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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Nucleus (MSF 268)
ex-AM-268



Call sign:
Nan - Peter - Roger - Victor


Nucleus served the Navies of the United States and the Soviet Union
Admirable Class Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 7 September 1942 by the Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw, AL
  • Launched 12 June 1943
  • Completed 19 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS Nucleus (AM 268), 11 February 1944
  • Decommissioned 20 May 1945 at Cold Bay, AK
  • Transferred to the Soviet Union 21 May 1945 and reclassified T-278
  • Assigned to the Pacific Fleet 17 June 1945
  • Participated in the landing of troops in Seisin (Chongjin), Korea 14 August 1945 and Maoku (Kholmsk), Japan 20 August 1945
  • Awarded the "Guards Rank" 26 August 1945
  • Transferred 23 October 1947 to the Ministry of Transport and converted to a whaling vessel
  • Transferred to "Glavpromorrybprom" 7 August 1948 and named Hurricane
  • Reclassified by U.S. Navy as a Fleet Minesweeper (Steel Hull), MSF-268, 7 February 1955
  • Scrapped in the early 1960s
  • Struck from the Navy Register 1 January 1983.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 945 t. (fl)
  • Length 184' 6"
  • Beam 33'
  • Draft 9' 9"
  • Speed 14.8 kts.
  • Complement 104
  • Armament: One 3"/50 cal. dual purpose mount, one twin 40mm gun mount, six 20mm gun mounts, one depth charge projector (hedgehogs), four depth charge projectors (K-guns), and two depth
    charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two 1,710shp Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines, National Supply Co. single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    American Ship Building
    110225510    		 2.29k The Nucleus (AM-268) was built in the American Ship Building Company yards in Lorain, Ohio. Photo courtesy of theshipyards.com
    Commanding Officers
    01LT Davis Howard Elliot, USNR11 February 1944 - 20 May 1945
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and R. A. Moody
    View the Nucleus (MSF 268)
    DANFS History entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
    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 Fleet Minesweeper (MSF) Photo Index
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