| USS Osprey (AM-56) | |
|---|---|
 USS Osprey (AM-56) off the Norfolk Navy Yard, 19 April 1941 | |
| Career |  |
| Name: | USS Osprey |
| Builder: | Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia |
| Laid down: | 28 June 1939 |
| Launched: | 24 August 1940 |
| Commissioned: | 16 December 1940 |
| Struck: | 22 August 1944 |
| Honors and awards: | 2 Battle Stars (World War II) |
| Fate: | Struck a mine and sunk, 5 June 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Raven-class minesweeper |
| Displacement: |
810 tons 1040 tons full load |
| Length: | 220 ft 6 in (67.21 m) |
| Beam: | 32 ft 2 in (9.80 m) |
| Draft: | 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) |
| Speed: | 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 105 officers and men |
| Armament: | 2 × 3 in (76 mm) guns, 2 × depth charge tracks |
USS Osprey (AM–56), was a Raven-class minesweeper of the United States Navy, laid down on 28 June 1939 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia; launched on 24 August 1940; sponsored by Ms. Margaret Kays; and commissioned on 16 December 1940, Lieutenant Commander L. Blackwell in command.
Service career[]
The United States’ entrance into World War II extended Osprey's coastal patrol and escort duties first to the Caribbean area, and by 8 November to North Africa. On "D-Day" of "Operation Torch" she helped direct and protect the waves of landing craft moving shoreward at Port Lyautey, Morocco. Anti-submarine patrol off Casablanca preceded her return to another year of coastal escort assignments out of Norfolk, Virginia.
On 3 April 1944, the minesweeper departed for England to take part in "Operation Overlord". With other units of Minesweeper Squadron 7 (MinRon 7), she had successfully conducted sweeping operations off off Tor Bay, England. "At about 1700 on June 5, minesweeper USS Osprey hit a mine that blew a large hole in the forward engine room. Fires broke out and at 1815 the ship had to be abandoned. Osprey sank soon after with the loss of six men."[1] This was the first casualties of the D-Day invasion. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 August.
The wreck was first dived and identified by a team including nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney in 1997. It was found to be lying on its side.
Awards[]
Osprey received two battle stars for World War II service.
References[]
- ↑ Ambrose, Stephen E. (1995). D-Day, June 6, 1944 : the climactic battle of World War II (1st Touchstone ed. ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 254. ISBN 9780684801377.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links[]
- Photo gallery of USS Osprey at NavSource Naval History
- USN Ships : USS Osprey (AM-56)
- Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940–1945 – AM-56 USS Osprey
Coordinates: 50°12′N 1°20′W / 50.2°N 1.333°W
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The original article can be found at USS Osprey (AM-56) and the edit history here.