USS Signet (AM-302) was an built for the United States Navy

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...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. She received four battle stars during World War II. She was decommissioned in December 1945 and placed in reserve. In February 1955, while still in reserve, her hull number was changed from AM-302 to MSF-302, but she was not reactivated. She was transferred to the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

 in January 1965 and renamed Tortuguero (BM455) (or Tortugero in some sources). She was employed as a patrol vessel in Dominican Navy

Dominican Navy

The Navy of the Dominican Republic or Marina de Guerra Dominicana , is one of the three branches of the Military of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force.-History:...

 service. Her pennant number was changed from BM455 to C455 in 1995. Tortuguero was stricken and hulked in 1997.

U.S. Navy service

Signet was laid down on 8 April 1943 by Associated Shipbuilders at Harbor Island Seattle, Washington

Seattle, Washington

Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...

, and was launched on 16 August 1943; sponsored by Miss Bernice Moore, and commissioned on 20 June 1944, Lieutenant Commander C. L. Grabenhorst, USNR, in command.

Signet spent the summer of 1944 completing her fitting out and undergoing minesweeping trials, shakedown

Shakedown (testing)

A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...

, and antisubmarine warfare training. On 26 August, she reported to the Commander, Western Sea Frontier

Western Sea Frontier

The Western Sea Frontier, headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, was responsible for the sea defense of the Pacific coast of the United States and Mexico during World War II. The Western Sea Frontier was composed of many forces and commands, including the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth...

, at San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California

San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

. That same afternoon, she departed San Francisco escorting SS Eugene Skinner to Honolulu.

Over the next five months, the minesweeper made two voyages from 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...

 to Eniwetok Atoll

Atoll

An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...

 in the Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands

The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...

 and one to San Francisco. On all three occasions, she served as escort for supply ships. She visited Kwajalein

Kwajalein

Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...

 while returning from her first voyage to the Western Pacific, and Majuro

Majuro

Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...

 en route back from the second.

Upon her return to 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...

 from San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California

San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

, on 3 December, Signet began a three-week period of availability, followed by patrols and exercises in the islands. On the morning of 22 January 1945, she sortied with the escorts of a convoy

Convoy

A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...

 of 39 LSTs, LSMs, and LCIs bound for Eniwetok. The convoy arrived on 3 February and, after a day of logistics, Signet got underway for the Marianas en route to the Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...

 invasion. Signet saw her charges into Saipan

Saipan

Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...

 Harbor on the 10th, then joined Sweep Unit 2 at Tinian

Tinian

Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....

. She stayed there four days, then sortied with Mine Unit 1 on 13 February headed for Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands

Volcano Islands

The Volcano Islands is a group of three Japanese islands south of the Bonin Islands that belong to the municipality of Ogasawara...

.

Signet arrived off Iwo Jima on 16 February, three days prior to the assault. The minesweeper remained in the vicinity of Iwo Jima until 7 March. During the intervening period, she swept mines and screened the transports, particularly during the nightly retirements from action. Her crew rescued a downed American flier during evening of 21 February and watched the U.S. Marines hoist the colors on the summit of Mt. Suribachi

Suribachi

Suribachi and surikogi are a Japanese mortar and pestle. These mortars are used in Japanese cooking to crush different ingredients such as sesame seeds....

 on the 23d. On 4 March, Signet's crew began to understand the significance of Iwo Jima as they watched the first crippled B-29 land on its airfield. On 7 March after a little more than three weeks of sweeping, patrolling, and being harassed by enemy planes Signet cleared Iwo Jima for Ulithi

Ulithi

Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...

 Atoll in the Carolines.

The minesweeper was at Ulithi

Ulithi

Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...

 from the 10th to the 19th. There her crew enjoyed rest and relaxation periods alternated with stints of work to prepare for the next operation: Okinawa. Signet sortied from Ulithi on the 19th, with the ships of six sweep units and a gunboat support division. They arrived off 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....

, Okinawa Gunto, on the 25th and immediately began sweeping minefields around that stepping-stone to Okinawa. For the next three months, Signet swept mines, patrolled, screened transports, fought off air attacks, and supported ground troops.

Up until 7 April, her gun crews had to content themselves with watching their sister ships and combat air patrols splash Japanese planes. That evening, however, the minesweeper received a message from indicating the approach of an enemy "Betty

Mitsubishi G4M

The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...

." Soon Signet 's gunners were able to see the medium bomber's exhaust flames as it approached their ship. At 2033 the port guns opened fire. The plane passed low over the minesweeper and began to flame as the starboard gunners loosed their fusillade. Burning as he went, the Japanese plane splashed into the sea about 1,000 yards from Signet. The wreckage floated and burned for a while as Signet searched fruitlessly for survivors. Soon thereafter, she returned to her patrol station.

On the night of 18 April, Signet supported the stranded crew of an LCVP

LCVP

The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana, United States, based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes...

. Under fire from entrenched Japanese, they requested light from Signet. The minesweeper responded, silencing the Japanese position each time her searchlight

Searchlight

A searchlight is an apparatus that combines a bright light source with some form of curved reflector or other optics to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direction, usually constructed so that it can be swiveled about.-Military use:The Royal Navy used...

 exposed them. This continued through most of the night. The stranded men were finally rescued by a tug

Tug

Tuğ is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan....

 early on the morning of the 19th.

In early June, she supported the landings at Iheya Shima to the northwest of Okinawa, then returned to minesweeping and anti-suicide boat patrol. She departed Okinawa on 8 July, headed for the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 and made Leyte Gulf

Leyte Gulf

Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...

 on the 13th.

She remained in the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 through the cessation of hostilities on 15 August and departed Leyte

Leyte

Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...

 on the 18th. She returned to Okinawa on the 24th and remained there until the 30th when she got underway with a large group of minesweepers to help sweep the Yellow Sea

Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...

 in support of the Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

 occupation forces. For the first seven days of September, she made daily sweeps in the Yellow Sea and cleared the area at night.

On 8 September, Signet headed for Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 and, the next morning, began sweeping the approaches to 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...

. For two months, she swept the area around Sasebo during the day and anchored at Matsu Shima, Kyūshū

Kyushu

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....

, at night. From late September until early October, her crew enjoyed liberty in Sasebo. From 11 to 21 October, Signet swept the area around Iki Island

Iki Island

Iki Island is an island lying between the island of Kyūshū and the Tsushima islands in the Tsushima Strait, the eastern channel of the Korea Strait. It is currently part of Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan. The city of Iki is the centre of the local government. The island has three ports.The island’s...

 and Tsushima Island

Tsushima Island

Tsushima Island is an island of the Japanese Archipelago situated in the middle of the Tsushima Strait at 34°25'N and 129°20'E. The main island of Tsushima was once a single island, but the island was divided into two in 1671 by the Ōfunakosiseto canal and into three in 1900 by the Manzekiseto canal...

 off the northwestern coast of Kyūshū

Kyushu

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....

. Between 26 October and 10 November, Signet conducted operations in the East China Sea

East China Sea

The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...

 southwest of Kyūshū

Kyushu

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 her final sweep, 17 November to 5 December, Signet returned to the vicinity of Tsushima.

On 11 December 1945, with her homeward-bound pennant

Pennant (commissioning)

The commissioning pennant is a pennant flown from the masthead of a warship. The history of flying a commissioning pennant dates back to the days of chivalry with their trail pendants being flown from the mastheads of ships they commanded...

 flying, she departed Sasebo. With the other ships of Mine Squadron 12, she steamed out of the harbor, passing in review before Rear Admiral Struble Commander, Minecraft, Pacific Fleet, and receiving the salutes of the assembled ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Upon her return to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 later that month Signet was placed out of commission, in reserve, and berthed at Orange, Texas

Orange, Texas

Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...

. There she remained for the next 19 years. She was reclassified MSF-302 on 11 February 1955 and declared excess to the needs of the Navy in January 1965. Accordingly, her name was struck from the Navy list

Navy List

A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....

 on 1 January 1965. Signet was sold to the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

 on 13 January 1965 under the terms of the Military Assistance Program.

Dominican Navy service

The former Signet was acquired by the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

 on 13 January 1965 and renamed Tortuguero (BM455). Employed as a patrol vessel in Dominican Navy

Dominican Navy

The Navy of the Dominican Republic or Marina de Guerra Dominicana , is one of the three branches of the Military of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force.-History:...

service, her pennant number was changed to C455 in 1995. Tortuguero was stricken and hulked in 1997.

External links

• Photo gallery at navsource.org