Leslie J. Fulton, a 195-ton purse seiner, was built in 1936 at Antioch, California. She was purchased by the Navy in November 1940 and commissioned late in that month as USS Waxbill (AMc-15). She operated along the California coast on training and patrol duty until mid-January 1941, when she began full conversion for minesweeping. The following month, Waxbill was decommissioned and thereafter her operating status was "in service". The rest of her Navy career was spent on minesweeping and patrol work in west coast waters. Taken out of service in September 1944 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in October, Waxbill was transferred to the U.S. Maritime Commission in January 1945 and sold back to her original owner.
This page features our only views of the fishing boat Leslie J. Fulton, which served as USS Waxbill (AMc-15) in 1940-1945.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other view of this vessel while she was in service as USS Waxbill (AMc-15). The following list features this image:
The image listed below is NOT in the
Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".
USS Waxbill (AMc-15) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, 14 July 1941. The photo was taken from off the ship's port side and shows her fully fitted for minesweeping. She is painted light grey and wears the number "15" and the Mine Force symbol on her bow. Reproductions of this image should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The image listed in this box is NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions". |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 5 January 2002