USS Project

Summary

USS Project (AM–278) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was decommissioned in 1947 after wartime service and transferred to the Philippine Navy in 1948 where she served under the name RPS Samar (M-33). She was stricken from the Philippine Navy in 1960; beyond that, her fate is not reported in secondary sources.

History
United States
NameUSS Project
BuilderGulf Shipbuilding Company
Laid down1 July 1943
Launched20 November 1943
Sponsored byMrs. Irene D. Jenkins
Commissioned22 August 1944
Decommissioned13 June 1946
Stricken16 September 1947
FateTransferred to the Philippines, 24 May 1948
History
Philippines
NameRPS Samar (M-33)
Acquired24 May 1948
ReclassifiedPS-33
Stricken1960
Fateunknown
General characteristics
Class and typeAdmirable-class minesweeper
Displacement
  • 650 tons
  • 945 tons (full load)
Length184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam33 ft (10 m)
Draft9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 1,710 shp (1,280 kW) Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines
  • National Supply Co. single reduction gear
  • 2 shafts
Speed14.8 knots (27.4 km/h)
Complement104
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Awards: 2 Battle stars

Career edit

Project was laid down 1 July 1943 by Gulf Ship Building Corp., Chickasaw, Alabama; launched 20 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Irene D. Jenkins; and commissioned 22 August 1944. Project departed U.S. Naval Repair Station, Algiers, Louisiana, 7 September for Little Creek, Virginia. En route, she drove off German submarine U-518 after it had torpedoed SS George Ade 125 nautical miles (232 km; 144 mi) off Wilmington, North Carolina, 12 September. Later operations for the minesweeper ranged from Portland, Maine, where she trained with friendly submarines in October, to Cape Charles, Virginia, where she planted small mines, to Port Royal, Bermuda, to which she escorted Keawah and Sapelo in December.

Project continued Atlantic Ocean coast operations during the first half of 1945 but in July proceeded via the Panama Canal Zone to San Pedro, California. Engaging in minesweeping operations off California in August, the ship steamed to Pearl Harbor the 24th and on to Eniwetok and Saipan in September. After stopping at Buckner Bay, she reached Japan on the 20th. She remained in Japanese waters in connection with Japanese minesweeping activity and to make exploratory sweeps in the Omai Saki area.

Project was decommissioned, 13 June 1946 at Subic Bay, Philippines, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 16 September 1947. She was transferred to the Philippines on 24 May 1948 as RPS Samar (M-33). She was later reclassified as a patrol corvette with pennant number of PS-33. She was stricken in 1960. Her ultimate fate is not reported in secondary sources.

Awards edit

Project received one battle star for U.S. World War II service.

References edit