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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

YMS-409



Call sign:
Nan - Peter - King - Baker

Sunk 12 September 1944
YMS-1 Class Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 12 May 1943 by Henry C. Grebe and Co., Chicago, IL
  • Launched 27 October 1943
  • Completed 1 January 1944
  • Foundered 12 September 1944 off Cape Hatteras, NC in the Great Atlantic hurricane of 1944 with the loss of all hands
  • Struck from the Navy list 14 October 1944.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 270 t.
  • Length 136'
  • Beam 24' 6"
  • Draft 8'
  • Speed 13 kts. (15.3 kts. on trials)
  • Complement 33
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose mount, two 20mm mounts, one .30 cal. machine gun, two depth charge tracks and two K-guns
  • Propulsion: Two 880bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines, Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    YMS-409 103k Photo from the collection of LTJG Bernard Alexander Kenner who served on board YMS-409. He departed a few days before the ship left port and sank off Cape Hatteras. He kept this photo for over 61 years along with a list of his former crew mates that perished John Miller Kenner
    YMS-409 93k Clearer photo of above
    From the collection of SoM2c Lee M. Bailey, USNR    		 The Bailey family

    Photos from the collection of SoM2c Lee M. Bailey, USNR crewmember USS YMS-409

    Contributed by the Bailey family

    (If you know the identity of any of these crew members, please send an email with their names)

    Click on thumbnail for full size photo


    1. SoM2c Lee M. Bailey, USNR

    2. Lee Bailey in informal dress. Ugh!!

    3. Im glad I don't have to wear those helmets all the time

    4. Lee Bailey and the other soundman [SoM2c Robert C. Buenger, USNR]

    5. I was supposed to be saluting but he took it to soon

    6. SC3c Bruce Alberghene, USNR - he's the cook stricker on our ship and yours truly

    7. Taking a nap

    8. This is Buenger and your truly. The sun was awfully bright

    9.

    10. Brooks SM2c

    11. LTJG Edward W. Gehrke, USNR - Engineer Officer

    12. Standing pier watch

    13. Getting salty the easy way

    14.

    15. An intelligent bunch. What?
    Front row: Mulligan [GM3c John J. Mulligan, USNR], Diesch, Byers [MoMM2c Willis C. Byers, USN] and Charlesworth [S2c Leroy E. Charlesworth, USNR] (over the hill)
    Back row: Leary [EM2c Raymond L. Leary, USN], Crunny, Dill, Davis [Coxswain Johnny R. Davis, USN], Romanowski [BM1c Edward J. Romanowski, USN], Bailey, Buenger and Fillipi (sic) [S1c William E. Filppi, USNR]

    16.

    17. Just a bunch of the boys - Left to right - Sullivan S1c, Klein EM3c, Deisch S1c, Romanowski BM1c, Fillipi (sic)S2c, Buenger SoM3c, Forknall S2c, Connaghan S2c (The Scottie), Humble GM2c (Tell Pat that's Guns in front with the line on his knee)

    18. Ah - Strength!! Connaghan and Bailey on top and Leary below. I really had to hold on that time

    19. Here's a string of fish we caught one day, Pop. Jealous?

    20. ST1c Edward R. Rawlins, USN

    21. Morgan and "Doc" Cross the Pharmacist Mate

    22.

    23.

    24. "Butch" co-mascot of the YMS-409

    25. Depth charges exploding

    26.

    27.

    28. Believed to be CMoMM Lloyd Francis Cummings, USN on the left

    29.

    30. Bruce Alberghene

    31. Bruce Alberghene

    32.

    33.

    34.

    35.

    36. Missing at sea telegram dated 20 September 1944

    37. Newspaper article

    38. Bureau of Naval Personnel letter dated 4 October 1944

    39. Secretary of the Navy letter dated 15 October 1945

    40. Bureau of Naval Personnel letter dated 17 January 1947

    Photos from the collection of MoMM2c James Elliot Gaston

    Contributed by Glen Hendricks

    (If you know the identity of any of these crew members, please send an email with their names)

    Click on thumbnail for full size photo


    1. James Gaston. Photographed while at Recruit Training as a Recruit Petty Officer First Class

    2. MoMM3c Floyd Lane, USNR; MoMM3c Kenneth R. Jeffries, USNR; LTJG Edward Walter Gehrke, USNR; MoMM2c James Elliot Gaston; EM2c Raymond L. Leary, USN; Keck and CMoMM Lloyd Francis Cummings, USN

    3. James Elliot Gaston with a catch of fish

    4. Unknown, unknown, LTJG Edward Gehrke and James Elliot Gaston
    Commanding Officers
    01LT Herbert Leon Strauss, Jr., USNRJanuary 1944 - 12 September 1944
    Courtesy of the Strauss family and Glen Hendricks
    There is no DANFS History currently available for YMS-409
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