USS Conquest (AM-488)

Summary

USS Conquest (MSO-488) was an Agile-class minesweeper in the United States Navy.

USS Conquest (MSO-488)
History
United States
NameUSS Conquest (MSO-488)
BuilderJ. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington
Laid down26 March 1953
Launched20 May 1954
Commissioned8 July 1955
Decommissioned29 June 1994
ReclassifiedMSO-488, 7 February 1955
Stricken29 June 1994
FateSold to Taiwan, 1 March 1995
History
Taiwan
NameROCS Yung Tzu (MSO-1307)
Acquired1 March 1995
Cost$742,779
Commissioned1 Mar 1995
Decommissioned1 Sep 2020
General characteristics
Class and typeAggressive-class minesweeper
Displacement775 long tons (787 t) full load
Length172 ft (52 m)
Beam35 ft (11 m)
Draft12 ft (3.7 m)
Propulsion
Speed14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement8 officers, 70 enlisted
Armament
  • As built :
  • 1 × single 40 mm gun mount
  • 2 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) twin machine guns
  • Final configuarion :
  • 1 × twin 20 mm gun mount
  • 2 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) twin machine guns

Conquest was laid down by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. of Tacoma, Washington on 26 March 1953 as AM-488, launched on 20 March 1954 by Mrs. C. D. Henderson. She was reclassified MSO-488 on 7 February 1955, and commissioned on 8 July 1955.

Service history edit

One of a new type of non-magnetic minesweepers, Conquest remained operating out of Long Beach, California on trials and training until 2 October 1956. She sailed to Acapulco, Mexico, for a good will visit from 10 to 14 October, then returned to Long Beach to prepare for her first tour of duty in the Far East. Sailing 4 March 1957, Conquest visited Chinhae, South Korea, and Kaohsiung, Formosa for operations with the Republic of China Navy; Hong Kong, and various ports in Japan before returning to Long Beach on 13 September 1957 for overhaul. During 1958 she operated locally out of Long Beach and conducted a series of minesweeping exercises at Esquimalt, Nootka Sound, and Vancouver, British Columbia, from 6 October to 19 November. Between 17 August 1959 and 13 March 1960, she again served in the Far East, returning to local operations through June 1960.

Conquest was decommissioned on 29 June 1994, stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 29 June 1994 and sold on 1 March 1995. Conquest was sold to Taiwan to be designated Yung Tzu (MSO-1307) for $742,779

Call sign: "November - Tango - Alpha - Whiskey"

Awards edit

Conquest received 26 unit awards and citations:

References edit

External links edit

  • Photo gallery of USS Conquest (AM-488/MSO-488) at NavSource Naval History
  • USS Conquest (AM-488/MSO-488) Archived 5 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine