USS YMS-419, a 270-ton YMS-410 class auxiliary motor minesweeper built at Chicago, Illinois, was commissioned in November 1944. She went to the Pacific in mid-1945 and participated in post-World War II mine clearance activities in Japanese, Korean and Chinese waters before returning to the U.S. in 1946. In February 1947, she was redesignated a motor minesweeper (AMS) and renamed Mockingbird (AMS-27).
Mockingbird again went to the Far East in late 1947, and spent the rest of her U.S. Navy career there. In July 1950, soon after the outbreak of the Korean War, she began sweeping mines off the Korean coast, taking part in major operations at Pohang, Inchon, Wonsan and Hungnam during 1950. During the rest of the conflict, Mockingbird was actively involved in efforts to keep Korean waters clear of mines and in patrolling to interdict enemy offshore activities. She continued to operate off Korea and Japan after the war ended in mid-1953. In February 1955, she was redesignated MSC(O)-27. Mockingbird decommissioned in January 1956. Transferred to the Republic of Korea Navy and renamed Ko Chang (MSC(O)-521), she remained in service until discarded in 1977.
This page features views related to USS YMS-419 and USS Mockingbird (AMS-27, MSC(O)-27).
For additional images of this ship, see USS Mockingbird, On Board Views
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.
Photo #: NH 96909 USS YMS-419 Photographed circa 1944-46. This ship became USS Mockingbird (AMS-27) in February 1947. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 109KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 79733 USS YMS-419 Photographed circa 1945. This ship became USS Mockingbird (AMS-27) in 1947. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1974. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 480 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-G-424597 Korean War Minesweeping Four U.S. Navy minesweepers (AMS) tied up at Yokosuka, Japan, following mine clearance activities off Korea. Original photo is dated 30 November 1950. These four ships, all units of Mine Division 31, are (from left to right): USS Merganser (AMS-26); USS Osprey (AMS-28); USS Chatterer (AMS-40) and USS Mockingbird (AMS-27). Ship in the extreme left background is USS Wantuck (APD-125). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 141KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-478497 Korean War Minesweeping USS Mockingbird (AMS-27) explodes an enemy mine in the Chinnampo area, off North Korea's Yellow Sea coast. Original photo is dated 3 March 1953. NOTE: This photo has also been published with the ship identified as USS Firecrest (AMS-10). See Cagle and Manson: "The Sea War in Korea", photo spread between pages 108 & 109. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-422081 Mine Division Thirty-One Commanding Officers in conference off Korea, 26 October 1950. Probably taken in the wardroom of USS Incredible (AM-249), off Wonsan. Those present are identified in Photo # 80-G-422081 (Complete Caption). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 620 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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For additional images of USS Mockingbird, see USS Mockingbird, On Board Views
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
30 August 1999