USS Terror (CM-5)
 |
|
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
|
|
| Name: | USS Terror |
| Builder: | Philadelphia Navy Yard |
| Laid down: | 3 September 1940 |
| Launched: | 6 June 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 15 July 1942 |
| Decommissioned: | 6 August 1956 |
| Reclassified: |
|
| Struck: | 1 November 1970 |
| Honours and awards: |
4 battle stars (WWII) |
| Fate: | Sold for scrapping, 1971 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Minelayer |
| Displacement: | 5,875 long tons (5,969 t) |
| Length: | 454 ft 10 in (138.63 m) |
| Beam: | 60 ft 2 in (18.34 m) |
| Draft: | 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × General Electric double-reduction geared steam turbines, 2 shafts, 22,000 shp (16,405 kW) |
| Speed: | 20.3 knots (37.6 km/h; 23.4 mph) |
| Complement: | 481 |
| Armament: |
|
USS Terror (CM-5) was a fleet minelayer of the United States Navy, the only minelayer of the fleet built specifically for minelaying during World War II.
She was laid down on 3 September 1940 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched on 6 June 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Ralph A. Bard; and commissioned on 15 July 1942, Commander Howard Wesley Fitch in command.
Following fitting out and shakedown, Terror arrived at New York on 30 October 1942 to prepare for her first large-scale operation. With Task Group 38.3, the new minelayer sortied the harbor on 2 November and set her course for North Africa. Rain squalls, strong winds, and heavy seas forced the convoy to alter its course, but its goal remained the same — the support and reinforcement of Operation Torch.
At dawn on 14 November, Terror parted company with the convoy and, escorted by a single destroyer, made her way at 20 knots (37 km/h) to the newly taken port of Casablanca. Sunken ships added to the congestion of the harbor as Terror fueled Miantonomah (CMc-5) and supplied that vessel with mines. Terror then prepared for her primary mission at Casablanca and the task for which she had been designed, minelaying. Her sortie was delayed on the morning of the 16th due to continued congestion in the harbor. Later, as Terror's crew made ready to get underway, they discovered that a large, "old fashioned" anchor with a heavy chain was fouling the ship's starboard anchor chain. After correcting this problem, Terror got underway in company with two minesweepers and, in short order, began laying the minefield which would protect the ships in the harbor. When completed, shortly before dark the same day, the minefield provided Allied shipping a protected channel entrance to Casablanca, stretching seven miles (11 km) out from El Hank Light, a formidable barrier for any marauding enemy submarine to penetrate. Steaming at 16 knots (30 km/h), Terror made her way back to the port just as night fell.
...
Wikipedia