USS Reform (AM-286)

USS Reform (AM-286) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was built to clear minefields in offshore waters, and served the Navy in the Pacific Ocean before voyaging to the U.S. East Coast for decommissioning. Post-war, her crew returned home proudly with three battle stars to their credit. The ship itself, its wartime mission complete, was given to China.

History
United States
Name:	USS Reform (AM-286)
Builder:	General Engineering & Dry Dock Company, Alameda, California
Laid down:	24 June 1943
Launched:	25 January 1944
Commissioned:	28 February 1945
Decommissioned:	9 November 1946
Fate:	Transferred to the Republic of China, 15 June 1948
Stricken:	13 July 1948
History
Taiwan
Name:	unknown
Acquired:	15 June 1948
Fate:	Scrapped in 1950
General characteristics
Class and type:	Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement:	650 tons
Length:	184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam:	33 ft (10 m)
Draft:	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion:	2 × ALCO 539 diesel engines, 1,710 shp (1,280 kW) Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear 2 shafts
Speed:	14.8 knots (27.4 km/h)
Complement:	104
Armament:	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun DP 2 × twin Bofors 40 mm guns 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar 2 × Depth charge tracks
Service record
Part of:	US Pacific Fleet (1945-1946)
Awards:	3 Battle stars

Career

Reform was laid down 24 June 1943 by the General Engineering & Dry Dock Company, of Alameda, California; launched 29 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Roland H. McCune of San Francisco, California; and commissioned 28 February 1945, Lt. Francis Worcester in command.

After shakedown out of San Pedro, Santa Barbara, and San Diego, California, she sailed for the forward area to join the fleet 28 April. Touching at Guam, she sailed 18 June for Ulithi, and thence escorted a convoy to Okinawa, arriving Buckner Bay 26 June. The first week of July she commenced minesweeping operations in the East China Sea.

In June she assisted in sweeping the approaches to Jinsen, Korea, and by September she was sweeping the approaches to Sasebo, Japan. Reform rode out two typhoons in Sasebo Harbor, suffering only minor damage to her port shaft and screw when she was driven into a mooring buoy. Repairs were completed by 5 November. After a check sweep in the Yellow Sea off Korea, she again took up operations off the southwestern coast of Kyūshū, and these continued until she was ordered home.

Departing Japan 12 February 1946, she arrived San Pedro, California, 28 March. Designated for transfer to the Chinese Navy, she sailed for Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, and decommissioned there 9 November 1946. She was delivered to the Chinese Navy 15 June 1948, and struck from the Navy list 13 July 1948. She was scrapped in 1950.

Reform received three battle stars for World War II service

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• "Reform". Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive. NavSource Online. Retrieved 2008-02-18.