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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

USS Champion (MSF 314)
ex-USS Champion (AM 314)



Call sign:
November - Charlie - Charlie - Tango

ex-HMS Akbar (BAM 1)


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

  • Laid down 6 July 1942 as HMS Akbar (BAM 1) by the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, CA
  • Launched 12 December 1942
  • Renamed and reclassified Champion (AM 314), 23 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS Champion (AM 314), 8 September 1943
    Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 lists plan for decommissioning and placing in reserve as December 1946
  • Decommissioned and placed in reserve 30 January 1947 at San Diego, CA
  • Reclassified as a Fleet Minesweeper (Steel Hull), MSF-314, 7 February 1955
  • Struck from the Navy Register 1 July 1972
  • Transferred to Mexico 19 September 1972 and renamed ARM Mariano Escobar (P 103)
  • Currently in service at Manzanillo, Mexico.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 890 t.
  • Length 221' 2"
  • Beam 32' 2"
  • Draft 10' 9"
  • Speed 18.1 kts.
  • Complement 105
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two twin 40mm gun mounts, two 20mm gun mounts, two depth charge tracks and five depth charge projectors
  • Propulsion: Two 1, 498shp Baldwin VO8 diesel electric drive engines, Westinghouse single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Champion (AM 314)
    Champion 113k 13 October 1943 Robert Hurst
    Champion 192k Taken shortly after the Okinawa campaign. The ships Doctor, Lt[jg] Tullis is standing on the ships life line next to the bridge Mike Willmann
    Champion 58k c. August 1945
    ARM Mariano Escobar (P 103)
    Champion 61k Mexican Navy photo Joe Radigan
    Champion 67k c. March 2010 Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine
    Champion 130k c. 2010
    ARM Manuel Doblado (P 104), ex-Defense (MSF 317) is on her port side    		 Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine
    Photos added 24 November 2019
    Champion 125k c. 2010
    Champion 330k c. January 2011
    Manzanillo, Mexico
    Moored alongside ARM Manuel Doblado (P 104), ex-Defense (MSF 317)    		 Gábor Fekete
    Champion 441k
    Champion 272k
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR James Henry Howard, Jr., USNR8 September 1943 - 8 May 1945
    02LCDR Milton Albert Rusteen, USNR8 May 1945 - 8 September 1945
    03LT Robert Paul Ochsner, USN8 September 1945
    04LT Joseph Habry McSpadden, USN21 April 1946 - 30 January 1947
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and R. A. Moody
    View the Champion (MSF 314)
    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 and maintained by Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory) & Michael Mohl
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