The ''USS YAG-4'' was a miscellaneous auxiliary service craft of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

that served during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

History

She was built by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company Ltd. in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

for the benefit of the North Negros Sugar Company Ltd. in

Manapla Manapla, officially the Municipality of Manapla, is a municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 55,083 people. The town is notable for its signature delicacies '' puto'' ...

Iloilo Iloilo ( ; ), officially the Province of Iloilo (; ; ; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independen ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. She was steel-hulled. She was launched in 1931 as the MV ''Manapla''. On 25 June 1941, the United States Navy purchased her from the North Negros Sugar Company and designated her as a Miscellaneous Auxiliary Service Craft (YAG). She was assigned to the

Cavite Navy Yard Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite (; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province of the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region. On the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest of Manila, it is one of the most industri ...

16th Naval District United States Naval Districts is a system created by the United States Navy to organize military facilities, numbered sequentially by geographic region, for the operational and administrative control of naval bases and shore commands in the Unit ...

. On 25 October 1941, she began a conversion to a

minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...

which was expected to be completed by 15 December 1941. Her conversion was interrupted by the bombing of the Cavite Navy Yard and the fall of Manila. She was assigned to the Inshore Patrol during the

Battle of Bataan The Battle of Bataan (; 7 January – 9 April 1942) was fought by the United States and the Philippine Commonwealth against Imperial Japan during World War II. The battle represented the most intense phase of the Japanese invasion of the Phi ...

and on 8 April 1942, she assisted in the evacuation of soldiers from

Mariveles Naval Section Base Map of Manila, Naval Base Manila is at Cavite in Manila Bay Naval Base Manila, Naval Air Base Manila was a major United States Navy base south of the City of Manila, on Luzon Island in the Philippines. Some of the bases dates back to 1898 ...

Bataan Bataan (, , , ; ) , officially the Province of Bataan, is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entire Bataan Peninsula ...

. On 12 April 1942, she was sunk by Japanese gunfire in the South Harbor of

Corregidor Corregidor (, , ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of Cavite City and thus the province of Cavite. It is located west of Manila, the nation's capi ...

. She was struck from the Naval List on 22 February 1943. She was awarded one

battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or service period. T ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:YAG-4 1931 ships Auxiliary ships of the United States Navy Ships built in Hong Kong Ships built by the Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Company