USS Observer (MSO-461)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Observer.

Observer underway on 7 May 1963
History
United States
Laid down	20 July 1953
Launched	19 October 1954
Commissioned	31 August 1955
Decommissioned	July 1, 1972
Refit	1970
Stricken	1 November 1977
Homeport	Charleston, SC
Fate	Sold for scrapping 1 April 1979
General characteristics
Displacement	775 tons
Length	172 ft (52 m)
Beam	36 ft (11 m)
Draught	10 ft (3.0 m)
Speed	15 knots
Complement	65
Armament	one 40 mm mount

USS Observer (AM-461/MSO-461) was an Agile-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.

The second ship to be named Observer by the Navy was laid down 20 July 1953 as AM-461 by Higgins, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana; launched 19 October 1954 sponsored by Mrs. E. V. Richards, reclassified MSO-461 on 2 February 1955, commissioned 31 August 1955.

European operations

After fitting out, Observer joined the Atlantic Fleet Mine Force and participated in minesweeping exercises prior to deploying to the Mediterranean. Observer sailed for the Mediterranean 1 May 1956 as part of Mine Division 85. After ports of call in the Mediterranean, she participated in NATO exercises in the area of Harwich, England. Following these exercises, Observer made goodwill visits to several Scandinavian countries, France, Portugal, Italy, and Gibraltar. She departed Gibraltar 28 September and began the long trip home, arriving 13 October.

North Atlantic operations

Observer participated in operations along the Atlantic seaboard, in the Caribbean and off Panama during the first half of 1957. In June 1957, she visited Hampton Roads, Virginia, for the Naval Review. Then Observer put into Norfolk Navy Yard for an extended overhaul. Then came refresher training, and exercises prior to deploying to the Mediterranean in January 1958. Observer continued this trend of operations, deploying with the U.S. 6th Fleet and participating in exercises along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean, the observer participated in the Cuban blockade in the windward passage from January 1963 and returning to Charleston in may. Observer's last exercise was Operation Snowy Beach off the coast of Maine, January 1972.

Decommissioning

Observer was decommissioned on 1 July 1972, struck from the Navy list 1 November 1977, and was sold for scrapping 1 April 1979.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive – Observer (MSO 461) – ex-AM-461
• USS Observer Archived 14 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine