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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 Impeccable (AM-320, later MSF-320), 1944-1974

USS Impeccable, an 890-ton Auk class minesweeper built at Alameda, California, was commissioned in April 1944. During the next year, she performed escort and patrol duties in the Pacific. In March-June 1945, Impeccable took part in the Okinawa campaign, enduring several Japanese air attacks while serving on minesweeping, patrol and rescue missions. With the coming of peace, she cleared mine fields in Japanese waters before returning to the United States in December 1945.

Out of commission from March 1947, Impeccable was placed back in active service in March 1952. She took part in Korean War mine clearance and patrol activities from September 1952 to March 1953. Impeccable spent the next two years operating along the U.S. Pacific coast and was reclassified MSF-320 in February 1955. She was decommissioned in October 1955 and remained in reserve until sold for scrapping in 1974.

This page features our only view of USS Impeccable (AM-320) 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 #: 80-G-632291

USS Laertes (AR-20)


At Sasebo, Japan, with nine minesweepers and a harbor tug alongside. Original photo is dated 8 October 1952.
Ships nested to left of Laertes are (from left):
USS Impeccable (AM-320);
USS Gladiator (AM-319);
USS Shoveler (AM-382);
USS Defense (AM-317) and
USS Devastator (AM-318).
Those nested to right are (from left):
USS Condor (AMS-5);
USS Kite (AMS-22);
USS Curlew (AMS-8);
USS Chatterer (AMS-40) and
Wallacut (YTB-420).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least a few other views of USS Impeccable (AM-320), taken during the 1950s. The following list features some of 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 #: USN 1045919
    USS Impeccable (AM-320) underway during the early 1950s.
    Starboard bow aerial view. This photograph was received by the Naval Photographic Center in December 1959.

  • Photo #: USN 1045496
    USS Impeccable (AM-320) underway during the early 1950s.
    Port stern aerial view. This photograph was received by the Naval Photographic Center 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.

    23 October 1999