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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Refresh (AM 287)



Call sign:
Nan - Queen - Jig - Yoke


Refresh served the Navies of the United States and the Republic of China.

Admirable Class Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 22 September 1943 by the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, CA
  • Launched 12 April 1944
  • Commissioned USS Refresh (AM 287), 10 April 1945
  • Decommissioned 9 November 1946 at Subic Bay, Philippines
  • Transferred to the Republic of China 30 June 1948 and renamed Yung Chang (AM 51)
  • Struck from the Naval Register 13 July 1948
  • Sunk 14 November 1965 by a People's Republic of China gunboat off South China.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 945 t. (fl)
  • Length 184' 6"
  • Beam 33'
  • Draft 9' 9"
  • Speed 14.8 kts.
  • Complement 104
  • Armament: One 3"/50 cal. dual purpose mount, one twin 40mm gun mount, six 20mm gun mounts, one depth charge projector (hedgehogs), four depth charge projectors (K-guns), and two depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two 855shp Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines, National Supply Co. single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image
    Size Image Description Source
    American Ship Building
    110225801
    1.38k The Refresh (AM-287) was built by the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, CA Photo courtesy of wikimedia.org
    USS Refresh (AM 287)
    Refresh 68k Photos from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert Chris Hébert
    Refresh 94k
    Refresh 95k Officers in the wardroom
    Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
    Refresh 122k Hedgehog
    Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
    Refresh 111k Mine
    Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
    Refresh 78k Mine explosion
    Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
    Refresh 111k Dummy mine
    Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
    Refresh 123k Receiving mail from PGM-24
    Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
    Yung Chang (AM 51)
    Refresh 144k c. 1962 Original photo: Chinese Navy
    Replacement photo: Robert Hurst

    Commanding Officers
    01LT William Louis Turner, USN10 April 1945
    02LT Joseph Victor Pokrywka, USNR23 October 1945 - 12 February 1946
    03LT John Edward Lane, USNR12 February 1946 - 20 July 1946
    04LT Erwin Roy Stewart, USN20 July 1946 - 9 November 1946
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and R. A. Moody

    View the Refresh (AM 287)
    DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Website
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Naval Minewarfare Association
    Association of Minemen
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To the Mine Warfare Ship Photo Index Back to the Minesweeper (AM) Photo Index

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