USS Hazard (AM-240) facts for kids
USS Hazard at Freedom Park in Omaha, Nebraska.
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
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| Name | Hazard |
| Builder | Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company |
| Laid down | 1944 |
| Launched | 21 May 1944 |
| Commissioned | 21 October 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 27 July 1946 |
| Reclassified | MSF-240 7 February 1955 |
| Stricken | 1971 |
| Motto | No Sweep, No Invasion |
| Honors and awards |
3 Battle Stars |
| Status | Museum ship since 1971 at Freedom Park, Omaha, Nebraska |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Admirable-class minesweeper |
| Displacement | 530 tons |
| Length | 184 ft 6 in (56.24 m) |
| Beam | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draft | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) |
| Propulsion | Two 1,710 shp (1,280 kW) Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines, National Supply Co. single reduction gear, two shafts. |
| Speed | 15 knots (27.8 km/h) |
| Complement | 104 |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: | US Pacific Fleet (1944-1946) |
| Awards: | 3 Battle stars |
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USS Hazard (AM-240)
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 Location in Nebraska
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| Built | 1944 |
| Architect | Winslow Marine Railway |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003712 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 1 January 1979 |
| Designated NHL | January 14, 1986 |
The USS Hazard (AM-240) was a special kind of ship called an Admirable-class minesweeper. It served in the United States Navy during World War II. Minesweepers are ships designed to find and remove dangerous underwater bombs called mines. These mines can explode if a ship passes over them. The Hazard helped keep the seas safe for other ships during the war. Today, you can visit the Hazard as a museum ship in Omaha, Nebraska.
Contents
The Hazard was built by the Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company in Winslow, Washington. It was launched, or put into the water for the first time, on May 21, 1944. The ship was officially ready for duty on October 21, 1944.
What a Minesweeper Does
The Hazard was built to do two main jobs. Its first job was minesweeping. This meant it would clear paths through the ocean where enemies might have placed mines. Its second job was anti-submarine warfare. This means it could hunt for and attack enemy submarines. The Admirable class ships, like the Hazard, also helped protect other ships by escorting them. They would also patrol areas to make sure they were safe.
Hazard's Wartime Adventures
The Hazard started its service by protecting groups of ships, called convoys. It sailed from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor. Then, it continued to escort convoys to islands like Eniwetok and Ulithi.
Clearing the Way in Okinawa
In March 1945, the Hazard was sent to Okinawa. This was a very important battle area during World War II. First, the ship helped patrol the waters to find any enemy submarines. After that, it began its main job: sweeping mines. It cleared the waters near Kerama Retto. This was very important for the invasion. The ship's motto was "No Sweep, No Invasion," showing how vital its work was.
After the War
When World War II ended, the Hazard continued its important work. It cleared mines from the seas near Korea and Japan. This made it safe for the occupation forces to arrive.
Hazard Becomes a Museum
In 1946, the Hazard returned to the United States. It was taken out of service and became part of the reserve fleet. In 1971, a group of business people from Omaha, Nebraska bought the ship. They wanted to put it on display for everyone to see.
Today, the Hazard is a museum ship at Freedom Park. It is located on the Missouri River waterfront in East Omaha. You can still see the special Dazzle camouflage paint it wore during World War II. This type of paint was designed to confuse enemy ships about the Hazard's size and direction.
At Freedom Park, you can also see other cool military vehicles. These include the submarine USS Marlin, an A-4 Skyhawk jet, an A-7 Corsair II jet, and a HH-52A Seaguard US Coast Guard helicopter.
Awards and Recognition
The Hazard earned three battle stars for its service in World War II. These stars are awards given to ships for taking part in important battles or operations.
The Hazard is also a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical site in the United States. It is the only Admirable-class minesweeper left in the country. Its sister ship, USS Inaugural, was also a museum ship in St. Louis for many years.
See also
- List of Admirable class minesweepers
