USS ''Redwing'' (AM-48) was an commissioned by the

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for service in

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. She was responsible for removing mines from harbors, and, in her role as rescue and salvage ship, she was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels. She was laid down 5 August 1918 by the Baltimore Drydock & Shipbuilding Co.,

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; launched 7 June 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Fred A. Plagemann, wife of the prospective commanding officer; and commissioned 17 October 1919.

Post-World War I service

She operated out of

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on various training missions until she decommissioned on 14 April 1922. Placed in service early in 1924, she steamed to

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, and was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard on 24 May. Commissioned on 11 October as ''USCGC Redwing'', a cruising

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, she operated out of New York City and

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until 19 November 1928. In January 1929 she assumed permanent duty out of

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. Except for various patrol assignments, ''Redwing'' remained at Astoria until 1941. Then returning to the east coast, she was transferred back to the

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on 29 August, was redesignated ''ARS-4'', and entered

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for conversion. ''Redwing'' recommissioned 28 October. After shakedown, she was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet on 20 November. Departing New York the same day, she arrived

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, on 23 November; and from there steamed to

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, arriving 9 December.

World War II operations

Remaining in

ic waters through 9 August 1942, she performed towing and limited salvage services. She arrived

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30 August and there engaged in salvage operations until October, when she underwent a short availability at

. ''Redwing'' departed 6 November for

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, arriving the 25th after a three-day stopover in

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. She operated under the Casablanca Port Authority as the only

salvage ship A salvage tug, also known historically as a wrecking tug, is a specialized type of tugboat that is used to rescue ships that are in distress or in danger of sinking, or to salvage ships that have already sunk or run aground. Overview Few tugbo ...

in the harbor until 5 May 1943. She next reported to Commander,

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84, reached

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19 June, towed a damaged merchant ship into port, and departed 27 June for

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with four YTs in tow.

Sinking

At 0605 29 June, when about from her destination, ''Redwing'' was rocked by an underwater explosion which tore a large hole in her hull just below the bridge. Five officers and eight enlisted men were blown overboard. She began to list dangerously and the order was given to abandon ship. The four tugboats received the crew and recovered two injured officers, two wounded enlisted men, and the body of one other enlisted man. Her decks awash, ''Redwing'' was taken in tow by the tugboats. At 1005 near the main channel leading into the harbor at Bizerte, a British

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

passed close abeam and her wake caused ''Redwing'' to roll over. The towing

hawser Hawser () is a nautical term for a thick rope used in Mooring (watercraft), mooring or towing a ship. A hawser is not waterproof, as is a Nautical cable, cable. A hawser passes through a hawsehole, also known as a cat hole, located on the wikt: ...

s were cut and she sank in of water. She was struck from the

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on 19 August 1943.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Redwing Lapwing-class minesweepers Ships built in Baltimore 1919 ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United States World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea Lapwing-class minesweepers converted to rescue and salvage ships Maritime incidents in June 1943 Ships sunk by mines