Originally classified as a "coastal minesweeper," AMc-126, Augury was reclassified as a "minesweeper," AM-149, on 21 February 1942. She was laid down on 7 December 1942 at Tampa, Florida, by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Inc., launched on 23 February 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Helen K. MacLean, and commissioned on 17 March 1944.
Selected for transfer to the Soviet Navy in Project Hula – a secret program for the transfer of U.S. Navy ships to the Soviet Navy at Cold Bay, Alaska, in anticipation of the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan – Augury began four weeks of familiarization training for her new Soviet crew at Cold Bay on 23 June 1945.[4]
Soviet Navy, 1945-1960edit
Following the completion of training for her Soviet crew, Admirable was decommissioned on 19 July 1945[1] at Cold Bay and transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease immediately.[1] Also commissioned into the Soviet Navy immediately,[1] she was designated as a tralshik ("minesweeper") and renamed T-334[3] in Soviet service. She soon departed Cold Bay bound for Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the Soviet Union, where she served in the Soviet Far East.[4]
In February 1946, the United States began negotiations for the return of ships loaned to the Soviet Union for use during World War II, and on 8 May 1947, United States Secretary of the NavyJames V. Forrestal informed the United States Department of State that the United States Department of the Navy wanted 480 of the 585 combatant ships it had transferred to the Soviet Union for World War II use returned. Deteriorating relations between the two countries as the Cold War broke out led to protracted negotiations over the ships, and by the mid-1950s the U.S. Navy found it too expensive to bring home ships that had become worthless to it anyway. Many ex-American ships were merely administratively "returned" to the United States and instead sold for scrap in the Soviet Union, while the U.S. Navy did not seriously pursue the return of others because it viewed them as no longer worth the cost of recovery.[5] The Soviet Union never returned Augury to the United States, although the U.S. Navy reclassified her as a "fleet minesweeper" (MSF) and redesignated her MSF-149 on 7 February 1955.
Disposaledit
T-334 was scrapped in the Soviet Union in 1960.[2] Unaware of her fate, the U.S. Navy kept Augury on its Naval Vessel Register until finally striking her on 1 January 1983.
^ abcdefgThe Dictionary of American Naval Fighting ShipsAugury article states that the U.S. Navy decommissioned and transferred Augury on 18 July 1945, and NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Augury (MSF 149) ex-AM-149 ex-AMc-126 and hazegray.org Augury repeat this. However, more recent research in Russell, Richard A., Project Hula: Secret Soviet-American Cooperation in the War Against Japan, Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1997, ISBN0-945274-35-1, p. 39, which includes access to Soviet-era records unavailable during the Cold War, reports that the transfer date was 19 July 1945. As sources, Russell cites Department of the Navy, Ships Data: U.S. Naval Vessels Volume II, 1 January 1949, (NAVSHIPS 250-012), Washington, DC: Bureau of Ships, 1949; and Berezhnoi, S. S., Flot SSSR: Korabli i suda lendliza: Spravochnik ("The Soviet Navy: Lend-Lease Ships and Vessels: A Reference"), St. Petersburg, Russia: Belen, 1994. According to Russell, Project Hula ships were decommissioned by the U.S. Navy simultaneously with their transfer to and commissioning by the Soviet Navy – see photo captions on p. 24 regarding the transfers of various large infantry landing craft (LCI(L)s) and information on p. 27 about the transfer of USS Coronado (PF-38), which Russell says typified the transfer process – indicating that Admirable's U.S. Navy decommissioning, transfer, and Soviet Navy commissioning all occurred simultaneously on 19 July 1945.
^ abNavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Augury (MSF 149) ex-AM-149 ex-AMc-126 states that the ship was scrapped in 1954, while Russell, Richard A., Project Hula: Secret Soviet-American Cooperation in the War Against Japan, Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1997, ISBN0-945274-35-1, p. 39, reports that the ship's Soviet name was T-334 and states that T-334 was stricken in 1958. As sources, Russell cites Department of the Navy, Ships Data: U.S. Naval Vessels Volume II, 1 January 1949, (NAVSHIPS 250-012), Washington, DC: Bureau of Ships, 1949; and Berezhnoi, S. S., Flot SSSR: Korabli i suda lendliza: Spravochnik ("The Soviet Navy: Lend-Lease Ships and Vessels: A Reference"), St. Petersburg, Russia: Belen, 1994. Russell, p. 40., also states that T-524 – a Soviet name previously attributed to Augury but now identified as belonging to the former USS YMS-145, was destroyed by mutual agreement between the two countries in 1956, ruling out this misidentification as a reason for confusion over the ship's fate, and it is unclear why NavSource asserts a 1954 scrapping date.
^ abThe Dictionary of American Naval Fighting ShipsAugury article states that Augury was named T-524 in Soviet service, and hazegray.org Augury repeats this, but more recent research in Russell, Richard A., Project Hula: Secret Soviet-American Cooperation in the War Against Japan, Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1997, ISBN0-945274-35-1, pp. 39–40, which includes access to Soviet-era records unavailable during the Cold War, finds that the ship's Soviet name was T-334, while an auxiliary motor minesweeper, the former USS YMS-145, also transferred in 1945, had the Soviet name T-524. As sources, Russell cites Department of the Navy, Ships Data: U.S. Naval Vessels Volume II, 1 January 1949, (NAVSHIPS 250-012), Washington, DC: Bureau of Ships, 1949; and Berezhnoi, S. S., Flot SSSR: Korabli i suda lendliza: Spravochnik ("The Soviet Navy: Lend-Lease Ships and Vessels: A Reference"), St. Petersburg, Russia: Belen, 1994. NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Augury (MSF 149) ex-AM-149 ex-AMc-126 also identifies Augury's Soviet name as T-334.
^ abRussell, Richard A., Project Hula: Secret Soviet-American Cooperation in the War Against Japan, Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1997, ISBN0-945274-35-1, p. 39.
^Russell, Richard A., Project Hula: Secret Soviet-American Cooperation in the War Against Japan, Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1997, ISBN0-945274-35-1, pp. 37–38, 39.
augury, admirable, class, minesweeper, built, united, states, navy, during, world, commission, from, 1943, 1945, 1945, transferred, soviet, navy, which, served, history, united, states, name, buildertampa, shipbuilding, company, tampa, florida, reclassifiedam,. USS Augury AM 149 was an Admirable class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II and in commission from 1943 to 1945 In 1945 she was transferred to the Soviet Navy in which she served as T 334 History United States NameUSS Augury AMc 126 BuilderTampa Shipbuilding Company Tampa Florida ReclassifiedAM 149 21 February 1942 Laid down7 December 1942 Launched23 February 1943 Sponsored byMrs Helen K MacLean Commissioned17 March 1944 Decommissioned19 July 1945 1 FateTransferred to the Soviet Union 19 July 1945 1 ReclassifiedMSF 149 7 February 1955 Stricken1 January 1983 History Soviet Union NameT 334 3 Acquired19 July 1945 1 Commissioned19 July 1945 1 FateScrapped 1960 2 General characteristics Class and typeAdmirable class minesweeper Displacement650 tons Length184 ft 6 in 56 24 m Beam33 ft 10 m Draft9 ft 9 in 2 97 m Propulsion2 ALCO 539 diesel engines 1 710 shp 1 3 MW Farrel Birmingham single reduction gear 2 shafts Speed14 8 knots 27 4 km h Complement104 Armament1 3 50 caliber gun DP 2 twin Bofors 40 mm guns 1 Hedgehog anti submarine mortar 2 depth charge tracks Service record Part of U S Pacific Fleet 1943 1945 Soviet Pacific Ocean Fleet 1945 1960 Contents 1 Construction and commissioning 2 Service history 2 1 U S Navy World War II 1943 1945 2 2 Soviet Navy 1945 1960 3 Disposal 4 References 5 External linksConstruction and commissioning editOriginally classified as a coastal minesweeper AMc 126 Augury was reclassified as a minesweeper AM 149 on 21 February 1942 She was laid down on 7 December 1942 at Tampa Florida by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company Inc launched on 23 February 1943 sponsored by Mrs Helen K MacLean and commissioned on 17 March 1944 Service history editU S Navy World War II 1943 1945 edit After fitting out Augury completed shakedown training out of Little Creek Virginia between 8 April and 8 May 1943 On 10 May 1943 she got underway as part of the escort for a convoy bound for the United States West Coast She and her charges arrived in the Panama Canal Zone on 19 May 1943 transited the Panama Canal soon thereafter and continued on up the western coast of North America Augury entered port at San Francisco California on 2 June 1943 and remained there until 22 June 1943 when she resumed her journey shaping a course for the Territory of Alaska She arrived at Kodiak Alaska on 29 June 1943 and reported for duty with Task Force TF 91 For the remainder of her U S Navy career she plied the waters surrounding Kodiak Island and the Aleutian Islands escorting ships between such ports as Kodiak Dutch Harbor Adak Amchitka Attu Shemya and Chernofski and conducted minesweeping operations in the bays inlets and passes along the Aleutian archipelago Selected for transfer to the Soviet Navy in Project Hula a secret program for the transfer of U S Navy ships to the Soviet Navy at Cold Bay Alaska in anticipation of the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan Augury began four weeks of familiarization training for her new Soviet crew at Cold Bay on 23 June 1945 4 Soviet Navy 1945 1960 edit Following the completion of training for her Soviet crew Admirable was decommissioned on 19 July 1945 1 at Cold Bay and transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend Lease immediately 1 Also commissioned into the Soviet Navy immediately 1 she was designated as a tralshik minesweeper and renamed T 334 3 in Soviet service She soon departed Cold Bay bound for Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky in the Soviet Union where she served in the Soviet Far East 4 In February 1946 the United States began negotiations for the return of ships loaned to the Soviet Union for use during World War II and on 8 May 1947 United States Secretary of the Navy James V Forrestal informed the United States Department of State that the United States Department of the Navy wanted 480 of the 585 combatant ships it had transferred to the Soviet Union for World War II use returned Deteriorating relations between the two countries as the Cold War broke out led to protracted negotiations over the ships and by the mid 1950s the U S Navy found it too expensive to bring home ships that had become worthless to it anyway Many ex American ships were merely administratively returned to the United States and instead sold for scrap in the Soviet Union while the U S Navy did not seriously pursue the return of others because it viewed them as no longer worth the cost of recovery 5 The Soviet Union never returned Augury to the United States although the U S Navy reclassified her as a fleet minesweeper MSF and redesignated her MSF 149 on 7 February 1955 Disposal editT 334 was scrapped in the Soviet Union in 1960 2 Unaware of her fate the U S Navy kept Augury on its Naval Vessel Register until finally striking her on 1 January 1983 References editThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here a b c d e f g The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Augury article states that the U S Navy decommissioned and transferred Augury on 18 July 1945 and NavSource Online Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Augury MSF 149 ex AM 149 ex AMc 126 and hazegray org Augury repeat this However more recent research in Russell Richard A Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan Washington D C Naval Historical Center 1997 ISBN 0 945274 35 1 p 39 which includes access to Soviet era records unavailable during the Cold War reports that the transfer date was 19 July 1945 As sources Russell cites Department of the Navy Ships Data U S Naval Vessels Volume II 1 January 1949 NAVSHIPS 250 012 Washington DC Bureau of Ships 1949 and Berezhnoi S S Flot SSSR Korabli i suda lendliza Spravochnik The Soviet Navy Lend Lease Ships and Vessels A Reference St Petersburg Russia Belen 1994 According to Russell Project Hula ships were decommissioned by the U S Navy simultaneously with their transfer to and commissioning by the Soviet Navy see photo captions on p 24 regarding the transfers of various large infantry landing craft LCI L s and information on p 27 about the transfer of USS Coronado PF 38 which Russell says typified the transfer process indicating that Admirable s U S Navy decommissioning transfer and Soviet Navy commissioning all occurred simultaneously on 19 July 1945 a b NavSource Online Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Augury MSF 149 ex AM 149 ex AMc 126 states that the ship was scrapped in 1954 while Russell Richard A Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan Washington D C Naval Historical Center 1997 ISBN 0 945274 35 1 p 39 reports that the ship s Soviet name was T 334 and states that T 334 was stricken in 1958 As sources Russell cites Department of the Navy Ships Data U S Naval Vessels Volume II 1 January 1949 NAVSHIPS 250 012 Washington DC Bureau of Ships 1949 and Berezhnoi S S Flot SSSR Korabli i suda lendliza Spravochnik The Soviet Navy Lend Lease Ships and Vessels A Reference St Petersburg Russia Belen 1994 Russell p 40 also states that T 524 a Soviet name previously attributed to Augury but now identified as belonging to the former USS YMS 145 was destroyed by mutual agreement between the two countries in 1956 ruling out this misidentification as a reason for confusion over the ship s fate and it is unclear why NavSource asserts a 1954 scrapping date a b The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Augury article states that Augury was named T 524 in Soviet service and hazegray org Augury repeats this but more recent research in Russell Richard A Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan Washington D C Naval Historical Center 1997 ISBN 0 945274 35 1 pp 39 40 which includes access to Soviet era records unavailable during the Cold War finds that the ship s Soviet name was T 334 while an auxiliary motor minesweeper the former USS YMS 145 also transferred in 1945 had the Soviet name T 524 As sources Russell cites Department of the Navy Ships Data U S Naval Vessels Volume II 1 January 1949 NAVSHIPS 250 012 Washington DC Bureau of Ships 1949 and Berezhnoi S S Flot SSSR Korabli i suda lendliza Spravochnik The Soviet Navy Lend Lease Ships and Vessels A Reference St Petersburg Russia Belen 1994 NavSource Online Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Augury MSF 149 ex AM 149 ex AMc 126 also identifies Augury s Soviet name as T 334 a b Russell Richard A Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan Washington D C Naval Historical Center 1997 ISBN 0 945274 35 1 p 39 Russell Richard A Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan Washington D C Naval Historical Center 1997 ISBN 0 945274 35 1 pp 37 38 39 External links editNavSource Online Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Augury MSF 149 ex AM 149 ex AMc 126 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Augury amp oldid 1121265825, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
