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Naval History and Heritage Command

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Rail II (AMCU-37)

1944-1960 

The second U.S. Navy ship named for a small wading bird related to cranes.

II

(LCI(L)-1022: displacement 387; length 159'0"; beam 23'8"; draft 5'8"; speed 14 knots; complement 40; armament 5 20 millimeter; class LCI(L)-351)

LCI(L)-1022 was laid down on 3 March 1944 at Portland, Ore., by the Albina Engine & Machinery Works; launched on 17 April 1944; and commissioned on 18 May 1944.

After shakedown out of San Diego, she steamed for Pearl Harbor, T.H., on 15 July 1944. After proceeding to Milne Bay, she continued on to the Philippines, took part in the Ormoc Bay landing on 7 December and the Mindoro landing on 15 December. She then remained in the Philippines until the end of the war, departing Tacloban on 5 September for Okinawa. She put into Shanghai, China, before steaming for Pearl Harbor; San Pedro, Calif.; the Canal Zone (C.Z.); and New Orleans, La., where she arrived on 20 May 1946 and reported to Commander, Eighth Naval District, for inactivation. She was decommissioned on 14 August 1946, and arrived at Mayport, Fla., on 20 October for lay-up at Green Cove Springs.

Redesignated as LSIL-1022 on 28 February 1949, she was moved to Charleston and then New York in February 1952. On 7 March 1952 she was reclassified a coastal minesweeper (underwater locator), redesignated AMCU-37 and named Rail. She was converted by the New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y., and recommissioned on 13 September 1952, Lt. L. H. Foisey in command.

After shakedown off Norfolk, Rail was assigned to Little Creek, Va., to evaluate new underwater mine-locating sonar equipment. In March 1953 she was ordered to U.S. Naval Mine Countermeasures Station, Panama City, Fla., for further sonar evaluation, returning to Little Creek in December.

In June 1954, Rail was ordered to Coco Solo, C.Z., and placed under operational control of the Commandant, Fifteenth Naval District. On 7 February 1955, she was reclassified as a coastal minehunter (MHC-37). She operated out of Coco Solo and Guantanamo Bay, putting into Norfolk briefly on 11 June 1956. She returned to Coco Solo, where she remained until sailing north to Boston 4 September 1957. She was decommissioned at New London, Conn., on 13 October 1957, and was stricken from the Navy List on 1 January 1960.

LCI(L)-1022 earned two battle stars for her World War II service.

14 September 2005

Published: Tue Aug 01 22:25:15 EDT 2017