USS Zeal
The USS Zeal | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Builder | Gulf Shipbuilding Company |
| Laid down | 12 January 1942 at Chickasaw, Alabama |
| Launched | 15 September 1942 |
| Sponsored by | sponsored by Mrs. John M. Hughes |
| Commissioned | 9 July 1943 |
| Recommissioned | 19 December 1951 |
| Decommissioned | 6 July 1956 |
| Maiden voyage | Chickasaw, Alabama to New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Reclassified | MSF-131 on 5 February 1955 |
| Stricken | 1 December 1966 |
| Homeport | Pipeline Pier, Long Beach, California |
| Honors & awards | four battle stars during World War II and an additional four for her postwar minesweeping service. During the Korean War, she earned one battle star |
| Fate | Sunk as a target on 9 January 1967 |
| Notes | Call sign: NBSX |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Auk class minesweeper |
| Displacement | 890 tons |
| Length | 221 ft 2 in (67.41 m) |
| Beam | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Draught | 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) |
| Propulsion | 3,532shp General Motors 12-278 diesel electric engines, Farrel-Birmingham reduction gear, two shafts |
| Speed | 18.1 knots |
| Complement | 105 |
| Armament | one single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount, two twin 40 mm gun mounts, two single 20 mm gun mounts, two depth charge tracks, five depth charge projectile |
| Notes | crew members were awarded the "U.S.-R.O.C. Mutual Defense Commemorative Badge 1955-1979" and the "Honor Medal for 823 Bombardment" by the Republic of China. |
USS Zeal (AM-131) was an Auk-class minesweeper that served in both World War II and during the Korean War. As a steel-hulled fleet minesweeper, she was assigned to support the fleet by removing enemy mines whose purpose was to impede the path of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.