Click on thumbnail for full size image	Size	Image Description		Source
	429k	12 September 1987 Sturgeon Bay, WI A starboard quarter view of Avenger moored at Peterson Shipbuilders Inc. the morning of the ship's commissioning ceremony. U.S. Navy photos DN-SC-88-06070 and DN-SC-88-06071 courtesy of Peterson Builders, Inc.		Robert M. Cieri
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	255k	12 September 1987 Sturgeon Bay, WI Retired VADM James B. Stockdale, Cmdr. Robert S. Rawls, comanding officer, and Sybil Stockdale, the ship's sponsor, meet aboard the Avenger prior to commencing the commissioning ceremony. U.S. Navy photo DN-SC-88-06075 courtesy of Peterson Builders, Inc.
	397k	12 September 1987 Sturgeon Bay, WI Cmdr. Robert S. Rawls, commanding officer, speaks during the commissioning of Avenger. The crew has already been piped to quarters. U.S. Navy photo DN-SC-88-06077 courtesy of Peterson Builders, Inc.
	430k	12 September 1987 Sturgeon Bay, WI Retired VADM James B. Stockdale speaks during the commissioning ceremony for the Avenger. U.S. Navy photo DN-SC-88-06078 courtesy of Peterson Builders, Inc.
	39k	Line drawing		Joe Radigan
	175k	Commissioning day U.S. Navy photo by PH1(AC) W. V. Breyfogle from the January 1988 edition of All Hands magazine
	454k	Avenger during her initial shock test in 1987. An explosive device was placed beside the ship and detonated in order to simulate a mine explosion. She only suffered very minor surface hull damage to the hull coating during the test.		Thomas K. Peters, EN1(SW), USN 1982 - 1991
	97k	Lead ship of her class, underway during her trials in late 1987. Peterson Builders photograph Photo from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships		Original photo: Peterson Shipbuilders Replacement photo: Robert Hurst
	91k	U.S. Navy photo from the September 1989 edition of All Hands magazine		Joe Radigan
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	66k	The mine countermeasure ship USS Avenger (MCM-1) is docked at a pier in Norfolk, VA prior to being positioned aboard the submerged deck of the Dutch heavy lift ship SUPER SERVANT 3, 19 August 1990. The SUPER SERVANT 3 transported the Avenger and several ocean minesweepers to the Persian Gulf in response to Iraq`s invasion of Kuwait. Photo DNSN9011817 by JO2 Sosa, USN		Defense Visual Information Center
	58k	c. 1999 Malaga, Spain Scout (MCM 8), Champion (MCM 4) and Avenger in port		Thomas Dollard
	82k	13 March 1999 Champion (MCM 4), Devastator (MCM 6) and Avenger in line for refueling. U.S. Navy photo 990313-N-7949J-0101		-
	437k	27 April 1999 Champion (MCM 4) and Avenger at Toulon, France Photo by Guy Schaeffer		Paolo Marsan
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	103k	23 April 2001 Avenger passes under the Coronado Bay Bridge after a port visit to San Diego. Avenger is on a scheduled six-month deployment. U.S. Navy photo 010423-N-8894M-001 by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Federick McCahan		Bill Gonyo
	318k	c. 2002 Crew photo		Thomas Dollard
	90k	16 April 2004 Avenger leaves Naval Base San Diego for a training deployment. Avenger, homeported in Texas, recently visited San Diego during a four-month training deployment. U.S. Navy photo 040416-N-8977L-002 by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Johansen Laurel		Bill Gonyo
	452k	10 July 2004 Pacific Ocean Avenger operates off the coast of Hawaii during exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2004. RIMPAC is the largest international maritime exercise in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands. This exercise includes seven participating nations; Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. RIMPAC is intended to enhance the tactical proficiency of participating units in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while enhancing stability in the Pacific Rim region.. U.S. Navy photo 040710-N-6551H-229 by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Michelle R. Hammond		Robert M. Cieri
	86k	10 July 2004 Taking on fuel from HSV Swift (HSV 2) while deployed to the Pacific in support of RIMPAC 2004		Thomas Dollard
	137k	c. 2005 Avenger and USS Defender (MCM 2) at hurricane mooring.		HMC(SW) Charles T. Canterbury, IDC MHC Crew Gallant USS Shrike (MHC 62)
	221k	23 September 2005 Ingleside, TX In preparation of Hurricane Rita, mine countermeasures ships home ported at Naval Station Ingleside nest in a modified mooring. Ships present (left to right): Unknown, Scout (MCM 8), unknown, Sentry (MCM 3), Champion (MCM 4), Pioneer (MCM 9), Chief (MCM 14), Gladiator (MCM 11), Avenger and Defender (MCM 2). U.S. Navy photo 050923-N-4913K-006 by Fifi Kieschnick		Robert M. Cieri
	90k	c. November 2005 Panama City, FL Cormorant (MHC 57) on the right.		DC2(SS) David Johnston, USNR MCM Crew Implicit USS Warrior MCM-10
	180k	c. November 2005 Panama City, FL
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	186k	10 July 2009 Sasebo, Japan Avenger exits the submerged deck of the Military Sealift Command contracted heavy-lift vessel Ocean Force during a float-on/float-off evolution in Sasebo. The second of two mine ships to arrive in Sasebo, Avenger will join sister ship USS Defender (MCM 2) to conduct an extended deployment in the western Pacific Ocean. USS New Orleans (LPD 18) is in the background. U.S. Navy photo 090710-N-0807W-474 by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua J. Wahl		Lee Wahler
	302k	23 September 2009 Departing Sasebo, Japan U.S. Navy photo 090926-N-8335D-534 by Mass Communication Specialist 1nd Class Richard Doolin
	87k	San Diego, CA U.S. Navy photo		Robert Hurst
	234k	25 April 2011 Sasebo, Japan Mineman 3rd Class Joshua Sinsheimer gives navigational readings to the Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Sullivan on the bridge U.S. Navy photo 110425-N-SP676-087 by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian A. Stone		Bill Gonyo

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Commanding Officers
01	CDR Robert Sherwood Rawls, USN	12 September 1987 - 21 July 1989
02	CDR James Donald Cope, USN	21 July 1989 - 25 October 1991
03	LCDR Joseph Edward Zavodny, USN	25 October 1991 - 25 June 1993
04	LCDR Terrance Christopher (Rock) Ryan, USN	25 June 1993 - 18 February 1994
05	CDR Michael John O'Moore, USN	18 February 1994 - 5 May 1994
06	LCDR John Christopher Piper, USNR	5 May 1994 - 13 April 1996
07	LCDR David M. Fillion, USN	13 April 1996 - 15 May 1997
08	LCDR Gary Robert Gilleon, USN	15 May 1997 - 17 September 1997
09	LCDR Stephen C. Shoen, USN	17 September 1997 - 13 June 1999
10	LCDR David Allan Chase, USN	13 June 1999 - 30 March 2001
11	LCDR John Thomas Beaver, Jr., USN	30 March 2001 - 8 November 2002
12	LCDR Glenn P. Kuffel, Jr., USN	8 November 2002 - 15 October 2004
13	LCDR Philip Edward Sobeck, USN	15 October 2004 - January 2006
14	LCDR Jeffrey Albyn Bennett, II, USN	January 2006 - November 2006
15	LCDR Quinn David Skinner, USN	November 2006
16	LCDR Angel C. Cruz, USN	2007
17	LCDR Quinn David Skinner, USN	2008
18	LCDR James Paul Lowell, USN	15 February 2008
19	LCDR Steven A. Johnson, USN	15 February 2008
20	LCDR Kenneth R. Lieberman, USN	2009 - 2 October 2010
21	LCDR Patrick L. German, USN	2 October 2010 - 17 November 2011
22	LCDR Patrick Joseph Sullivan, USN	17 November 2011

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joe Radigan

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Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships:

Avenger (MCM-1)-the lead ship in a new class of coastal minehunter-was laid down on 3 June 1983 at Sturgeon Bay, Wis., by the Peterson Shipbuilding Co.; launched on 15 June 1985; sponsored by Mrs. Sybil B. Stockdale; and commissioned on 12 September 1987, Comdr. Robert S. Rawls in command.

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Official Navy Web Site for USS Avenger (MCM-1)
Naval Minewarfare Association
Association of Minemen

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