Climax (AM-161)
1944-1946
The highest point; culmination; acme.
(AM-161: displacement 530; length 184'6"; beam 33'; draft 9'9"; speed 15 knots; complement 104; armament one 3-inch; class Admirable)
Climax (AM-161) was launched 9 January 1943 by Willamette Iron and Steel Corp., Portland, Oreg.; and commissioned 24 March 1944, Lieutenant R. E. Danielson, Jr., USNR, in command.
From May to September 1944 Climax served as a school ship at 'U.S. Naval Small Craft Training Center, San Pedro, Calif. After brief overhaul she sailed on convoy escort duty to Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Ulithi, returning to Eniwetok 20 December. Until 6 March 1945 she operated out of Eniwetok on convoy escort duty to Ulithi, Guam, and Saipan. She escorted a resupply convoy to Iwo Jima 13 March as fighting continued on the island, remaining on screening duty until 18 March. Returning to Eniwetok 29 March, Climax resumed her convoy escort duty to Ulithi and Guam, and acted as training ship for submarines as well as aiding in the expansion of anchorage facilities at Eniwetok.
Following overhaul at Guam, Climax sailed for Saipan, Okinawa and Wakayama, Honshu, where she conducted sweeping operations from 11 September 1945 to 18 October in support of the landing of Allied occupation troops. She remained in Matoya Ko as a pilot vessel until 19 December 1945 when she cleared Nagoya for San Diego, arriving 16 February. Climax was placed out of commission in reserve there 31 May 1946. She was reclassified MSF-161, 7 February 1955.
Climax received two battle stars for World War II service.
