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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Blue Jay (MHC 17)
ex-Blue Jay (AMCU 17)
ex-LSI(L)-654
ex-LCI(L)-654

Call sign:
Nan - Peter - Queen - Easy

AMCU-7 Class Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator):

Laid down 15 June 1944 by the New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., Barber, NJ

Launched 18 July 1944

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-654, 28 July 1944 under the command of LTJG Ralph E. Grassmuck, USNR

Decommissioned 18 July 1946

Reclassified as a Landing Ship Infantry (Large), LSI(L)-654, 28 February 1949

Named Blue Jay and reclassified as a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator), AMCU-17, 7 March 1952

Conversion to AMCU-17 began 21 September 1953 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA

Conversion completed 5 April 1954

Reclassified as a Coastal Minehunter, MHC-17, 7 February 1955

Removed from service 1 January 1960

Blue Jay was never commissioned

Acquired in 1961 by the Alaska Navigation and Trading Co., Inc. of Seattle, WA and renamed Alaska Trader

Acquired in 1963 by Pan-Alaska Fisheries, Inc. of Seattle

Acquired in 1970 by the IDS Leasing Corp. of Minneapolis, MN and renamed Vic Hansen

Acquired in 1978 by Pan Alaska Fisheries, Inc. Kodiak, AK

Acquired in 1988 by the Marine Maintenance Corp. of Federal Way, WA and renamed Pacific Clipper

Acquired in 1995 by Svend Asp of Cordova, AK and renamed James A

Out of documentation in 2002

Fate unknown.

LCI Specifications:

Displacement 216 t.(light), 234 t.(landing), 389 t.(loaded)

Length 158' 5½"

Beam 23' 3"

Draft, Light 3'1½" mean, Landing, 2' 8" forward, 41'10" aft, Landing, 5'4"forward, 5'11" aft

Speed 16 kts. (max.), 14 kts. maximum continuous

Complement 23

Troop Capacity 188

Cargo Capacity 75 t.

Armor 2" plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house

Endurance 4,000 miles at 12 kts, loaded, 500 miles at 15 knots

Armament: Four 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft, later added two .50 cal. machine guns

Propulsion: Eight 800bhp General Motors 6-71 diesel engines, four per shaft, two shafts, variable pitch propellers.

Click on thumbnail for full size image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS LCI(L)-654
	63k	Contributed by Don Scott in memory of his Father John K. Scott, Sr. who served during WWII aboard the LCI(L)-654	Robert G. Morrissey
	52k
	94k	LCI(L)-654, LCI(L)-1003 and LCI(L)-703 Contributed by Don Scott in memory of his Father John K. Scott, Sr. who served during WWII aboard the LCI(L)-654
	138k	Crew photo John K. Scott, back row center Contributed by Don Scott in memory of his Father John K. Scott, Sr. who served during WWII aboard the LCI(L)-654
	116k	Crew photo Commanding Officer, front row center Contributed by Don Scott in memory of his Father John K. Scott, Sr. who served during WWII aboard the LCI(L)-654
	72k	c. Fall 1945/January - February 1946 Moored at Guam, Marianas U.S. personnel waiting to board ships to return home after conclusion of World War II	J. Hoffman in honor of his father, W. Hoffman, (USAF)
USS Blue Jay (AMCU 17)
	56k	Namesake: *Blue Jay* - A bird common to North America, whose plumage is chiefly bright blue	Tommy Trampp Photo added 11 November 2020

There is no DANFS History currently available for Blue Jay (AMCU 17)

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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Blue Jay (MHC 17)ex-Blue Jay (AMCU 17)ex-LSI(L)-654ex-LCI(L)-654

Blue Jay (MHC 17)
ex-Blue Jay (AMCU 17)
ex-LSI(L)-654
ex-LCI(L)-654