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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Ruff (MSC[O] 54)
ex-Ruff (AMS 54)
ex-YMS-327



Call sign:
November - Quebec - Foxtrot - Delta
YMS-1 Class Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 2 June 1942 by the Ballard Marine Railway Co. Inc, Seattle, WA
  • Launched 5 December 1942
  • Completed and commissioned USS YMS-327, 19 April 1943
  • Decommissioned 20 August 1946 and laid up in Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Florida Group
    Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 lists plan for placing in service as a Naval Reserve training ship in the 1st Naval District (Boston) as September 1947
  • Named Ruff and reclassified as a Motor Minesweeper, AMS-54, 1 September 1947
  • Recommissioned 10 March 1951
  • Reclassified as a Coastal Minesweeper (Old), MSC(O)-54, 7 February 1955
  • Decommissioned 13 December 1957 and placed in service, in reserve
  • Placed in service as a Reserve training ship 30 October 1959
  • Placed out of service, struck from the Naval Register 14 November 1969 and subsequently sold
  • Ruff was the last ship of her class to leave the Navy
  • Acquired in 1971 by Ernest J. Silva of LaJolla, CA for use as a passenger barge and renamed Libra
  • Acquired in 1979 by Glenn Couch of Chula Vista, CA
  • Out of documentation in 1984
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 270 t.
  • Length 136'
  • Beam 24' 6"
  • Draft 8'
  • Speed 15 kts.
  • Complement 32
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 20mm mounts and two depth charge projectors
  • Propulsion: Two 880bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines, Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    YMS-327
    YMS-327 196k Kathy Wagner
    daughter of crew member Richard Sullivan
    YMS-327 119k
    YMS-327 139k Sunset at sea
    YMS-327 201k Crew members
    YMS-327 31k c. 1943
    Midshipman Edward F. Moore, Jr.    		 Patti Zapalac
    YMS-327 37k c. 1943
    Ensign Edward Moore
    YMS-327 55k Edward Moore, Jim Maury and the Commanding Officer, LT Robert S. Marshall
    YMS-327 45k Jim Maury, Captain Marshall and Edward Moore
    YMS-327 35k Jim Maury, Captain Marshall, Edward Moore and unidentified crew member
    YMS-327 55k Ships mascot
    YMS-327 50k Ships mascot with crewmembers. Richard Sullivan is on the right
    YMS-327 104k c. 1945
    Courtesy of Donald McPherson, 1976
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 84981    		 Mike Green
    YMS-327 66k 2 April 1945
    Kerama Retto, Ryuku Islands
    Indianapolis (CA 35) listing noticeably and water is being pumped from starboard aft. Photo was taken from New Mexico (BB 40) and YMS-327 is forward of Indianapolis. LCT-1414 is approaching Indianapolis starboard to replenish her spent ammunition
    National Archives photo 80-G-316816    		 Joe Radigan
    Ruff (MSC[O] 54)
    Ruff 75k
    Namesake:

    Ruff - A common Eurasian sandpiper

    		 Tommy Trampp
    Photo added 30 December 2021
    YMS-327 117k Arnold R. Hofmann, CDR, SC, USN, Retired
    Commanding Officers
    01LT Robert S. Marshall, USNR19 April 1943 - 4 May 1945
    02LT George A. Ashland, Jr., USNR4 May 1945 - 26 February 1946
    03LTJG Donald Charles David, USNR26 February 1946 - 28 May 1946
    04ENS Herbert R. Gerdink, USNR28 May 1946 - 2 August 1946
    05LT William N. Mire, USNR10 March 1951 - 21 September 1951
    06LT George A. Hach, USNR21 September 1951 - 15 December 1952
    07LT William Cornell Magee, USNR15 December 1952 (Acting)
    08LT Philip William Wehrman, USN
    09LCDR James Henry Doyle, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1947
    Awarded two Navy Distinguished Service Medals, two Legions of Merit and the Bronze Star - Retired as
    Vice Admiral    		1953
    10LCDR Louis Leonard Meier, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1942
    Awarded the Legion of Merit (1967) - Retired as Captain    		1954 - June 1956
    11LT James Anthony Allen, USN - USNA Class of 1950June 1956 - July 1958
    12LCDR William Gooding Fisher, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1952
    13LCDR Robert P. Steen, USNR1960 - 1963
    14CDR Howard Shaw Walker, USNR1963 - 18 June 1965
    15LCDR Johnnie L. Garner, Jr., USNR18 June 1965 - 1966
    16LT Robert Oliver Dixon, USNR1966 - 8 July 1966
    17LCDR Johan A. Dillan, Jr., USNR8 July 1966 - 10 July 1966
    18LT Robert Oliver Dixon, USNR (Officer-in-Charge)10 July 1966 - 11 July 1966
    19LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		11 July 1966 - 14 July 1966
    20LCDR Johnnie L. Garner, Jr., USNR14 July 1966 - 18 July 1966
    21CDR Edgar H. Smith, USNR18 July 1966 - 19 July 1966
    22LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		19 July 1966 - 31 July 1966
    23LCDR Johnnie L. Garner, Jr., USNR31 July 1966 - 12 August 1966
    24LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		12 August 1966 - 13 August 1966
    25LCDR Johan A. Dillan, Jr., USNR13 August 1966 - 26 August 1966
    26LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		26 August 1966 - 23 August 1966
    27LT George Richard Holdeman, USNR28 August 1966 - 1 September 1966
    28LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		1 September 1966 - 16 September 1966
    29LCDR Johnnie L. Garner, Jr., USNR16 September 1966 - 18 September 1966
    30LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		18 September 1966 - 23 September 1966
    31LCDR Johan A. Dillan, Jr., USNR23 September 1966 - 25 September 1966
    32LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		25 September 1966 - 7 October 1966
    33LCDR James A. Sjolund, USNR7 October 1966 - 9 October 1966
    34LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		9 October 1966 - 16 October 1966
    35LT Elton McCoy Bridges, USNR16 October 1966 - 17 October 1966
    36LT Duane Willard Gainer, USNR17 October 1966 - 22 October 1966
    37LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		22 October 1966 - 11 November 1966
    38LCDR James A. Sjolund, USNR11 November 1966 - 14 November 1966
    39LT Michael Lee Foster, USN - USNA Class of 1962
    (Officer-in-Charge)    		14 November 1966 - 31 December 1967
    Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves, Joe Radigan and Irma David
    View the Ruff (MSC[O] 54)
    DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway website
    Back to the Main Photo Index Back to the Mine Warfare Ship Photo Index Back to the Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper (YMS) Photo Index Back to the Motor Minesweeper (AMS) Photo Index Back to the Coastal Minesweeper (MSC) Photo Index
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