USS Pochard

USS Pochard (AM-375) was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

History
United States
Name	USS Pochard
Builder	Savannah Machine and Foundry Co., Savannah, Georgia
Laid down	10 February 1944
Launched	11 June 1944
Commissioned	27 November 1944
Decommissioned	15 January 1947
Recommissioned	27 February 1952
Decommissioned	3 August 1955
Reclassified	MSF-375, 7 February 1955
Stricken	1 December 1966
Honours and awards	3 battle stars (World War II)
Fate	Sold for scrap
General characteristics
Class and type	Auk-class minesweeper
Displacement	890 long tons (904 t)
Length	221 ft 3 in (67.44 m)
Beam	32 ft (9.8 m)
Draft	10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	100 officers and enlisted
Armament	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun 2 × 40 mm guns 2 × 20 mm guns 2 × Depth charge tracks

Pochard was named after the pochard, a heavy-bodied diving duck.

Pochard was laid down by Savannah Machine and Foundry Co., Savannah, Georgia, 10 February 1944; launched 11 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Mary E. Kennard; and commissioned 27 November 1944.

World War II Pacific operations

After fitting out and shakedown, she departed Norfolk, Virginia, for the Panama Canal Zone on 19 February 1945 escorting Shellbark (AN-67). She then proceeded to San Francisco, California, and San Diego, California, and sailed for Pearl Harbor; Eniwetok, Marshall Islands; and Guam; arriving Okinawa on 28 June. During July and August she conducted minesweeping operations around Kerama Retto.

On 22 August Pochard was assigned to Commander 3rd Fleet, and proceeded to Tokyo Bay, arriving on the 29th. She remained in Tokyo Bay only a short period before sailing for Okinoyama Shoals, Sagami Wan, to conduct mine sweeping operations.

Pochard remained in the Far East conducting minesweeping operations until 26 March 1946. She then returned to the United States for inactivation, decommissioning 15 January 1947.

Second commissioning

Pochard was berthed at San Diego, California, as a unit of the Pacific Reserve Fleet until recommissioned 27 February 1952. On 19 May she reported for duty with the Atlantic Fleet, at Charleston, South Carolina, whence she operated alternating U.S. East Coast and Caribbean cruises with Mediterranean deployments until 1955.

Final decommissioning

Reclassified MSF-375, 7 February 1955, she was placed in reserve in June and decommissioned on 3 August. Assigned to the Florida Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, she was berthed at Green Cove Springs, Florida until struck from the Navy List 1 December 1966 and sold for scrap.

Awards

Pochard received three battle stars for World War II service.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Pochard at NavSource Naval History
• uboat.net - Minesweeper USS Pochard of the Auk class
• Allied Ships Present in Tokyo Bay During the Surrender Ceremony, 2 September 1945
• USS Pochard (AM-375)