Jasper II (PC-486)
(PC-486: dp. 295; l. 174'; b. 23'; dr. 8'; s. 20 k.; cpl. 58; a. 1 3", 1 40mm., 5 20mm., 2 rkt, 2 dcp., 2 dct,; cl. PC-451)
An opaque and impure variety of quartz, usually red in color, used as a gem. PC-486 was named for towns in Alabama, Indiana, and Texas.
II
PC-486 was laid down by Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp., Morris Heights, N.Y., 25 October 1941; launched 25 January 1942; sponsored by Mrs. A. B. Miller; and commissioned 14 May 1942, Lt. (j.g.) Drayton Cochran in command.
After shakedown PC-486 was assigned to the Northwestern Sea Frontier; operating out of Alaska and the Aleutians during the war, she patrolled the vital shipping lanes in the North Pacific and escorted convoys from San Francisco and Seattle to Alaska.
Following World War II, the subchaser was assigned to ASW duty in the Canal Zone. From 1946 to 1959 she operated out of the Canal Zone on ASW patrol and air-sea rescue missions. On 5 February 1952, PC-486 rescued 18 people adrift for 6 days on disabled Columbian schooner Gloria. Three years later she rescued 10 people from a sunken U.S. tuna boat Toni B in the Caribbean, 90 miles off the Panama coast.
PC-486 was named Jasper 15 February 1956, and continued services in the Canal Zone until she decommissioned 30 April 1959. Jasper was struck from the Navy List 1 May 1959 and sold in October 1960 to Venezuela, serving at present as Mejillon (P-l).
_____________
BAM-29, an Auk-class minesweeper, was launched by Associated Shipbuilders, Seattle, Wash., 20 June 1943; completed and turned over the United Kingdom under lend-lease 12 August 1944; and served in the Royal Navy as Jasper. She was returned to the U.S. Navy 24 December 1946 in England, and eventually sold to Greece, where she was apparently not used as a warship.
