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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive
Courtesy of Al Grazevich

Thrush (MSC 204)
ex-AMS-204

Redwing Class Motor Minesweeper:

  • The second Thrush was laid down 7 May 1954 as AMS-204 by the Tampa Marine Co., Tampa, FL
  • Launched 5 January 1955
  • Reclassified as a Coastal Minesweeper, MSC-204, 7 February 1955
  • Commissioned USS Thrush (MSC 204), 8 November 1955
  • Decommissioned 1 July 1975 and transferred to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA
  • Converted for use as an Ocean Research Vessel and renamed R/V Virginian Sea
  • Struck from the Navy Register 1 August 1977
  • Scrapped 1 August 1982.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 320 t.
  • Length 144'
  • Beam 28'
  • Draft 9'
  • Speed 13 kts.
  • Complement 39
  • Armament: Two 20mm mounts
  • Propulsion: Two General Motors diesel engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Thrush (MSC 204)
    Thrush 45k Namesake: Thrush - A bird of a family of approximately 700 species and sub-species. The thrush is found world-wide and is known for its beautiful songs Tommy Trampp
    Photo added 29 February 2020
    Thrush 97k c. June 1957
    Mine Warfare School Yorktown, VA
    Moored inboard of Thrasher (MSC 203)    		 Derick S. Hartshorn
    Thrush 98k
    Thrush 100k Steaming out of Key West
    U.S. Navy photo from the July 1959 edition of All Hands magazine    		 Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory)
    Thrush 62k Transiting the Panama Canal
    U.S. Navy photo from the November 1960 edition of All Hands magazine
    Thrush 158k Thrush, Falcon (MSC 190) and Nespelen (AOG 55) are moored at Coco Solo, Canal Zone
    U.S. Navy photo from the June 1962 edition of All Hands magazine
    R/V Virginian Sea
    Thrush 137k Virginia Institute of Marine Science
    Commanding Officers
    01LTJG Richard Anthony Dallamura, USN8 November 1955 - 11 July 1956
    02LT William Frank Gibbes Lykes, USN - USNA Class of 195211 July 1956 - 24 August 1957
    03LT Eric G. Huey, USN1967
    04LT Leroy Collins, Jr., USN/USNR - USNA Class of 1956
    Retired as Rear Admiral    		1968 - 1969
    05LT Thomas A. Pederson, USN1969
    06LT Paul Clare Pauzé, USN - Retired as Captain1971 - 1974
    07LT Malcolm Wallace McClellan, USN - USNA Class of 19691974 - 1 July 1975
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory)
    View the Thrush (MSC 204)
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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    This page created and maintained by Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory) & Michael Mohl

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