USS Ampere

USS Ampere (PCE-919/AM-359/YDG-11/ADG-11) was originally planned as a PCE-905-class patrol craft for the United States Navy, PCE-919, and laid down as an Admirable-class minesweeper, named Drake, for the male duck. Before she was commissioned, her name was cancelled and she was reclassified as a District Degaussing Vessel. She was later renamed Ampere, after the ampere, a unit of electric current, which takes its name from the French physicist André-Marie Ampère.

USS Ampere (ADG-11), heads out to sea c. 1955/1956.
History
Name:
  • PCE-919
  • Drake (1943–1945)
  • YDG-11 (1945–1955)
Namesake: A male Duck
Builder: Willamette Iron and Steel Works, Portland, Oregon
Laid down: 24 November 1943
Launched: 12 August 1944
In service: 15 August 1945
Out of service: 1 November 1947
Renamed:
  • Drake, 24 November 1943
  • YDG-11, 20 April 1945
  • ADG-11, 1 November 1947
Reclassified:
  • Minesweeper, 24 November 1943
  • District Degaussing Vessel, 20 April 1945
  • Degaussing Ship, 1 November 1947
Identification:
Fate: laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group, November 1947
Name: ADG-11
In service: July 1951
Out of service: February 1957
Renamed: Ampere, 1 February 1955
Stricken: 1 July 1961
Homeport:
Identification: Hull symbol: ADG-11
Status: sold, 21 June 1962
 Philippine
Owner: Philippine President Lines, Manila
Acquired: 21 June 1962
Status: unknown
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement: 625 long tons (635 t)
Length: 184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam: 33 ft (10 m)
Draft: 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement: 68
Armament: 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual-purpose (DP) gun
Service record
Part of:

Design

Ampere was 184 ft 6 in (56.24 m) long, 33 ft (10 m) wide, had a draft of 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m), and displaced 625 long tons (635 t). She had an average speed of 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph). She had a complement of 68 men, and was armed only with a 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual-purpose (DP) gun. She was propelled by two Busch-Sulzer 539 diesel engines, which produced a total 1,710 shp (1,280 kW), and had a Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear alongside two propellers.[1]

Construction

Drake was laid down on 24 November 1943, at Portland, Oregon by the Willamette Iron and Steel Works, and launched on 12 August 1944. On 20 April 1945, her name was canceled, and she was re-designated as a degaussing vessel, YDG-11. The ship was placed in service on 15 August 1945, the day after the Japanese surrender.[2]

Service history

Due to the cessation of hostilities, YDG-11 saw little or no active service before being berthed with the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego, California. She was retained on an inactive, in service, status until the winter of 1946 and 1947, when she was placed out of service, in reserve. On 1 November 1947 she was re-designated ADG-11. The ship remained inactive until July 1951, when she was again placed in service. Assigned to the Far East, ADG-11 was based at Yokosuka, Japan until sometime in 1954. After that, her home port was Sasebo, Japan. On 1 February 1955, she was renamed Ampere. The ship was placed out of service in February 1957. Her equipment was transferred to USS Surfbird, a minesweeping vessel which was redesignated a degaussing ship on 15 June 1957. She remained in reserve in the Far East until the summer of 1961, when the decision was made to dispose of her. Her name was struck from the Naval Register on 1 July 1961, and she was sold on 21 June 1962, to the Philippine President Lines of Manila.[2] Her final disposition is unknown.[1]

Commanders
Commanding Officers[1]
Rank Name Known dates of command
LieutenantJohn B. Fallon15 August 1945 − ?
LieutenantWilliam Henry Hudgins6 October 1945 − ?
LieutenantLeroy M. Johnston28 March 1946 − ?
Lieutenant (junior grade)Robert M. Snyder18 December 1946 − 15 January 1947
LieutenantWalter Jackson1951 − October 1952
Lieutenant CommanderAlford Robert NorrisOctober 1952 − ?
Lieutenant commanderGeorge Wilber Mitchell1956 − January 1957
Lieutenant commanderRaul Brown PerezJanuary 1957 − February 1957

Notes
  1. Navsource.
  2. DANFS 2015.

Bibliography
  • "Ampere". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Radigan, Joseph M. "Ampere (ADG 11) ex-YDG-11". Navsource.org. Retrieved 8 March 2017.


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