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Minivet II (AMCU-32)

(LCI(L)‑969: dp. 209; l. 159'; b. 23'8"; dr.. 5'8"; s. 14.4 k.; cpl. 41; a. 5 20mm.; cl. LCI(L)‑351)

II

The second Minivet (AMCU‑32) was laid down as LCI(L)‑969 29 February 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.; launched 27 March 1944; and commissioned 21 April 1944, Lt. J. W. Clement in command.

Completing shakedown out of Galveston, Tex., LCI(L)‑969 joined with other recently commissioned landing craft 13 May 1944 to form LCI(L) Group 43 of Flotilla 15. Five days later they steamed via the Panama Canal to the southwest Pacific. Upon arrival New Guinea in July, they began transporting troops to the advance bases of Aitape and Hollandia. Troops embarked at Muffin Bay 10 September waded ashore in the unopposed invasion of Morotai on the 15th. Seizure of this northern island of the Molucca group further smoothed the way for the return of American forces to the Philippines.

At Mime, New Guinea, 20 October, LCI(L)‑969 was separated from her flotilla and placed in the 7th Fleet Service Force. For the next 10 months she operated throughout waters between northern New Guinea, Manus, and the Philippines. As the war ended, the various units of Flotilla 15 gathered at Leyte and as part of TF 73 were placed under control of the commander, Yangtze Patrol. Departing for the coast of China 5 September, the craft weathered the typhoon of the 17th off Okinawa and arrived Shanghai 6 October.

LCI(L)‑969 helped transport occupation troops of the 70th Chinese Army to Formosa in mid‑October. By the end of November the flotilla was preparing for its homeward passage, and on 16 February 1946 she arrived San Pedro, Calif. Carried in the well of a dock landing ship, she reached New Orleans 27 July for inactivation. She decommissioned 3 October 1946 and was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Fla.

During the Korean conflict, she was named Minivet, 7 March 1952 and slated for reconversion and reclassification as AMCU‑32, which she became in June. She served for 2 years in the 4th Naval District before again decommissioning 1 July 1954 and resuming the designation LCI(L)‑969. Returned to the Reserve Fleet, she ended her career 30 November when she was designated a target at Green Cove Springs Naval Station. She was struck from the Navy list in March 1957.

LCI(L)‑969 received one battle star for World War II service.

Published: Mon Aug 10 13:03:33 EDT 2015