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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

MSO-481
ex-AM-481


Courtesy of Arie van Mazijk


Call sign:
Papa - Alpha - Whiskey - Oscar


AM-481 was built for the Netherlands
AM-480 Class Fleet Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 8 December 1952 as AM-481 by the Astoria Marine Construction Co., Astoria, OR
  • Launched 7 November 1953
  • Completed 21 September 1954
  • Reclassified by U. S. Navy as an Ocean Minesweeper, MSO-481, 7 February 1955
  • Transferred to the Netherlands 21 February 1955 and named Onbevreesd (M 885)
  • Reclassified A-855 2 August 1965
  • Placed out of service 28 May 1982
  • Struck from the Navy Register 18 December 1987
  • Scrapped 17 March 1989.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 750 t.
  • Length 171'
  • Beam 35'
  • Draft 10' 4"
  • Speed 15 kts.
  • Complement 39
  • Armament: One 40mm mount and two .50 cal. machine guns
  • Propulsion: Two 1,600shp General Motors diesel enginess, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    AM-481
    AM-481 147k Seen in her original hull number, flying the Netherlands flag.
    U. S. Navy photo    		 Mercuur Museum Website
    Onbevreesd 116k c. 1954
    Crew photo    		 Arie van Mazijk
    Onbevreesd (A 855)
    MSO-481 458k NATO minesweepers underway during a STANAVFORCHAN [Standing Naval Force - Channel] Exercise. Ships are from top to bottom: the Federal German Navy Duren (M 1079); the Netherlands Navy Abcoude (M 180); the Norwegian Navy Alssund (M 572), ex-MSC-128; the Belgian Navy De Brouwer (M 904), ex-MSO-499; the Onbevreesd; HMS Kirkliston (M 1157); the Danish Navy
    Omøsund (M 576), ex-MSC-221; the Belgian Navy Koksijde (M 933) and the superstructure of HMS Bossington (M 1133)
    Royal Navy Museum photo from "Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy" by John Roberts    		 Robert Hurst
    Onbevreesd 80k c. 1979
    Frederikstad, Norway    		 Mercuur Museum website
    Onbevreesd 75k c. 1980s Arie van Mazijk
    Onbevreesd 92k
    Onbevreesd 48k
    Onbevreesd 53k
    Onbevreesd 56k
    Onbevreesd 68k
    Onbevreesd 62k
    Onbevreesd 60k
    MSO-485 107k Undated post card showing Onvermoeid (A 857), Onbevreesd and Onverdroten (A 859) laid up in the Reserve Fleet
    Onbevreesd
    Onbevreesd 66k After being stripped
    Royal Dutch Navy photo    		 Mercuur Museum website
    There is no DANFS history available for MSO-481
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    102 Minesweepers (MSO) Oceangoing Minesweepers
    Naval Minewarfare Association
    Association of Minemen
    Back to the Main Photo Index Back to the Mine Warfare Ship Photo Index Back to the Ocean Minesweeper (MSO) Photo Index
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