USS Penguin (AM-33)

USS Penguin (AM-33) was a Lapwing-class minesweeper built by the United States Navy during World War I. The ship was constructed at the Todd Shipyard in New York City and launched on May 12, 1918. The USS Penguin (AM-33) was commissioned on January 21, 1919, under the command of Lieutenant Commander William F. Dietrich. The ship was named after the penguin, a flightless bird found in the Southern Hemisphere, and was one of several Lapwing-class minesweepers, including the USS Lapwing (AM-1), USS Owl (AM-2), and USS Falcon (AM-28).

● History

The USS Penguin (AM-33) was built as part of a large fleet of minesweepers constructed by the United States Navy during World War I. The ship was designed to operate in the North Sea and other European waters, where German U-boats and naval mines posed a significant threat to Allied shipping. The USS Penguin (AM-33) was constructed at the Todd Shipyard in New York City, which also built other Lapwing-class minesweepers, including the USS Tanager (AM-5) and USS Cardinal (AM-6). The ship was launched on May 12, 1918, and was sponsored by Miss Helen D. Durgin, a resident of New York City. The USS Penguin (AM-33) was commissioned on January 21, 1919, under the command of Lieutenant Commander William F. Dietrich, a veteran of the United States Navy who had served on several ships, including the USS Florida (BM-9) and USS Iowa (BB-4).

● Characteristics

The USS Penguin (AM-33) was a Lapwing-class minesweeper with a length of 187 feet 10 inches and a beam of 35 feet 6 inches. The ship had a draft of 10 feet 4 inches and displaced 950 tons of water. The USS Penguin (AM-33) was powered by a triple expansion steam engine and had a top speed of 14 knots. The ship was armed with two 3-inch guns and two machine guns, and had a crew of 78 officers and men. The USS Penguin (AM-33) was also equipped with minesweeping gear, including a drum and cable system and a sweep winch. The ship's design was influenced by the British Royal Navy's HMS Liverpool and HMS Birmingham, and was similar to other Lapwing-class minesweepers, including the USS Curlew (AM-8) and USS Finch (AM-9).

● Service history

The USS Penguin (AM-33) served in the United States Navy during the interwar period, and was assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet. The ship operated out of San Diego, California and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and participated in several naval exercises and fleet maneuvers. The USS Penguin (AM-33) also served as a station ship in American Samoa and Guam, and made several port visits to Australia and New Zealand. The ship's crew included several notable officers, including Lieutenant Commander John F. Shafroth Jr., who later served on the USS Enterprise (CV-6) during World War II. The USS Penguin (AM-33) was also commanded by Lieutenant Commander Harold C. Train, a veteran of the United States Navy who had served on several ships, including the USS Utah (BB-31) and USS New Mexico (BB-40).

● Fate

The USS Penguin (AM-33) was decommissioned on April 29, 1922, and was placed in reserve at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The ship was later stricken from the Navy List on November 8, 1938, and was sold for scrap on April 20, 1942. The USS Penguin (AM-33) was broken up at the Boston Navy Yard, and the ship's materials were used to construct new ships, including the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) and USS Intrepid (CV-11). The USS Penguin (AM-33) was one of several Lapwing-class minesweepers that were scrapped or sold during the interwar period, including the USS Avocet (AM-19) and USS Bobolink (AM-20). The ship's legacy lives on in the United States Navy's minesweeper fleet, which continues to operate Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships, such as the USS Avenger (MCM-1) and USS Defender (MCM-2). Category:Ships of the United States Navy