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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

HMS BYMS-2148
ex-HMS J-948
ex-YMS-148


YMS-148 served the Navies of Great Britian and South Korea.
YMS-1 Class Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 8 June 1942 as YMS-148 by the Western Boat Building Co., Tacoma, WA
  • Launched 29 November 1942
  • Completed, transferred to Great Britian 15 May 1943 and reclassified HMS J-948
  • Reclassified HMS BYMS-2148
  • Returned to U.S. custody 10 November 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register 13 December 1946
    Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 lists transfer to an unknown government agency in August 1947
  • Transferred to South Korea in 1948 and named Gongju (YMS 516)
  • Struck a mine and sank 18 October 1950 during sweeping operations west of Kalma Pando, Wonsan harbor, Korea.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 270 t.
  • Length 136'
  • Beam 24' 6"
  • Draft 8'
  • Speed 15 kts.
  • Complement 32
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 20mm mounts, and two depth charge projectors
  • Propulsion: Two 800bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines, Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click onthumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    HMS BYMS-2148
    YMS-148 140k . Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory)
    YMS-148 110k Trincomalee, Ceylon Mike Waugh
    ROKS Gongju (YMS 516)
    YMS-148 75k Republic of Korea minesweeper YMS-516 is blown up by a magnetic mine, during sweeping operations west of Kalma Pando, Wonsan harbor, on 18 October 1950.
    National Archives photo 80-G-423625    		 Naval Historical Center
    Redhead 83k Republic of Korea minesweeper YMS-516 sinking in Wonsan harbor, 18 October 1950, after she detonated a magnetic mine during sweeping operations west of Kalma Pando. USS Redhead
    (AMS-34)     is just to the right of the sinking ship, rescuing survivors, as is another minesweeper to the left. Photographed from USS Merganser (AMS-26)
    National Archives photo 80-G-443316
    There is no DANFS history available for BYMS-2148
    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 Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper (YMS) Photo Index
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    This page created and maintained by Joseh M. Radigan
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