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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Vireo (MSC-205)
ex-AMS-205


Vireo served the Navies of the United States and the Republic of Fiji.
Redwing Class Motor Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 14 September 1953 as Motor Minesweeper, AMS-205 by Bellingham Shipyards, Bellingham, WA
  • Launched, 30 April 1954
  • Reclassified as a Coastal Minesweeper, MSC-205, 7 February 1955
  • Commissioned USS Vireo (MSC 205), 7 June 1955 at Tacoma, WA
  • Decommissioned, 1 October 1970 at Long Beach, CA and placed in service as a Naval Reserve Training Ship at Seattle, WA
  • Placed out of service 1 April 1975
  • Struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1975
  • Transferred 1 October 1975 to the Republic of Fiji and renamed HMFS Kula (MSC 205)
  • Discarded in 1985.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 412 t.
  • Length 145'
  • Beam 28'
  • Draft 12'
  • Speed 12.8 kts.
  • Complement 40
  • Armament: One 20mm gun mount, two .50 cal. machine guns and one 81mm mortar
  • Propulsion: Two General Motors diesel engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Vireo (MSC 205)
    Vireo 139k . Russ Padden
    Vireo 35k c. June 1966
    Photo taken from the USS Vance (DER 387)    		 George Blust
    Vireo 49k c. June 1966
    Photo taken from the USS Vance (DER 387)    		 George Blust
    HMFS Kula (MSC 205)
    Kula 59k Kula (MSC 205) .
    Warbler 91k 23 January 1986
    Right to left, the Fijian navy ships HMFS's Kiro [MSC 206], ex-Warbler (MSC 206); Kikau [MSC 204], ex-Woodpecker (MSC 209) and Kula at Suva navy base, on a very foggy morning.    		 Ray Smith
    View the Vireo (MSC 205) DANFS History
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