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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Ship Photo Archive

MHC-55 Oriole


Courtesy of Mike Smolinski



Call sign:
November - Romeo - Bravo - India

Osprey Class Coastal Minehunter: Laid down, 3 August 1991; Launched, 22 May 1993; Commissioned USS Oriole (MHC-55), 16 December 1995; Active with the Naval Reserve Force as of 30 September 1996 at Ingleside, TX.

Specifications: Displacement 895 Metric Tons; Length 188' ; Beam 36', Draft (Navigation) 9' 2"; Draft (Keel) 7'; Speed 10k; Complement five Officers, 48 Enlisted; Armament two .50 cal. machine guns; Propulsion two Isotta Fraschini ID36 SS8V-AM diesel engines, two Voith Schneider vertical axis, cycloidal, controllable pitch propellers, Electrical Systems two ship service diesel generators, one ship service/emergency diesel generator; Monocoque Design glass reinforced plastic monohull design. No longitudinal or transverse hull framing. The skin carries all the stresses. The vessel is flexible under shock. Machinery is supported by cradles from the main deck; Sensors/Navigation Systems AN/SYQ-13 Navigation, Command & Control System, AN/SPS-64(V)9 surface search radar, AN/SPA-25G radar display; AN/UQN-4A sonar sounding set, AN/WSN-2 stabilized gyrocompass, Hyper-fix radio navigation system, Plotting table; Loran C, Military global positioning system (GPS), AN/BQH-7A expendable bathythermograph set; Mine Countermeasures Systems AN/SLQ-48(V)2 mine neutralization system (MNS), AN/SQQ-32 minehunting sonar.


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For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Source
Oriole 142k U.S. Navy Photo from Commander Mine Warfare Command Fabio Peņa
Oriole 118k Off Corpus Christ, TX
c. February 2003
LCDR Rich Dodson, USN
Commanding Officer, USS Oriole
Oriole 79k Off Corpus Christ, TX
c. February 2003
LCDR Rich Dodson, USN
Commanding Officer, USS Oriole
Oriole 62k Off Corpus Christ, TX
c. February 2003
LCDR Rich Dodson, USN
Commanding Officer, USS Oriole

There is no DANFS History currently available for Oriole (MHC 55) at the Hazegray & Underway Web Site, the main archive for the DANFS Online Project.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Official Navy Web Site for USS Oriole (MHC-55)
Naval Minewarfare Association
Association of Minemen

Back To The Main Photo Index Back To the Mine Warfare Ship Photo Index Back to the Coastal Minehunter (MHC) Photo Index

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This page created by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Joe Radigan
© 1999-2003 Gary P. Priolo © 1999-2003 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.