USS Compel (AM-162)

History
Name:	USS Compel
Builder:	Willamette Iron and Steel Works
Laid down:	26 May 1942
Launched:	16 January 1943
Commissioned:	8 April 1944
Decommissioned:	12 June 1946
Reclassified:	MSF-162, 7 February 1955
Fate:	Sold for scrap 26 August 1960
General characteristics
Class and type:	Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement:	650 tons
Length:	184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam:	33 ft (10 m)
Draft:	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion:	2 × ALCO 539 diesel engines, 1,710 shp (1.3 MW); Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear; 2 shafts;
Speed:	14.8 knots (27.4 km/h)
Complement:	104
Armament:	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun DP; 2 × twin Bofors 40 mm guns; 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar; 2 × Depth charge tracks;
Service record
Part of:	US Pacific Fleet (1944–1946)
Awards:	1 Battle star

USS Compel (AM-162) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was built to clear minefields in offshore waters, and served the Navy in the Pacific Ocean. Post-war, she returned home proudly with one battle star to her credit.

She was launched January 1943 by Willamette Iron and Steel Works, Portland, Oregon; and commissioned 8 April 1944, Lieutenant F. N. Egelhoff, USNR, in command.

World War II Pacific Ocean operations

Compel sailed from San Francisco, California, 22 June 1944 as escort for a tug group which arrived in Pearl Harbor 3 July. Continuing on to Majuro, Compel joined USS Coral Sea (CVE-57) off Kwajalein 25 July to escort the carrier to Pearl Harbor. Compel swept mines off French Frigate Shoals from 6 August to 15 August, then escorted a convoy to Eniwetok, arriving 5 September to assume antisubmarine patrol.

From 24 October 1944 until the end of the war Compel operated at Eniwetok, Ulithi, the Palaus, Saipan, Guam, and Majuro. She acted as convoy escort, minesweeper, harbor entrance control vessel, and experimental ship for minesweeping equipment. She sailed to Manus between 10 November and 12 November 1944 to deliver blood plasma to the men injured by the explosion of USS Mount Hood (AE-11). Taking departure from Saipan 29 August 1945 Compel sailed via Okinawa to clear the approaches to Wakayama, Japan, of mines. Moving to Nagoya for similar duty, she served there until 20 November when she sailed for San Francisco, California, arriving 16 December.

Postwar decommissioning

She was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego, California, 12 June 1946. Compel was reclassified MSF-162, 7 February 1955. She was sold on 26 August 1960.

Awards

Compel was awarded one battle star for World War II service.

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References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

External links

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