauled out on the Navy Yard Marine Railway
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 45243    		 Robert Hurst
    Thrush 111k Thrush moored to a buoy east of Ford Island, in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii with another laid up minesweeper, circa 1922 or somewhat later
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 45243-B
    Thrush 160k Photographed circa late 1930s, while serving as, but not designated as, an AVP
    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1974
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 79070         		Mike Green
    Thrush (AVP 3)
    Thrush 148k Thrush photographed circa 1942. The foremast of all these ships was moved aft and reduced in size circa 1941
    National Archives photo 19-N-32153     		Mike Green
    AVP-3 95k c. 1943
    U.S. Navy photo     		Joe Radigan
    Commanding Officers
    01LTJG Frederick Thomas Mayes, USN - Awarded the Navy Cross (1920)25 April 1919 - 2 November 1920
    02LT Harry James Hansen, USN - Retired as Rear Admiral2 November 1920 - 3 April 1922
    03LT Roland Phillip Kauffman, USN31 October 1935 - 21 June 1937
    04LT Joseph Lester Kane, USN21 June 1937 - 19 March 1938
    05LT Arthur Boughton Thompson, USN19 March 1938 - 4 August 1938
    06LT Dennis Joseph Sullivan, USN4 August 1938 - August 1940
    07LT James Johnston McRoberts, USN - USNA Class of 1927August 1940 - 25 June 1941
    08LCDR Joseph Howard Kuhl, USN - USNA Class of 193225 June 1941 - 1 September 1942
    09LT Gorman Coady Merrick, USN - USNA Class of 19341 September 1942 - 3 January 1943
    10LT Charles Warren Lockard, USNR3 January 1943 - 22 May 1944
    11LT Henry Angelsen, USNR22 May 1944 - 13 December 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joe Radigan
    View the Thrush (AM-18)
    DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Website
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