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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

YMS-443 / AMS-34 / AMCU-48 /MHC-48 Redhead



YMS-443 call sign:
November - Charlie - November - Delta

YMS-136 Class Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper: Laid down, 21 October 1943 by the Hiltebrant Dry Dock Co., Kingston, New York; Launched, 5 May 1944; Completed, 14 November 1944; Commissioned USS YMS-443, 15 December 1944; Redesignated a Motor Minesweeper and named Redhead (AMS 34), 18 February 1947; Reclassified a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) AMCU-48, 1 September 1954; Redesignated a Coastal Minehunter MHC-48, 7 February 1955; Decommissioned, 6 December 1957 and laid up at the Columbia River Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet, Astoria, WA; Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, 1 November 1959. Fate unknown. Redhead earned three battle stars for World War II service, and a Presidential Unit Citation and 10 battle stars for the Korean War.

Specifications: Displacement 320 t.; Length 136'; Beam 24' 6"; Draft 10'; Speed 15 kts; Complement 32; Armament one single 3"/50 gun mount, two 20mm, two dcp, two dct; Propulsion two General Motors diesel engines, two shafts.
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Size Image Description Source
Redhead 83k Opening of Wonsan, October 1950 - 51. Republic of Korea minesweeper YMS-516 sinking in Wonsan harbor, 18 October 1950, after she detonated a magnetic mine during sweeping operations west of Kalma Pando. USS Redhead (AMS-34) is just to the right of the sinking ship, rescuing survivors, as is another minesweeper to the left. Photographed from USS Merganser (AMS-26). ROK YMS-516 was originally the U.S. Navy's YMS-148, which had served in the British Navy in 1943-46 as BYMS-2148. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
US Navy photo 80-G-443316
Naval Historical Center
Redhead 38k Making smoke after coming under fire from shore batteries. Yang-do Islands, Korea. c. September 1952. Wayne Schafer
Redhead 102k Underway, circa 1952-54.
US Navy photo NH 85779
Naval Historical Center

View the Redhead (YMS 443/AMS 34/AMCU 48/MHC 48) DANFS History
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
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This page created by Gary P. Priolo and maintained by Joseph M. Radigan
© 2003 Joseph M. Radigan © 1996 - 2003 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.