Robin II YMS-311

Robin II

(YMS-311: dp. 380 (f.), 1. 136', b. 24'6", dr. 10', s. 13 k cpl. 29; a. 1 40mm., 2 20mm., 2 dct., 2 dcp.; cl. YMS-135)

The second Robin was laid down as YMS-Sll on 7 May 1943 bN' TIemN B. Nevh~s, Inc., CitY island N y launched b ()ctoher 1943, sponsored by Mrs. John W. Bradbury, andcommissioned on 0 November 1943, Lt. (jg.) Hamilton Young, USNR, in command.

Follov. ing shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, YMS-~311 headed south and on 23 December reported for duty to Commander Caribbean Sea Frontier. From January to mid-May 1944, she

served in the Curaeao-Aruba area, escorting freighters and oilers to and from convoy rendezvous points. Then ordered to the Pacific, the YMS proceeded to Panama, thence continued on to California and Hawaii. Arriving at Pearl Harbor at the end of July, she underwent further training in August, then steamed west to the Admiralties.

On 11 October, YMS-Sll departed Seeadler Harbor in TU 79 12 1. Seven days later, she arrived at the entrarlce to I,eyte Gulf and began sweeping operations to clear the way for the invasion force which followed. Through the lOth despite Japanese aerial resistance, she continued to sueep in Leyte Gulf: then, on the 20th, joined LST group Baker on the departure line off Blue Beach 2-Orange Beach 1 and assumed duty as control ship.

YMS-811 remained off that assault area north of Dulag until the 24th when she got underway to return to l\ ew Guinea and the Admiralties. At the end of the year, she again departed Seeadler Harbor for the Philippines and another amphibiou landing. On 9 January 1945, assigned to TG 79.9, she repeated her control ship role as Army troops w ere landed on Luzon near the town of Lingayen.

Through the month and into February, the YMS continued to support operations in the Philippines. In March, she moved to Ulithi, whence she departed on the lOth to participate in Operation "Iceberg", the invasion of the Ryukyus. On 25 March, she arrived off Kerama Retto and began sweeping operations Toward the end of the month, she swept off the Hagushi beaches, then retired to Kerama Retto on 1 April as troops were landed on those beaches. Replenished, she resumed sweeping on the 2d, and by the 6th had cleared areas off Keise Shima and Ie Shima. On the morning of the 6th, a flight of 35 enemy planes attacked her formation. Three of the Vals chose her as their target; two others chose a nearby ship.

YMS-Sl l took the five under fire and splashed three. One penetrated the AA defenses, hit the minesu-eeper on the forecastle deck, then skidded across the bow and plunged into the water off the portside, killing one and wounding tu-o of the YMS's orew en route.

YMS-Sll retired to Rerama Retto. After temporary repairs she swept that anchorage area until the 11th, then sailed for Saipan to complete her repairs

On 26 May YMS-Sl l returned to Okinawa and into June swept the channels between Okinawa and Kerama Retto. From the 13th to the 23d, she suept off Saki Shima, then returncd to Kerama Retto. In July she shifted to Buckner Bay operated in that area, with occasional runs to Kerama Retto into August, and on the 6th of that month departed the Ryukyus for the Philippines. At the end of the month, she returned to Buckner Bay and in September moved north to the Japanese home islands for postwar sweeping operations, which continued well into December. On 28 December sho departed Sasebo for the Marianas, whence she continued on across the pacific to Hawaii and California.

At the end of May 1946, YMS-Sl l, reassigned to the Atlantic Fleet, transited the Panama Canal and proceeded to Philadelphia and New York. Decommissioned on 31 July she was subRequently placed in service as a Nav.ll Reserve training ship at Tompkinsville, N.Y. On 1 September 1947 YMS-Sl l was named Robin and redesignated AMS-53.

Through the end of the decade and into the 1950's, Robin continued to serve reservists in the 3d Naval District. In February 1952, she was recommissioned and transferrec3 back to the active fleet. Assigned initially to the 5th Navy District she was homeported at Charleston in June 1953 as a unit of Mine Squadron 4, Mine Division 42, operated from there until February 1954. She then moved back to the Chesapeake Bay area for overhaul and duty with the Mine W arfare School at Yorktown. In January 1955, Charleston again became her homeport and for the next 2 years Robin resumed operations u hich ranged from Nova Scotia to the Caribbean.

Redesignated MSC(0)-53 on 7 February 1955, Robin operated from l'anama City, Fla., from April to October 1~35~. On the 28th of the latter month, she sailed for the west coast to return to Naval Reserve training duty. She arrived at Tacoma, Wash., on 7 December and on the 13th she was decommissioned and placed in service as a training ship for the 13th Naval District. She remained on that duty until placed out of service in the summer of 1960. Her name uas struck from the Navy list on 1 August 1961.

YMS-Sll earned five battle stars for her World War II service.