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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

USS Defense (MSF 317)
ex-USS Defense (AM 317)



Call sign:
November - Charlie - India - Victor

ex-HMS Amity (BAM 4)


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

  • Laid down 2 October 1942 as HMS Amity (BAM 4) by the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, CA
  • Renamed and reclassified Defense (AM 317), 23 January 1943
  • Launched 18 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS Defense (AM-317), 10 January 1944
    Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 lists plan for decommissioning and placing in reserve as April 1946
  • Placed out of commission, in reserve, 31 May 1946 at San Diego, CA and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned 10 February 1952 at Long Beach, CA
  • Reclassified Fleet Minesweeper (Steel Hull), MSF-317, 7 February 1955
  • Placed out of commission, in reserve, 15 April 1955 at Long Beach and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Sold to Mexico 3 January 1973 and renamed ARM Manuel Doblado (C-73)
  • Reclassified P-104
  • 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 Defense (AM 317)
    Defense 24k - USS Defense
    (AM-317) Website
    Defense 14k -
    Defense 230k 17 March 1944
    National Archives photo    		 Roy Cordell
    Defense 79k 30 September 1945 Robert Hurst
    Defense 144k Photographed circa 1952, shortly after she was recommissioned for Korean War service.
    U.S. Navy photo NH 96912    		 Naval Historical Center
    Defense 73k At Sasebo, Japan, with nine minesweepers and a harbor tug alongside. Original photo is dated 8 October 1952. Ships nested to left of Laertes (AR 20) are (from left): Impeccable (AM-320); Gladiator (AM-319); Shoveler (AM-382); Defense and Devastator (AM-318). Those nested to right are (from left): Condor (AMS-5); Kite (AMS-22); Curlew (AMS-8); Chatterer (AMS-40), and
    Wallacut (YTB-420)
    U.S. Navy photo 80-G-63229
    ARM Manuel Doblado (P 104)
    Defense 66k Mexican Navy photo Mexican Navy
    Champion 330k c. January 2011
    Manzanillo, Mexico
    Moored alongside ARM Mariano Escobar (P 103), ex-Champion (MSF 314)    		 Gábor Fekete
    Champion 441k
    Champion 272k
    View the Defense (MSF 317)
    DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Website
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Defense (AM-317) and W. D. Cordell
    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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