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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Refresh (AM 287)

Call sign:
Nan - Queen - Jig - Yoke

Refresh served the Navies of the United States and the Republic of China.

Admirable Class Minesweeper:

Laid down 22 September 1943 by the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, CA

Launched 12 April 1944

Commissioned USS Refresh (AM 287), 10 April 1945

Decommissioned 9 November 1946 at Subic Bay, Philippines

Transferred to the Republic of China 30 June 1948 and renamed Yung Chang (AM 51)

Struck from the Naval Register 13 July 1948

Sunk 14 November 1965 by a People's Republic of China gunboat off South China.

Specifications:

Displacement 945 t. (fl)

Length 184' 6"

Beam 33'

Draft 9' 9"

Speed 14.8 kts.

Complement 104

Armament: One 3"/50 cal. dual purpose mount, one twin 40mm gun mount, six 20mm gun mounts, one depth charge projector (hedgehogs), four depth charge projectors (K-guns), and two depth charge tracks

Propulsion: Two 855shp Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines, National Supply Co. single reduction gear, two shafts.

Click on thumbnail for full size image	Size	Image Description	Source

110225801	1.38k	The Refresh (AM-287) was built by the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Alameda, CA	Photo courtesy of wikimedia.org
USS Refresh (AM 287)
	68k	Photos from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert	Chris Hébert
	94k	Photos from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
	95k	Officers in the wardroom. The officer at the head of the table is Refresh's commanding officer LT William Lewis Turner (DE) USNR (info from his nephew Gene Henriksen). Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
	122k	Hedgehog Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
	111k	Mine Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
	78k	Mine explosion Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
	111k	Dummy mine Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
	123k	Receiving mail from PGM-24 Photo from the collection of crewmember Ervin J. Hébert
Yung Chang (AM 51)
	144k	c. 1962		Original photo: Chinese Navy Replacement photo: Robert Hurst

Commanding Officers
01	LT William Lewis Turner, (DE) USNR	10 April 1945
02	LT Joseph Victor Pokrywka, USNR	23 October 1945 - 12 February 1946
03	LT John Edward Lane, USNR	12 February 1946 - 20 July 1946
04	LT Erwin Roy Stewart, USN	20 July 1946 - 9 November 1946

Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and R. A. Moody

View the Refresh (AM 287)
DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Website

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Naval Minewarfare Association
Association of Minemen

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This page was created by Gary P. Priolo & maintained by Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory) & David L. Wright

Last Updated 20 February 2026