View source for USS Robin (AM-3)

{{short description|Minesweeper of the United States Navy}}
{{other ships|USS Robin}}
{{Redirect|AM-3|the jet engine|Mikulin AM-3}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
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|Ship image= USS Robin (AM 3).jpg
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}}
|Ship name=USS ''Robin''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=Todd Shipyard Co., New York
|Ship laid down= 4 March 1918 
|Ship launched= 17 June 1918
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= 29 August 1918 
|Ship decommissioned= 9 November 1945
|Ship in service=
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|Ship struck=28 November 1945
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|Ship reclassified=*AM-3, 17 July 1920
*AT-140, 1 June 1942
*ATO-140, 13 April 1944
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|Ship fate=Sold for scrap, 1945
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class= {{sclass|Lapwing|minesweeper}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|1009|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} full
|Ship length={{convert|187|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|35|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|10|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship speed={{convert|14|kn|lk=in}}
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|Ship complement=78
|Ship armament=2 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}}]] guns
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'''USS ''Robin'' (AM-3)''' was an {{sclass|Lapwing|minesweeper}} acquired by the [[U.S. Navy]] for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

''Robin'' was named, by the U.S. Navy for the [[American Robin]] (''Turdus migratorius''), a North American [[thrush (bird)|thrush]] with a red breast.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

''Robin'' (Minesweeper No. 3) was laid down 4 March 1918 by the [[Todd Shipyard Corp.]], New York; launched 17 June 1918; sponsored by Miss Bessie Veronica Callaghan; and commissioned 29 August 1918.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

== North Atlantic operations ==
Commissioned at New York, ''Robin'' operated in the area, with one run to [[Hampton Roads, Virginia]], until 23 February 1919. By that time the necessity of improving sweeping methods to expedite the clearing of the [[North Sea Mine Barrage]] had become very apparent. ''Robin'', with two other minesweepers, tested the feasibility of using sweeps of greater breadth than 500–600 yards. The tests were conducted off [[Newport, Rhode Island]], in late February and early March.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

In mid-March, ''Robin'' proceeded to Boston, Massachusetts. On 6 April, she got underway for Scotland. On the 20th, she arrived at [[Inverness]] and joined the [[North Sea Mining Detachment]]. Based at [[Kirkwall]], she participated in the seven operations conducted to clear the barrage of its more than 70,000 mines between [[Orkney]] and Norway.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}
 
With the conclusion of the final sweep, 19 September, ''Robin'' returned to Kirkwall for a brief rest after the difficult assignment, made more hazardous by the strong winds, rough seas, and poor visibility of the North Sea. She departed Scotland 1 October and arrived at New York 19 November.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

== Coastal deployments ==
Designated '''AM-3''', 17 July 1920, she operated along the [[U.S. East Coast]] for the next 11 years, with winter deployments to the [[Caribbean]]. After winter maneuvers in 1932, she continued on to the [[U.S. West Coast]] and from her arrival, 6 March, until 9 April 1934 she operated in the [[San Pedro, California|San Pedro]]-San Diego area. During the summer, 1934, she returned to [[Norfolk, Virginia]], but by the end of November was back at San Diego. She remained on the west coast, ranging from Mexico to [[Alaska]] and as far west as Hawaii, for the remainder of the decade.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

== Pacific Ocean assignment ==
On 7 December 1941 ''Robin'' was en route to Hawaii from [[Johnston Island]]. She arrived at [[Pearl Harbor]] on the 10th and until the end of February 1942 served as a salvage and [[Minesweeper (ship)|minesweeping]] vessel.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}} By 24 February ''Robin'' had been sent towing one large and three small lighters to assist in unloading the grounded {{SS|President Taylor}} at [[Kanton Island|Canton Island]].{{sfn|War Plans and Files of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet|1942}} In February, she shifted to small craft and target towing, [[torpedo]] retrieving, and passenger and cargo transportation duties. On 1 June 1942, she was officially redesignated as Ocean Tug '''AT-140'''.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

== World War II Pacific Theatre operations ==
In June 1943, after an extensive overhaul, she joined a convoy for [[Samoa]]. She arrived on the 10th and reported for duty as station vessel, Naval Station, [[Tutuila]]. Reclassified '''ATO-140''' on 13 April 1944, she operated out of Tutuila until 1945 on towing and salvage assignments which took her to the [[Ellice Islands]] and [[Fiji|Fiji Islands]] as well as among the [[Samoa]]n group. Then, from January to March 1945, she operated among the [[Marshall Islands|Marshalls]] and [[Gilbert Islands|Gilberts]].{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}
 
On 21 March, ''Robin'' departed [[Majuro]] for the United States. She arrived at San Diego, California 21 April and two days later shifted to [[Long Beach, California]], for overhaul.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

== Decommissioning at war's end ==
Still in the shipyard at the end of the war, she was designated for disposal. She was decommissioned 9 November and struck from the [[Navy list]] on the 28th.{{sfn|Naval History & Heritage Command |2005}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/r/robin-i.html |date=14 October 2005|title=Robin |author=Naval History & Heritage Command |work=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher=Naval History & Heritage Command |access-date=10 May 2013}}
{{Refend}}
*{{cite journal| last =War Plans and Files of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet| title ="NIMITZ GRAY BOOK" – War Plans and Files of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet| journal =Running Estimate and Summary Maintained by Captain James M. Steele, USN, CINCPAC Staff at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Covering the Period 7 December 1941–31 August 1942 | volume =1| pages =Entries February–April 1942| year =1942| url =http://www.ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/Volumes/Nimitz_Graybook%20Volume%201.pdf| access-date =10 May 2013}}

== External links ==
* {{navsource|11/02003|USS Robin (Minesweeper No. 3/AM-3/AT-140/ATO-140)}}

{{Lapwing class minesweeper}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robin (AM-3)}}
[[Category:Lapwing-class minesweepers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Brooklyn]]
[[Category:1918 ships]]
[[Category:World War I minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:Lapwing-class minesweepers converted to tugs]]