NavSource Photo Archives:

Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper (YMS)
Index


It was 4 March 1941 in the Henry B. Nevins, Inc. Shipyard in City Island, NY, when the the keel was laid of the first United States "Yard class Minesweeper" designed by this company and listed as YMS-1. Launched on 10 January 1942, it was completed two months later on 25 March 1942. This yard held the distinction of building this ship in 3 months, 18 days. The first wooden minesweeper of this class was to gain prominence in all theaters during WW II. A total of 561 were built at various U. S. yards. Originally a class of Motor Minesweepers, "Yard " was added to distinguish them from other classes. Referring to a "Naval Yard or Naval Base." This type was not expected to go beyond adjacent waters from their base. Built at 35 yacht yards, rather than larger shipyards; 12 on the East Coast; 19 on the West Coast, and four in the Great Lakes. It has been established by the U. S. Navy that this is the reason for the "Yard" designation. Records show that YMS' were used in the United States Navy to sweep mines laid by enemy subs as early as 1942 off the ports of Jacksonville, FL and Charleston, SC. One of their greatest losses being on 9 October 1945, when seven U. S. YMS' were sunk in a typhoon off Okinawa. The only significant variation within the type was one of appearance; YM-1 through 134 had two stacks, YMS-135 through 445, 480 and 481 had one, while YMS-446 had none. The wooden-hulled YMS was one of the most durable and versatile ship types built for the Navy during World War II. They served in a variety of roles.


A view of the Robert Jacob Shipyard, City Island, NY, c. July 1944, which shows Harbor Tugs, Vospers, and YMS Auxiliary Motor Minesweepers under construction.
In 1946 the Robert Jacob Shipyard was sold to Consolidated Shipbuilding of Morris Heights. Consolidated then over a 2 year period relocated completely to City Island. Consolidated remained in business until 1957-58, was then sold to Wes Rodstrom who operated yard from 1959 to about 1963 as Rodstroms Yacht Yard then changed the name back somewhat to Consolidated Yacht Yard. Today Consolidated Yacht Yard is still owned by Rodstrom family.

Photo courtesy of the City Island Nautical Museum and Tom Nye.


Click on ship number to view photos/history.

Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper (YMS) Ship Index
YMS-1
YMS-2
YMS-3
YMS-4
YMS-5
YMS-6
YMS-7
YMS-8
YMS-9
YMS-10
YMS-11
YMS-12
YMS-13
YMS-14
YMS-15
YMS-16
YMS-17
YMS-18
YMS-19
YMS-20
YMS-21
YMS-22
YMS-23
YMS-24
YMS-25 Transferred to France
YMS-26
YMS-27
YMS-28
YMS-29
YMS-30
YMS-31
YMS-32
YMS-33
YMS-34
YMS-35
YMS-36
YMS-37
YMS-38
YMS-39
YMS-40
YMS-41
YMS-42
YMS-43
YMS-44
YMS-45 Named/Reclassified Barbet (AMS 41)
YMS-46
YMS-47
YMS-48
YMS-50
YMS-51
YMS-52
YMS-53
YMS-54
YMS-55
YMS-56
YMS-57
YMS-58
YMS-59
YMS-60
YMS-61
YMS-62
YMS-63
YMS-64
YMS-65
YMS-66
YMS-67
YMS-68
YMS-69
YMS-70
YMS-71
YMS-72
YMS-73
YMS-74
YMS-75
YMS-76
YMS-77
YMS-78
YMS-79
YMS-80 Named/Reclassified Albatross (AMS 1)
YMS-81
YMS-82
YMS-83
YMS-84
YMS-85
YMS-86
YMS-87
YMS-88
YMS-89
YMS-90
YMS-91
YMS-92
YMS-93
YMS-94
YMS-95
YMS-96
YMS-97
YMS-98
YMS-99
YMS-100
YMS-101
YMS-102
YMS-103
YMS-104
YMS-105
YMS-106
YMS-107
YMS-108
YMS-109 Named/Reclassified Brambling (AMS 42)
YMS-110
YMS-111
YMS-112
YMS-113 Named/Reclassified Brant (AMS 43)
YMS-114 Named/Reclassified Courlan (AMS 44)
YMS-115
YMS-116
YMS-117
YMS-118
YMS-119
YMS-120 Named/Reclassified Crossbill (AMS 45)
YMS-121
YMS-122
YMS-123
YMS-124
YMS-125
YMS-126
YMS-127
YMS-128
YMS-129
YMS-130
YMS-131
YMS-132
YMS-133
YMS-134
YMS-135
YMS-136 Named/Reclassified Egret (AMS 46)
YMS-137
YMS-138
YMS-139
YMS-140
YMS-141
YMS-142
YMS-143
YMS-144
YMS-145
YMS-146
YMS-147
YMS-148
YMS-149
YMS-150
YMS-151
YMS-152
YMS-153
YMS-154
YMS-155
YMS-156
YMS-157
YMS-158
YMS-159
YMS-160
YMS-161
YMS-162
YMS-163
YMS-164 Named/Reclassified Bobolink (AMS 2)
YMS-165
YMS-166
YMS-167
YMS-168
YMS-169
YMS-170 Named/Reclassified Bunting (AMS 3)
YMS-171
YMS-172
YMS-173
YMS-174
YMS-175
YMS-176
YMS-177
YMS-178
YMS-179 Named/Reclassified Cardinal (AMS 4)
YMS-180
YMS-181
YMS-182
YMS-183
YMS-184
YMS-185
YMS-186
YMS-187
YMS-188
YMS-189
YMS-190
YMS-191
YMS-192 Named/Reclassified Condor (AMS 5)
YMS-193 Named/Reclassified Fulmar (AMS 47)
YMS-194
YMS-195 Named/Reclassified Chauvenet (AGS 11)
YMS-196
YMS-197
YMS-198
YMS-199
YMS-200
YMS-201 Named/Reclassified Courser (AMS 6)
YMS-202
YMS-203
YMS-204
YMS-205
YMS-206
YMS-207
YMS-208
YMS-209
YMS-210
YMS-211
YMS-212
YMS-213
YMS-214
YMS-215 Named/Reclassified Crow (AMS 7)
YMS-216
YMS-217
YMS-218 Named/Reclassified Curlew (AMS 8)
YMS-219 Named/Reclassified Flicker (AMS 9)
YMS-220
YMS-221
YMS-222
YMS-223
YMS-224
YMS-225
YMS-226
YMS-227
YMS-228
YMS-229
YMS-230
YMS-231 Named/Reclassified Firecrest (AMS 10)
YMS-232
YMS-233
YMS-234
YMS-235
YMS-236
YMS-237
YMS-238 Named/Reclassified Flamingo (AMS 11)
YMS-239
YMS-240
YMS-241
YMS-242 Named/Reclassified Harkness (AGS 12)
YMS-243
YMS-244
YMS-245
YMS-246
YMS-247
YMS-248
YMS-249
YMS-250
YMS-251
YMS-252
YMS-253
YMS-254
YMS-255
YMS-256
YMS-257
YMS-258
YMS-259
YMS-260
YMS-261
YMS-262 Named/Reclassified James M. Gilliss (AGS 13)
YMS-263 Named/Reclassified Simon Newcomb (AGS 14)
YMS-264
YMS-265
YMS-266
YMS-267
YMS-268 Named/Reclassified Lapwing (AMS 48)
YMS-269
YMS-270
YMS-271 Named/Reclassified Lorikeet (AMS 49)
YMS-272
YMS-273
YMS-274
YMS-275
YMS-276
YMS-277
YMS-278
YMS-279
YMS-280
YMS-281
YMS-282
YMS-283
YMS-284
YMS-285
YMS-286
YMS-287
YMS-288
YMS-289
YMS-290 Named/Reclassified Nightingale (AMS 50)
YMS-291 Named/Reclassified Reedbird (AMS 51)
YMS-292
YMS-293
YMS-294 Named/Reclassified Redpoll (AMS 57)
YMS-295
YMS-296
YMS-297
YMS-298
YMS-299 Named/Reclassified Rhea (AMS 52)
YMS-300
YMS-301
YMS-302
YMS-303
YMS-304
YMS-305
YMS-306 Named/Reclassified Goldfinch (AMS 12)
YMS-307
YMS-308
YMS-309
YMS-310
YMS-311 Named/Reclassified Robin (AMS 53)
YMS-312 Named/Reclassified Grackle (AMS 13)
YMS-313
YMS-317 Named/Reclassified Grosbeak (AMS 14)
YMS-321 Named/Reclassified Grouse (AMS 15)
YMS-322
YMS-324 Named/Reclassified Gull (AMS 16)
YMS-327 Named/Reclassified Ruff (AMS 54)
YMS-328
YMS-331
YMS-332
YMS-334
YMS-335
YMS-339
YMS-340
YMS-341
YMS-345
YMS-349
YMS-361
YMS-362 Named/Reclassified Hawk (AMS 17)
YMS-369 Named/Reclassified Heron (AMS 18)
YMS-371 Named/Reclassified Hornbill (AMS 19)
YMS-372 Named/Reclassified Hummer (AMS 20)
YMS-374 Named/Reclassified Kite (AMS 22)
YMS-376 Named/Reclassified Lark (AMS-23)
YMS-383
YMS-386
YMS-387
YMS-390
YMS-391
YMS-395 Named/Reclassified Linnet (AMS-24)
YMS-400 Named/Reclassified Magpie (AMS-25)
YMS-401
YMS-402 Named/Reclassified Seagull (AMS-55)
YMS-404
YMS-411
YMS-415 Named/Reclassified Chatterer (AMS-40)
YMS-417 Named/Reclassified Merganser (AMS-26)
YMS-419 Named/Reclassified Mockingbird (AMS-27)
YMS-420
YMS-422 Named/Reclassified Osprey (AMS-28)
YMS-424
YMS-425 Named/Reclassified Siskin (AMS-58)
YMS-427
YMS-430 Named/Reclassified Ostrich (AMS-29)
YMS-437 Named/Reclassified Partridge (AMS-31)
YMS-439
YMS-441 Named/Reclassified Pelican (AMS 32)
YMS-443 Named/Reclassified Redhead (AMS 34)
YMS-444 Named/Reclassified Turkey (AMS 56)
YMS-446 ex-PCS-1393 Named/Reclassified Sanderling
(AMS 35)
YMS-447 ex-PCS-1394
YMS-448 ex-PCS-1395
YMS-449 ex-PCS-1398
YMS-450 ex-PCS-1399
YMS-457 ex-PCS-1410
YMS-461 ex-PCS-1416 Named/Reclassified Swallow (AMS 36)
YMS-467 ex-PCS-1435
YMS-475
YMS-477 ex-PCS-1453
YMS-479 ex-PC-1456 Named/Reclassified Waxbill (AMS 39)
YMS-542 Named/Reclassified McMinnville (PCS 1401)

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This page created by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Joe Radigan
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