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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Herald (MSF 101)
ex-AM-101



Call sign:
November - Alpha - Mike - Lima


Herald served the Navies of the United States and Mexico
Auk Class Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 14 March 1942 by the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, CA
  • Launched 4 July 1942
  • Commissioned USS Herald (AM-101), 23 March 1943
  • Decommissioned 31 May 1946 at San Diego, CA and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
    Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 lists out of commission, in reserve as December 1945
  • Recommissioned 5 March 1952 at San Diego
  • Reclassified a Fleet Minesweeper (Steel Hull), MSF-101, 7 March 1955
  • Decommissioned 15 April 1955 at Green Cove Springs, FL and laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1972
  • Sold to Mexico 1 February 1973 and renamed Mariano Matamoros
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 890 t.
  • Length 221' 2"
  • Beam 32'
  • Draft 10' 9"
  • Speed 18.1 kts.
  • Complement 105
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 40mm gun mounts, two 20mm gun mounts, two depth charge tracks and five depth charge projectors
  • Propulsion: Two 1,559shp Busch Sulzer 539 diesel electric engines, Westinghouse reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Herald 53k Although the hull number is incorrect, this is a photo of Herald USS Skill
    Website
    Herald 132k Model of AM-101 was replicated to circa March 1943, as commissioned All Wood Ships
    Herald 42k Art print created by former Wing Commander Ian Hall, RAF Tommy Trampp
    Photo added 25 April 2019
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR Dion Beers Poupeney, USN23 March 1943 - July 1943
    02LT Edward Paul Dietrich, USNR14 October 1943 - 15 December 1944
    03LT Bowman Simon Ellis, Jr., USNR15 December 1944 - 10 May 1945
    04LT Ray Ernest Oliver, USNR10 May 1945
    05LT Francis J. Massimo, USNR20 November 1945 - 19 March 1946
    06LT Stephen L. Mesteller, USN5 March 1952
    07LT George Hardgrave "Asmo" Asman, USN - USNA Class of 19451954
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Francis J. Massimo
    View the Herald (MSF-101)
    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 Fleet Minesweeper (MSF) Photo Index
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    This page created by Gary P. Priolo and was maintained by Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory) & Michael Mohl.
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