Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Kingbird (MSC 194)
ex-AMS-194

Falcon Class Motor Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 26 February 1954 as AMS-194 by the Quincy Adams Yacht Yard, Inc., Quincy, MA
  • Launched 21 May 1954
  • Reclassified as a Coastal Minesweeper, MSC-194 and named Kingbird, 7 February 1955
  • Commissioned USS Kingbird (MSC 194), 27 April 1955
  • Struck from the Navy Register 1 July 1972
  • Disposed of through the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service for scrap 1 March 1973.

    Specifications

  • Displacement 290 t.
  • Length 144'
  • Beam 28'
  • Draft 9'
  • Speed 13 kts.
  • Complement 39
  • Armament: Two 20mm mounts
  • Propulsion: 600shp Packard diesel engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Kingbird 37k
    Namesake:

    Kingbird - Any of several American tyrant flycatchers

    		 Tommy Trampp
    Photo added 26 December 2021
    Kingbird 105k Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory)
    Kingbird 70k Robert Hurst
    Commanding Officers
    01LTJG Robert Earl Adler, USN27 April 1955 - June 1956
    02LT Peter Sarsfield Corr, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1958May 1962 - January 1964
    03LT Freddie Lewis Boswell, Jr., USN1964 - 1965
    04LT Edward Eugene Alexander, Jr., USN1965
    05LT Michael Scott Fry, USNJanuary 1967 - 10 October 1968
    06LT David John Barram, USN10 October 1968 - 1969
    07LT Joseph Stover Donnell, III, USN - Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal
    Retired as Vice Admiral    		.
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves, Bill Gonyo and Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory)
    View the Kingbird (MSC 194)
    DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Website
    Back to the Main Photo Index Back to the Mine Warfare Ship Photo Index Back to the Motor Minesweeper (AMS) Photo Index Back to the Coastal Minesweeper (MSC) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
    This page created and maintained by Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory) & David Wright

    All Pages © 1996 - 2023, NavSource History, All rights reserved.