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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Chief (AM-315, later MSF-315), 1943-1973

USS Chief, an 890-ton Auk class minesweeper built at Alameda, California, was commissioned in October 1943. She served in the Pacific during World War II, participating in the Marianas and Okinawa Campaigns. From September 1945 into March 1946, Chief swept mines in Japanese waters and otherwise supported occupation activities. She returned to the United States in April 1946 and decommissioned in March 1947.

The Korean War returned Chief to commissioned service in February 1952. After working up off the U.S. West Coast, she deployed to the Far East in 1952-53 for a tour of duty off Korea. She again deployed to the Korean area in 1953-54. Decommissioned in November 1954, she was reclassified as a fleet minesweeper and redesignated MSF-315 in February 1955. USS Chief was sold to Mexico in February 1973. Renamed Jesus Gonzalez Ortega, she remains in the service of the Mexican Navy.

This page features views of USS Chief (AM-315) and provides information on others that may be available from the National Archives.

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 96996

USS Chief (AM-315)


Underway, soon after recommissioning in 1952.
Note that she still wears small hull numbers at her bow. An accoustic "hammer box" is stowed on her main deck, amidships.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 145KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 68589

USS LST-735
(at right)

Serving as "mother ship" for seven minesweepers, probably in a Japanese port, circa 1952-54.
Ships nested alongside are (from left):
USS Gull (AMS-16);
USS Firecrest (AMS-10);
USS Condor (AMS-5);
USS Merganser (AMS-26);
USS Osprey (AMS-28);
USS Competent (AM-316) and
USS Chief (AM-315).

Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute, James C. Fahey Collection.

Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 96997

USS Chief (AM-315)


The enlisted complement of USS Chief poses alongside their ship, circa 1952-54.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 140KB; 740 x 620 pixels

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Chief (AM-315). The following list features these images.

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".



  • Photo #: 80-G-342468
    USS Chief (AM-315) en route to Saipan with Task Force 52, 11 June 1944.
    Port bow surface view taken by PhoM Hanson, with the last few feet of the ship's stern cropped out of the image's right side.

  • Photo #: USN 637140
    USS Chief (AM-315) in port, about 1954.
    Starboard broadside surface view. This photograph was released in March 1954 with a caption describing Chief's crew's donation of $200 worth of clothing and school supplies to a Korean orphanage.

  • Photo #: USN 1045493
    USS Chief (AM-315) underway during the early 1950s.
    Port stern aerial view. This photograph was received in December 1959.

  • Photo #: USN 1045982
    USS Chief (AM-315) underway during the early 1950s.
    Port broadside aerial view. This photograph was received in December 1959.



    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions ".


  • If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    26 September 1999