Barricade (ACM-3), an army mine planter named Colonel John Storey built in 1942 at Point Pleasant, West Va., by the Marietta Manufacturing Co., was acquired by the Navy on 7 April 1944, renamed Barricade, and commissioned the same day, Lt. Charles P. Haber in command.
Following her commissioning, the former army mine planter was converted to an auxiliary minelayer by the Norfolk Navy Yard and was ready to begin her new role by 29 April. Barricade departed the United States on 14 May and arrived at Bizerte, Tunisia, where preparations for the invasion of southern France were moving forward. Between June 1944 and the war's end in May 1945, the minelayer served at Salerno, Naples, Toulon, Oran, Palermo, Golfe Juan, Cannes, Sardinia, and Anzio.
Returning stateside on 23 June, Barricade underwent overhaul in Jacksonville, Fla., from 26 June to 10 August. She was then reassigned to the Pacific Fleet; and, despite the Pacific War's end in mid August, she loaded supplies and departed Norfolk on 27 August. Barricade transited the Panama Canal on 2 September and reported for duty on the 4th. From her base at San Diego, she worked along the California coast in peacetime operations until decommissioned and transferred to the Coast Guard on 28 June 1946. For that service, she served on weather patrols and helped to maintain aids to navigation. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 19 July 1946.
Barricade earned one battle star for her World War II service.
Raymond A. Mann
24 February 2006
