Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Readhead (MHC 48)
ex-Redhead (AMCU 48)
ex-Redhead (AMS 34)
ex-YMS-443



YMS-443 call sign:
Nan - Charlie - Roger - Zebra
YMS-136 Class Auxiliary Motor Mine Sweeper:

  • Laid down 21 October 1943 by Hiltebrant Dry Dock Co., Kingston, NY
  • Launched 5 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS YMS-443, 15 December 1944
  • Reclassified as a Motor Minesweeper, AMS-34 and named Redhead 18 February 1947
  • Reclassified as a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator), AMCU-48, 1 September 1954
  • Reclassified as a Coastal Minehunter, MHC-48, 7 February 1955
  • Decommissioned 6 December 1957 at Astoria, OR and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register 1 November 1959
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 320 t.
  • Length 136'
  • Beam 24' 6"
  • Draft 10'
  • Speed 15 kts.
  • Complement 32
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 20mm mounts, two depth charge projectors and twodepth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two 800bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines, Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS YMS-446
    Redhead 218k c. 1952/1954
    U.S. Navy photo NH 85779    		 Naval History and Heritage Command
    Redhead 91k 18 October 1950
    Wonsan harbor, Korea
    Republic of Korea minesweeper YMS-516 sinking in Wonsan harbor, after she detonated a magnetic mine during sweeping operations west of Kalma Pando. Redhead is just to the right of the sinking ship, rescuing survivors, as is another minesweeper to the left. Photographed from USS Merganser (AMS-26).ROK YMS-516 was originally the U.S. Navy's YMS-148, which had served in the British Navy in 1943 - 1946
    National Archives photo 80-G-443316
    Commanding Officers
    01LTJG John P. Hanna, USN15 December 1944
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    View the Redhead (MHC 48)
    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 Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper (YMS) Photo Index Back To The Motor Minesweeper (AMS) Photo Index Back to the Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) - (AMCU) Photo Index Back to the Coastal Minehunter (MHC) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
    This page created and maintained by Joseph M. Radigan
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History