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

YMS-417 / AMS-26 / AMCU-47 / MHC-47 Merganser



YMS-417 call sign:
November - Papa - Whiskey - Quebec

YMS-1 Class Auxiliary Motor Mine Sweeper: Laid down, 9 January 1944 at Stadium Yacht Basin, Cleveland, Ohio; Launched, 29 June 1944; Completed, 10 November 1944; Commissioned USS YMS-417, 11 November 1944; Redesignated a Motor Minesweeper AMS-26, 17 February 1947 and renamed Merganser; Converted to a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) and redesignated AMCU-47, 1 October 1954; Redesignated Coastal Minehunter MHC-47, 7 February 1955; Decommissioned, 2 April 1958 at San Diego, CA; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group; Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1959; Sold for scrapping, 5 May 1960 to Hilburg and Trupin, Los Angeles, CA; Sold again in 1959 to an unknown buyer in the United Kingdom; Sold in 1971 to William F. Craig of Curtice, OH; Converted to a yacht and renamed Miss Juanita. Fate unknown.

Specifications: Displacement 270 t.; Length 136'; Beam 24' 6"; Draft 8'; Speed 15 kts; Complement 32; Armament one single 3"/50 gun mount, two 20mm, two dcp; Propulsion two General Motors diesel engines, two shafts.


Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Source
YMS-417 54k Fitting out at the Stadium Yacht Basin, Cleveland, Ohio, 10 July 1944.
U. S. Navy Photo 19-N-67893
Naval Historical Center
YMS-417 95k Fitting out at the Stadium Yacht Basin, Cleveland, Ohio, 10 July 1944.
U. S. Navy Photo 19-N-67894
Naval Historical Center
Merganser 124k Opening of Wonsan, October 1950. Merganser tied up to Conserver (ARS-39) in Wonsan Harbor, Korea. Photographed by AFAN W.C. Newbill. The original photo is dated 23 October 1950. Note navigation buoy on Conserver's after deck and ships in background, including another AMS and a high-speed minesweeper (DMS).
U. S. Navy Photo 80-G-422161
Naval Historical Center
Chatterer 146k Mine Division 31 tied up at Yokosuka, following mine clearance activities off Korea. From left to right: Merganser; Osprey (AMS-28); Chatterer (AMS-40), and Mockingbird (AMS-27).
U. S. Navy Photo 80-G-424597.
Original dated 30 November 1950.
.
AMS-5 Condor/LST-735 Dukes County 88k Dukes County (LST 735) serving as mother ship for seven minesweepers, probably in a Japanese port, circa 1952-54. Ships nested alongside are: Gull (AMS-16); Firecrest (AMS-10); Condor (AMS-5); Merganser; Osprey (AMS-28); Competent (AM-316); and Chief (AM-315).
U. S. Navy Photo NH 68589
Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute, James C. Fahey Collection.
Naval Historical Center
Merganser 91k c. 1955-58.
Merganser as MHC-47.
U. S. Navy Photo 1045939
Naval Historical Center
Miss Juanita 56k Miss Juanita Historical Collections of the Great Lakes

View the Merganser (AMS-26)
DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & 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
Naval Minewarfare Association
Association of Minemen
Back To The Main Photo Index Back To the Mine Warfare Ship Photo Index Back To The Auxiliary Minesweeper (YMS) Photo Index Back To The Motor Mine Sweeper (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 by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Joseph M. Radigan
© 2004 Joseph M. Radigan © 1996 - 2004 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.