>Peregrine AM-373
Peregrine
(AM-373: dp. 890; 1. 221'1"; b. 32'2"; dr. 10'9"; s. 18 k.;
cpl. 117; a. 1 3", 2 40mm; cl. Auk)
Peregrine (AM-373) was laid down by the Savannah Machine and Foundry Co., Savannah, Gal, 24 October 1944; launched 17 February 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Ethel K. Adams; and commissioned 27 September 1945, Comdr. Carl R. Cunningham, Jr. in command.
After fitting out at the Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston and shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Peregrine became sehooi ship at the Naval Mine Warfare Sehool, Yorktown.
From 1945 to 1951 she conducted daily minesweeping operations in Yorktown, Va., Charleston, S.C., and Norfolk, Va. and also conducted tests on anti-roll gear, and other tests of an experimental nature.
Peregrine spent most of the years from 1951 to 1955 operating out of Norfolk with cruises as far south as Balboa, Canal Zone and as far north as Argentia, Newfoundland. On 7 February 1955 she became MSF-373. On 9 September 1955 she departed Key West, Fla., for Port Lysutey, North Africa. She operated off Casablanea and ealled at Gibraltar before sailing for Bermuda and Key West, Fla., arriving at that homeport 8 December.
From 1955 to 1960 Peregrine operated out of Key West, Fla., as far south as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Cuidad Trujillo, Dominican Republie, and as far north as New York City. On 24 June Peregrine departed for special operations near St. Johns Harbor, New Brunswiek, Canada.
Peregrine departed the Key West area again 31 July 1361 enroute to Argentia, Newfoundland, returning 5 October. During November 1962, while serving under ComServLant Peregrine escorted Orford in patrol off Havana, Cuba, during the ~uban crisis.
During 1963 Peregrine was involved in a mapping project from Bermuda to Argentia, Newfoundland and alifax, Nova Seotia, during which time she did not see her homeport for five months. On 25 February 1964 the ship's designation was changed from Experimental Fleet Mine Sweeper (EMSF373) to general auxiliary (AG-176). Her new designator refleeted her operational task of full time testing and evaluating of experimental equipment prior to incorporation of the equipment into other ships of the fleet. In February 1965 Peregrine departed Key West for a South Atlantic cruise to eonduet independent project operations. After a return to Key West Peregrine entered Rosyth, Seotland, 20 May. On 27 May Peregrine gained her "Blue Nose" as she crossed the Aretie Cirele. For most of the rest of the year Peregrine participated in elassified oceanographic operations in the Norwegian Sea. She visited Bremerhaven, Germany, 21-25 October, returning to Key West 10 November.
In early 1966 Peregrine participated in the testing of an experimental oceanographic survey method in Bermuda operating areas. In late 1966 Peregrine was deployed to the North Atlantic on special operations, operating out of Argentia, Newfoundland.
On 1 March 1967 Peregrine got underway from Key West for the Panama Canal which she transited S-6 March, reaching her new homeport of San Francisco 16 March. She depurted San Francisco 25 Mnreh, reaching Pearl Harbor 1 Apri1. She departed 4 April for Yokosuka, Japan, where she conducted project operations. September and October were spent conducting operations out of Midway. After further operations out of Hawaii, the ship returned to San Francisco 28 November.
Peregrine decommissioned 31 January 1969. She was struck from the Navy List 1 February 1969.