Sparrow LCI-1098

Sparrow
(LCI (L) -1098 : dp. 387 (f.); 1. 150'0 ; b. 23'8" ; dr. 5'8; s. 14.4 k. (tl.); cpl. 40; a. 5 20mm.; cl. LCI(L)641)

LCI(L)-1098 was laid down on 4 October 1944 by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co. at Bay City, Mich.; launched on 17 October 1944; and commissioned on 23 October 1944.

From Bay City, LCI(L)-1098 moved to Chicago, Ill.; then, on 2 November, she sailed down the Illinois Waterway into the Mississippi. She arrived in New Orleans, La., on 12 November and shifted to Galveston, Tex., two days later. LCI(L)1098 conducted shakedown training at Galveston until 6 December, when she got underway for the Canal Zone. She entered the canal on 13 December and departed Balboa, C.Z., two days later. She reached San Diego on 27 December and spent the first two months of 1945 in training and availability on the west coast.

On 11 March 1945, the landing craft headed west for duty in the western Pacific. She stopped at Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok Atoll before arriving at Guam on 8 April. She was assigned harbor patrol and escort duties in the Marianas on 25 April and remained so engaged until 16 December, when she sailed back toward the United States. LCI(L)-1098 stopped at Pearl Harbor from 28 December 1945 until 3 January 1946. She made San Diego on the 15th and remained there for almost a month. On 12 March, she departed San Diego, sailed via the Panama Canal for New Orleans, and arrived there on 2 April. On 5 June 1946 LCI(L)-1098 was placed out of commission, in reserve, and berthed at Green Cove Springs, Fla.

LCI(L)-1098 remained in reserve until October 1953. During this period, she changed designations twice. On 28 February 1949, she was redesignated a large infantry landing ship, LSI(L)-1098. LSI(L)1098 became a coastal minesweeper and was named Sparrow (AMCU-42) on 7 March 1952; then she moved to Charleston, S.C., for the actual conversion. Sparrow was commissioned at Charleston on 23 October 1953 and, a month and a day later, she reported to the Commandant, 3d Naval District, for duty. Over the next 18 months, Sparrow operated along the east coast of the United States, from Key West, Fla., to New London, Conn. On 7 February 1955, Sparrow was redesignated a coastal minehunter, MHC-42, and on 12 April, she was placed in commission, in reserve, at Charleston, S.C. In July 1958, Sparrow moved to Mayport, Fla.; and, on 1 January 1960, her name was struck from the Navy list.