USS Pluck (MSO-464)
Encyclopedia
USS Pluck (AM-464/MSO-464) was an Aggressive-class
minesweeper
acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.
The second ship to be named Pluck
by the Navy, MSO-464, a minesweeper, was laid down 31 March 1952 by Wilmington Boat Works, Inc., Wilmington, California; launched 6 February 1954; sponsored by Mrs. Robert J. Eaton; and commissioned 11 August 1954, Lt. Willis C. McClelland in command.
, Pluck reported for duty to Commander, Mine Forces, Pacific. She deployed to WestPac
in January 1956, and returned in June to Long Beach, California
, for overhaul. During January and February 1957 she assisted survey operations in Long Beach Harbor.
2 June 1958, Pluck operated off Taiwan
in August and September during the Quemoy crisis. Deployed to WestPac 31 August 1960, she delivered four tons of textbooks to Batangas
, Philippines
, in January 1961, as part of Operation Handclasp
. On her next assignment to WestPac 2 July 1962, Pluck made a good will tour of Mindanao
and Panay
Islands, Philippines, in September before returning to Long Beach, California
. Upon completion of overhaul she rejoined her sister ships at Long Beach 15 October 1963.
an waters, she deployed to WESTPAC 28 September 1964. During February and March 1965 she monitored coastal shipping off South Vietnam
. On her next deployment to WestPac, 16 May 1966, she completed four more coastal patrols beginning July 1966 and ending 2 February 1967. In 1968 she underwent major overhaul from 29 January to 1 July, and, in November, participated in an evaluation of the Red Eye antiaircraft missile
.
Into 1970 Pluck remained active with the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Originally homeported in Long Beach, California, she was transferred to the Naval Reserve Fleet in July 1972, at which time she changed her homeport to San Diego, California.
In 1980 she was drydocked in Long Beach CA and at that time was fitted with a newly developed sonar and GPS system that was very accurate compared to older methods of mine location. The operators of this device often bragged that not only could they find a beer can in 1500 ft of water - they could identify the brand of beer!
As a direct result of her new sonar and related computer equipment, in 1981 she was credited with locating and salvaging a luxury yacht that had sank off the coast of Monterey CA.
Into 1988, 1989 and into 1990 Pluck remained active with the Pacific Fleet as a training platform for active duty and reserve personnel.
She was decommissioned 29 November 1990 and was stricken from the Navy list 16 January 1991. She was sold for scrapping 1 December 1992.
on 16 January 1991. She was sold for scrap in 1992.
Aggressive class minesweeper
The Aggressive class minesweepers are a class of US-built minesweepers. They are designated as MSO , distinguishing them from the smaller coastal MSCs and inshore MSIs...
minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.
The second ship to be named Pluck
USS Pluck
USS Pluck is a name used more than once by the U.S. Navy:* USS Pluck , a coastal minesweeper placed in service 6 October 1942.* USS Pluck , a fleet minesweeper commissioned 11 August 1954....
by the Navy, MSO-464, a minesweeper, was laid down 31 March 1952 by Wilmington Boat Works, Inc., Wilmington, California; launched 6 February 1954; sponsored by Mrs. Robert J. Eaton; and commissioned 11 August 1954, Lt. Willis C. McClelland in command.
West Coast operations
Following shakedownShakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
, Pluck reported for duty to Commander, Mine Forces, Pacific. She deployed to WestPac
Westpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
in January 1956, and returned in June to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, for overhaul. During January and February 1957 she assisted survey operations in Long Beach Harbor.
Pacific Ocean operations
Assigned to WestPacWestpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
2 June 1958, Pluck operated off Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
in August and September during the Quemoy crisis. Deployed to WestPac 31 August 1960, she delivered four tons of textbooks to Batangas
Batangas
Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, in January 1961, as part of Operation Handclasp
Operation Handclasp
Operation Handclasp was a 1958 joint Air Force-Navy operation conducted with the U.S. Navy's U.S. 7th Fleet to demonstrate military weapons for Asian political and military leaders.- Example of use :...
. On her next assignment to WestPac 2 July 1962, Pluck made a good will tour of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
and Panay
Panay
Panay may refer to*Panay Island*Panay *Panay, Capiz*Panay River*Panay Gulf* USS Panay *Panay incident...
Islands, Philippines, in September before returning to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. Upon completion of overhaul she rejoined her sister ships at Long Beach 15 October 1963.
Later Pacific Ocean operations
After type training in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an waters, she deployed to WESTPAC 28 September 1964. During February and March 1965 she monitored coastal shipping off South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. On her next deployment to WestPac, 16 May 1966, she completed four more coastal patrols beginning July 1966 and ending 2 February 1967. In 1968 she underwent major overhaul from 29 January to 1 July, and, in November, participated in an evaluation of the Red Eye antiaircraft missile
FIM-43 Redeye
The General Dynamics FIM-43 Redeye was a man-portable surface-to-air missile system. It used infrared homing to track its target. Production was terminated in September 1969 after about 85,000 rounds had been built - in anticipation of the Redeye II, which later became the FIM-92 Stinger...
.
Into 1970 Pluck remained active with the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Originally homeported in Long Beach, California, she was transferred to the Naval Reserve Fleet in July 1972, at which time she changed her homeport to San Diego, California.
In 1980 she was drydocked in Long Beach CA and at that time was fitted with a newly developed sonar and GPS system that was very accurate compared to older methods of mine location. The operators of this device often bragged that not only could they find a beer can in 1500 ft of water - they could identify the brand of beer!
As a direct result of her new sonar and related computer equipment, in 1981 she was credited with locating and salvaging a luxury yacht that had sank off the coast of Monterey CA.
Into 1988, 1989 and into 1990 Pluck remained active with the Pacific Fleet as a training platform for active duty and reserve personnel.
She was decommissioned 29 November 1990 and was stricken from the Navy list 16 January 1991. She was sold for scrapping 1 December 1992.
Decommissioning
Pluck was decommissioned on 29 November 1990 and was struck from the Navy listNavy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 16 January 1991. She was sold for scrap in 1992.