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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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  • Mine Warfare
  • DANFS (Dictionary of American Fighting Ships)
  • Boats-Ships--Other Craft
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  • Ship History
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
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Pipit (AMc-1)

1941–1944

Small bird with narrow bill, streaked breast, and constantly wagging tail.

(AMc-1: displacement 210; length 83'11"; beam 22'6"; speed 10 knots; armament 2 .30 caliber machine guns)

Spartan—built in 1936 at Tacoma, Wash., by Martinolich Shipyard—was purchased by the Navy at San Diego, Calif., on 18 October 1940, from Mr. Anton Sumic. Renamed Pipit and classified as a coastal minesweeper, AMc-1, the vessel underwent conversion at San Pedro, Calif., by Wilmington Boat Works. The work completed on 22 March 1941, Pipit was placed in service on 28 March 1941.


Pipit (AMc-1)
Caption: Three-quarter port bow view most likely taken around the time Pipit entered service. She is painted in No.5 Navy Gray, with her identification number (1) in white with black shadowing. The red-white-blue-black Mine Force insignia can be seen just aft of that. (U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships Photograph BS 24590, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures, College Park, Md.)

Assigned to the Fifteenth Naval District, Pipit departed San Diego, Calif., on 10 May 1941. She arrived and reported for duty in the Panama Canal Zone on 22 May 1941. From then until August 1944, Pipit performed coastal minesweeping duties for the Panamanian Sea Frontier.

Following her departure from Balboa, Canal Zone, Pipit arrived at San Diego, Calif., on 26 August 1944. Placed out of service on 6 October 1944, she was stricken from the Naval Register on 22 December 1944 and returned to her owner by the War Shipping Administration.

Updated, Robert J. Cressman

16 August 2022

Published: Thu Aug 18 09:08:58 EDT 2022