View source for USS Defense

{{short description|Minesweeper of the United States Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:AM-317 Defense.gif|300px|USS Defense]]
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag= {{USN flag|1955}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Amity'' (BAM-4)
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[General Engineering & Dry Dock Company]], [[Alameda, California]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
|Ship laid down=2 October 1942
|Ship renamed=USS ''Defense'' (AM-317), 23 January 1943
|Ship launched=18 February 1943
|Ship sponsor=Mrs. A. Duncanfield
|Ship completed=
|Ship commissioned= 10 January 1944
|Ship decommissioned= {{ubl|31 May 1946|15 April 1955}}
|Ship recommissioned=16 February 1952 at [[Long Beach, California]]
|Ship reclassified=MSF-317, 7 February 1955
|Ship struck=c. 1972
|Ship homeport=[[Long Beach, California]]
|Ship honors=*2 [[battle stars]] (World War II)
*2 battle stars (Korean War)
|Ship fate= Sold to [[Mexico]], 3 January 1973 
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=Mexico
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Mexico|naval}}
|Ship name= ARM ''Manuel Doblado'' (C73)
|Ship namesake=[[Manuel Doblado]]
|Ship acquired=3 January 1973
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship reclassified=*G05<ref name=Wertheim>{{cite book | editor-last = Wertheim | editor-first = Eric | edition = 15th | title = The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]] | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]] | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-1-59114-955-2 | oclc = 140283156 | page = 472 }}</ref>
*P104, 1993<ref name=Wertheim />
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=
{{ship in active service|2007}}<ref name=Wertheim />
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class= {{sclass|Auk|minesweeper|1}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|890|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|221|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam={{convert|32|ft|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship height=
|Ship draft={{convert|10|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship depth=
|Ship propulsion=*2 × {{convert|2976|shp|0|abbr=on}} Baldwin VO8 diesel electric drive engines
*[[Westinghouse Electric Corporation (1886)|Westinghouse]] single reduction gear
*2 shafts
|Ship speed= {{convert|18.1|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=105 officers and enlisted
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun]]
*2 × twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] guns
*2 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] guns
*2 × [[Depth charge]] tracks
*5 × depth charge projectors
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Defense'' (AM-317)''' was an {{sclass|Auk|minesweeper}} acquired by the [[United States Navy]] for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

==Construction history==
''Defense'' was launched on 18 February 1943 at [[General Engineering and Dry Dock]] Company in [[Alameda, California]], sponsored by Mrs. A. Duncanfield, and commissioned on 10 January 1944. She was reclassified '''MSF-317''' on 7 February 1955.

==World War II service==

=== Convoy duty ===
Sailing from [[San Francisco, California]], on 24 March 1944, ''Defense'' escorted a [[convoy]] to [[Majuro]], then swept [[naval mine|mines]] and had escort duty off [[Tarawa Atoll|Tarawa]], [[Gilbert Islands]], from 9 to 19 April.  She returned to [[Pearl Harbor]] on 30 April, and between 8 May and 9 July escorted two convoys, one to Majuro and one to [[Eniwetok]].  After conducting experimental minesweeping exercises at Pearl Harbor until 22 July, she got underway for San Francisco, arriving there on 30 July.

From August through December 1944, ''Defense'' provided a variety of services for ships in shakedown off [[San Diego, California]], and joined in exercises in the [[Hawaii|Hawaiian Islands]].

=== Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations ===
Sailing from Pearl Harbor on 27 January 1945, ''Defense'' arrived off [[Iwo Jima]] on 16 February as the pre-invasion [[bombardment]] of the island began.  She patrolled in the [[antisubmarine]] screen until late on 19 February, day of the landings, when she cleared to escort unladen transports to [[Saipan]].  From 1 to 7 March, she again patrolled off Iwo Jima, and on 10 March arrived at Ulithi, staging point for the invasion of [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]].  Nine days later, she was underway for minesweeping operations out of [[Kerama Retto]] in preparation for the invasion landings on Okinawa scheduled for 1 April.

During the massive suicide plane attack six days after the initial landings, ''Defense'' took a group of four attackers under fire.  She splashed one, drove one off, and was struck by the other two after they had been heavily damaged by her antiaircraft fire.  Despite her own damage, she went to the aid of two other stricken ships, rescuing 60 men from the destroyer {{USS|Newcomb|DD-586|3}} and towing crippled {{USS|Leutze|DD-481|3}} to Kerama Retto.

=== End-of-war activity ===
After temporary repairs had been completed on 11 April 1945, ''Defense'' sailed for [[Seattle]], Washington via Pearl Harbor. She arrived at the Naval Ammunition Depot, [[Indian Island, Washington]] on 26 May 1945 and spent the better part of the next three months in dry dock. On Monday, 3 September 1945 she sailed for the [[Pacific Ocean|Western Pacific]] for occupation duty at Okinawa, [[Guam]], and various Japanese ports, including Nagasaki. She served in [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] until 6 March 1946, when she cleared [[Kobe]] for [[San Diego, California]], arriving there on 21 April.  ''Defense'' was placed out of commission in reserve there on 31 May 1946.

==Korean War service==
[[File:USS Impeccable 80-G-632291.jpg|thumb|left|USS ''Defense'' (fourth ship from left) at Sasebo, Japan, 1952]]
Recommissioned on 16 February 1952 at [[Long Beach, California]] because of the [[Korean War]], ''Defense'' sailed for [[United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]] on 7 July, arriving there on 16 August.  Operating in [[Korea]]n waters in support of [[United Nations]] forces, she cleared the waters at [[Inchon]] and in the [[Wonsan]]-[[Chongjin]]-[[Songjin]] area of mines until 8 January 1953, when she left Yokosuka heading for Long Beach, where she arrived on 6 February.

Along with another tour of duty in the [[Far East]] from 6 October 1953 to 2 June 1954, ''Defense'' operated along the coast of [[Southern California]] until again placed out of commission in reserve on 16 April 1956.

== Mexican Navy service ==
On 3 January 1973, the former ''Defense'' was sold to the [[Mexican Navy]] where she was named ARM ''Manuel Doblado'' (C73). Her pennant number was later changed to G05, before being changed a final time to P104 in 1993. {{As of|2007}}, ''Manuel Doblado'' was in active service with the Mexican Navy.<ref name=Wertheim />

==Awards==
Defense received two battle stars for World War II service and two for the Korean War.

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/d2/defense.htm}}
* {{navsource|11/02317|USS Defense}}
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-d/am317.htm USS ''Defense'' (AM-317/MSF-317), 1944-1973]

{{Auk class minesweeper|others}}
{{Mexican Navy ships}}
{{April 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Defense (AM-317)}}
[[Category:Auk-class minesweepers of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Alameda, California]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:World War II minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:Korean War minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:Valle-class patrol vessels]]
[[Category:Patrol vessels of Mexico]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in April 1945]]