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USS Adams (DM-27)
Encyclopedia
USS Adams (DM-27) was a destroyer minelayer in the United States Navy
. She was named for Lieutenant, junior grade
Samuel Adams. The other two USS Adams that have existed were named after the second president.
Adams was laid down as DD-739, an Allen M. Sumner-class
destroyer
, on 20 March 1944 at the Bath Iron Works
in Bath, Maine
. She was redesignated a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer DM-27, on 20 July 1944; launched on 23 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Maude Ryan Adams, the widow of Lieutenant Adams. Adams was commissioned at Boston, Massachusetts, on 10 October 1944, with Commander
Henry J. Armstrong in command.
on 1 November. That cruise, which took her to Bermuda
waters, lasted for the entire month. On 29 November, she headed back toward the United States and arrived at Norfolk, Virginia
, on 3 December. Following post-shakedown availability in the navy yard there, she put to sea on 11 December with , bound for New York City and a rendezvous with . The two destroyer minelayers departed New York with the aircraft carrier on 15 December and set a course for the Panama Canal
. The three warships transited the canal on 20 December and, on 22 December, headed for the California
coast. They arrived at San Diego, CA on 29 December and remained there two days undergoing repairs. On New Year's Day
1945, they got underway again, headed for Oahu
, and they arrived in Pearl Harbor
six days later.
For almost two months, Adams remained in the Hawaii
an operating area. During that time, she acted as plane guard for while the carrier conducted carrier landing qualifications for naval aviators. She also carried out gunnery exercises and shore bombardment practice. The warship spent two periods in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard—once for the installation of VF radar
equipment and again to have her main deck plating strengthened. Early in February, she laid mines
and tested mine detection equipment on them. Later, the warship conducted mine laying exercises. She finished out her tour of duty in the Hawaii area late in February with another plane guard mission with Bataan.
The destroyer minelayer stood out of Pearl Harbor on 2 March, bound for the western Pacific. She arrived in Ulithi Atoll on 14 March and remained until 19 March, when she put to sea with a task group of the Okinawa invasion force. The warship saw her first combat on 23 March, the day before she arrived off Okinawa. That evening, enemy aircraft attacked her task group. Adams sustained her first casualties when a projectile fired from the after five-inch mount exploded prematurely killing two sailors and injuring another 13. At dawn the following day, she began minesweeping operations off Okinawa. The destroyer minelayer provided gunfire support and mine destruction services to the wooden-hulled minesweepers
doing the actual sweeping.
Those operations continued over the next few days in spite of Japanese
air resistance. During that time, she was attacked by at least twelve different planes. She confirmed six kills and claimed probable kills of two others. On the 28th, one of those attackers splashed about 25 ft from her port bow showering her with debris and gasoline
.
She sustained damage in a collision with a salvage vessel that forced her into the anchorage at Kerama Retto
for emergency repairs. On 1 April, while she was operating to the southeast of Kerama Retto, a badly damaged Japanese plane splashed close aboard her stern; and what must have been two bombs exploded under her fantail causing severe damage and jamming her rudders at hard right. While she steamed in righthand circles, two more kamikaze
planes swooped in at her. Adams destroyed one while the other succumbed to the antiaircraft battery on , the ship dispatched to assist Adams. Later, Adams was towed into Kerama Retto to begin temporary repairs alongside .
Adams departed Kerama Retto on 7 April, bound ultimately for the United States and permanent repairs. She made stops at Guam
and at Pearl Harbor before arriving at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 7 May. She completed repairs and post-repair trials and calibrations during the first week in July. On 6 July, she put to sea for exercises off Santa Catalina, CA
and entered port at San Diego on 10 July. After brief post-repair shakedown training and inspections, the destroyer minelayer stood out of San Diego on 17 July on her way back to Hawaii. She arrived at Oahu on 23 July and spent the next 11 days in gunnery exercises—both antiaircraft and shore bombardment—in the Hawaiian operating area.
On 4 August, she and departed Pearl Harbor, bound for the western Pacific. The two warships stopped overnight on 11/12 August at Eniwetok Atoll where they picked up . They escorted the attack transport to the Marianas
and arrived at Guam on 15 August, the day hostilities ceased.
, on 3 September and began sweeping a channel into the port. That operation continued until 9 September at which time she headed back toward Okinawa. She reached Buckner Bay on 11 September and re mained at anchor until 16 September. On that day, she put to sea to evade a typhoon but returned to port on 18 September.
She departed Okinawa again on 24 September, headed for Japan, and arrived in Ise Wan, Honshū
, on 26 September, and began minesweeping operations in preparation for the landing of Army troops at Nagoya. She anchored in Ise Wan on 28 September and remained there while her commanding officer, serving as task group commander, directed the minesweeping mission. She remained at Ise Wan through the end of October. On 1 November, the destroyer minelayer laid a course for Sasebo
where she arrived two days later. She stayed there through most of November provisioning units preparing to return home.
On 25 November, Adams left Sasebo to voyage to Kiirun, Taiwan
, where she arrived on 28 November and reported for duty with Task Group (TG) 70.5. She returned to sea with TG 70.5 on 4 December for a 10-day minesweeping assignment in Taiwan Strait
. At the conclusion of that mission, she returned to Kiirun on 15 December. Four days later, she put to sea with a convoy bound for Shanghai
, China, and entered the Yangtze River
on 21 December. Adams remained at Shanghai until 3 January 1946. Between 3 and 6 January, the warship voyaged back, to Sasebo where she rejoined the 5th Fleet.
Adams continued similar duty in Far East
ern waters until early April when she headed back to the United States. Upon her arrival home, she was assigned to the 1st Fleet
and served in it until decommissioned in December. The destroyer minelayer was berthed with the San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. She remained in reserve for almost 23 years. On 7 February 1955, while still in reserve, she was redesignated a fast minelayer MMD-27. Her name was finally struck from the Navy List
on 1 December 1970, and she was sold to Chow's Iron & Steel Company, of Taiwan, on 16 December 1971.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She was named for Lieutenant, junior grade
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, United States Merchant Marine USMM, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade...
Samuel Adams. The other two USS Adams that have existed were named after the second president.
Adams was laid down as DD-739, an Allen M. Sumner-class
Allen M. Sumner class destroyer
The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, on 20 March 1944 at the Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
in Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
. She was redesignated a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer DM-27, on 20 July 1944; launched on 23 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Maude Ryan Adams, the widow of Lieutenant Adams. Adams was commissioned at Boston, Massachusetts, on 10 October 1944, with Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
Henry J. Armstrong in command.
World War II
After fitting out there, she embarked upon her shakedown cruiseShakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise is a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested. Shakedown cruises are also used to familiarize the ship's crew with operation of the craft....
on 1 November. That cruise, which took her to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
waters, lasted for the entire month. On 29 November, she headed back toward the United States and arrived at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, on 3 December. Following post-shakedown availability in the navy yard there, she put to sea on 11 December with , bound for New York City and a rendezvous with . The two destroyer minelayers departed New York with the aircraft carrier on 15 December and set a course for the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. The three warships transited the canal on 20 December and, on 22 December, headed for the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast. They arrived at San Diego, CA on 29 December and remained there two days undergoing repairs. On New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
1945, they got underway again, headed for Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, and they arrived in Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
six days later.
For almost two months, Adams remained in the Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an operating area. During that time, she acted as plane guard for while the carrier conducted carrier landing qualifications for naval aviators. She also carried out gunnery exercises and shore bombardment practice. The warship spent two periods in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard—once for the installation of VF radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
equipment and again to have her main deck plating strengthened. Early in February, she laid mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
and tested mine detection equipment on them. Later, the warship conducted mine laying exercises. She finished out her tour of duty in the Hawaii area late in February with another plane guard mission with Bataan.
The destroyer minelayer stood out of Pearl Harbor on 2 March, bound for the western Pacific. She arrived in Ulithi Atoll on 14 March and remained until 19 March, when she put to sea with a task group of the Okinawa invasion force. The warship saw her first combat on 23 March, the day before she arrived off Okinawa. That evening, enemy aircraft attacked her task group. Adams sustained her first casualties when a projectile fired from the after five-inch mount exploded prematurely killing two sailors and injuring another 13. At dawn the following day, she began minesweeping operations off Okinawa. The destroyer minelayer provided gunfire support and mine destruction services to the wooden-hulled minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
doing the actual sweeping.
Those operations continued over the next few days in spite of Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
air resistance. During that time, she was attacked by at least twelve different planes. She confirmed six kills and claimed probable kills of two others. On the 28th, one of those attackers splashed about 25 ft from her port bow showering her with debris and gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
.
She sustained damage in a collision with a salvage vessel that forced her into the anchorage at Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
for emergency repairs. On 1 April, while she was operating to the southeast of Kerama Retto, a badly damaged Japanese plane splashed close aboard her stern; and what must have been two bombs exploded under her fantail causing severe damage and jamming her rudders at hard right. While she steamed in righthand circles, two more kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
planes swooped in at her. Adams destroyed one while the other succumbed to the antiaircraft battery on , the ship dispatched to assist Adams. Later, Adams was towed into Kerama Retto to begin temporary repairs alongside .
Adams departed Kerama Retto on 7 April, bound ultimately for the United States and permanent repairs. She made stops at Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and at Pearl Harbor before arriving at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 7 May. She completed repairs and post-repair trials and calibrations during the first week in July. On 6 July, she put to sea for exercises off Santa Catalina, CA
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
and entered port at San Diego on 10 July. After brief post-repair shakedown training and inspections, the destroyer minelayer stood out of San Diego on 17 July on her way back to Hawaii. She arrived at Oahu on 23 July and spent the next 11 days in gunnery exercises—both antiaircraft and shore bombardment—in the Hawaiian operating area.
On 4 August, she and departed Pearl Harbor, bound for the western Pacific. The two warships stopped overnight on 11/12 August at Eniwetok Atoll where they picked up . They escorted the attack transport to the Marianas
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
and arrived at Guam on 15 August, the day hostilities ceased.
Post war
The following day, she got underway for Okinawa, arrived in Buckner Bay on 18 August, and remained there through 31 August. On 1 September, she stood out of Buckner Bay on her way to Japan. She arrived off Kagoshima, KyūshūKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, on 3 September and began sweeping a channel into the port. That operation continued until 9 September at which time she headed back toward Okinawa. She reached Buckner Bay on 11 September and re mained at anchor until 16 September. On that day, she put to sea to evade a typhoon but returned to port on 18 September.
She departed Okinawa again on 24 September, headed for Japan, and arrived in Ise Wan, Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, on 26 September, and began minesweeping operations in preparation for the landing of Army troops at Nagoya. She anchored in Ise Wan on 28 September and remained there while her commanding officer, serving as task group commander, directed the minesweeping mission. She remained at Ise Wan through the end of October. On 1 November, the destroyer minelayer laid a course for Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
where she arrived two days later. She stayed there through most of November provisioning units preparing to return home.
On 25 November, Adams left Sasebo to voyage to Kiirun, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, where she arrived on 28 November and reported for duty with Task Group (TG) 70.5. She returned to sea with TG 70.5 on 4 December for a 10-day minesweeping assignment in Taiwan Strait
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
. At the conclusion of that mission, she returned to Kiirun on 15 December. Four days later, she put to sea with a convoy bound for Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China, and entered the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
on 21 December. Adams remained at Shanghai until 3 January 1946. Between 3 and 6 January, the warship voyaged back, to Sasebo where she rejoined the 5th Fleet.
Adams continued similar duty in Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
ern waters until early April when she headed back to the United States. Upon her arrival home, she was assigned to the 1st Fleet
United States 1st Fleet
The First Fleet was a unit of the United States Navy, in operation from as early as 1946 to 1 February 1973 in the western Pacific Ocean as part of the Pacific Fleet. In 1973, it was disestablished and its duties assumed by the Third Fleet.Vice Admiral A. E...
and served in it until decommissioned in December. The destroyer minelayer was berthed with the San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. She remained in reserve for almost 23 years. On 7 February 1955, while still in reserve, she was redesignated a fast minelayer MMD-27. Her name was finally struck from the Navy List
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 1 December 1970, and she was sold to Chow's Iron & Steel Company, of Taiwan, on 16 December 1971.