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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Ship Photo Archive

Right patch courtesy of Mike Smolinski

Gladiator (MCM 11)



Call sign:
November - Golf - Lima - Alpha
Avenger Class Mine Countermeasures Ship:

  • Built by Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, WI
  • Ordered, 14 February 1989
  • Laid down, 07 May 1990
  • Launched, 29 June 1991
  • Commissioned, 18 September 1993
  • Decommissioned at Naval Support Activity Manama, 04 September 2025
  • Stricken from Naval Register same day
  • Loaded aboard heavy lift ship Seaway Hawk for transport to US, 09 January 2026
  • Final fate, slated to be scrapped
    Specifications:

  • Displacement 1,040 tons
  • Length 210'
  • Beam 38'
  • Draft 10' 6"
  • Speed 14 knots
  • Complement 81
  • Armament: Two M2HB .50 cal. machine guns, two M60 7.62 mm machine guns, two Mk19 grenade launchers
  • Propulsion: Four Waukesha Motors Co. diesel engines, two controllable reversible pitch propellers, two shafts, two electric light load propulsion motors
  • Auxiliary Systems: Three Waukesha ship service diesel generator sets, one solar gas turbine generator, one omnithruster bow thruster system
  • Electronic systems: One AN/SSN-2 Precise Integrated Navigation System (PINS), one AN/SQQ-32 Mine Hunting Sonar, one AN/SPS-55 Surface Radar. one AN/WSN-2 Gyro Compass
  • Mine Countermeasure Equipment Suite: One AN/SLQ-48 (V) Mine Neutralization System, one AN/SQL-37 (V) 3 Magnetic/Acoustic Influence Minesweeping Gear, Oropesa type 0 size 1 Mechanical
    Sweep Equipment, MDG 1701 Marconi Magnetometer Degaussing System.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Gladiator 33k Painting by Richard DeRosset of USS Gladiator, used in the book "Wooden Ships and Iron Men: The U.S. Navy's Ocean Minesweepers, 1953-1994" by David Bruhn David Bruhn
    Gladiator 91k . Richard Miller, BMCS, USNR, Ret.
    Gladiator 97k
    MCM-9/10/11/12 57k c. 1993/94.
    Ardent (MCM 12), Pioneer (MCM 9), Gladiator, and Warrior (MCM 10) at Peterson Builders.    		 Bob Daly/PC-1181
    Gladiator 53k 6 March 1994.
    Tied up at the Trident pier, Port Everglades, FL    		 OS2 John Bouvia
    Gladiator 23k
    Gladiator 81k 12 September 2005
    Ingleside, TX
    Making preparations for Hurricane Rita    		 Jack Treutle
    Scout 221k 23 September 2005
    Ingleside, TX
    In preparation of Hurricane Rita, mine countermeasures ships home ported at Naval Station Ingleside nest in a modified mooring. Ships present (left to right): Unknown, Scout
    (MCM 8)    , unknown, Sentry (MCM 3), Champion (MCM 4), Pioneer (MCM 9), Chief (MCM 14), Gladiator, Avenger (MCM 1) and Defender (MCM 2)
    U.S. Navy photo 050923-N-4913K-006 by Fifi Kieschnick    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Gladiator 293k c. January 2007
    Corpus Christi, TX
    Gladiator is slowly pushed into the submerged cargo hold of Military Sealift Command-chartered float-on/float-off ship MV Condock V. Condock V is transporting the ship from Ingleside, Texas, to Bahrain to avoid excess wear and tear on Gladiator’s engines. This is the seventh time MSC has orchestrated such a move
    Military Sealift Command photo    		 Lee Wahler
    Gladiator 410k 4 January 2007
    Souda Bay, Crete, Greece
    Gladiator sits on the deck of Condock V, a Heavy Lift Vessel contracted by Military Sealift Command (MSC), during a brief port visit while transiting the eastern Mediterranean Sea. MSC chartered Condock V after receiving a request to transport Gladiator from Texas to Bahrain. Moving the mine countermeasures ship in this manner prevents the wear and tear of an open-ocean voyage. Gladiator was loaded onto Condock V in early December in a process called "float-on," which is used for cargo too large to lift by crane
    U.S. Navy photo 070104-N-0780F-005 by Paul Farley    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Gladiator 203k 23 January 2007
    Manama, Bahrain
    Gladiator arrives in Bahrain. The ship was transported from Ingleside, Texas, aboard Condock V, a heavy lift vessel contracted by Military Sealift Command
    U.S. Navy photo 070123-N-6794Z-006    		 Bill Gonyo
    Gladiator 220k 16 April 2007
    Arabian Gulf
    An MH-53E Sea Dragon assigned to Helicopter Mine Counter Measure Squadron (HM) 15 participates in a mine sweeping exercise with Gladiator
    U.S. Navy photo 070416-N-6501M-003
    Gladiator 153k 27 August 2007
    Arabian Gulf
    Mineman 2nd Class Jonathan W. Chiles points out a simulation mine on sonar to members of the media during a tour aboard Gladiator. Which was participating in mine countermeasure exercises with the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHRESG). BHRESG was conducting Maritime Security Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area
    of responsibility
    U.S. Navy photo 070827-N-5822P-053
    Gladiator 247k 27 August 2007
    Arabian Gulf
    Steaming off the coast of Bahrain. Gladiator participated in mine countermeasure exercises with the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHRESG). BHRESG is conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. MSO help set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment and complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts in regional nations’ littoral waters. Coalition forces also conduct MSO under international maritime conventions to ensure security and safety in international waters so that commercial shipping and fishing can occur safely in the region
    U.S. Navy photo 070827-N-5822P-134
    Scout 14k c. 2007 - 2008
    Operation Iraqi Freedom    		 Richard Miller, BMCS, USNR, Ret.
    Gladiator 666k 5 September 2009
    Gladiator displays the U.S. flag as it conducts underway operations with the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group is conducting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.
    U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Steinhour    		 Bill Gonyo
    Gladiator, Ardent & Dextrous 254k 5 September 2009
    The Royal Navy fleet auxiliary dock landing ship RFA Lyme Bay (L 3007) leads a formation of ships including the mine countermeasure ships Gladiator, USS Ardent (MCM 12), USS Dextrous (MCM-13), the Royal Navy single-role minehunter HMS Grimsby (M108) and the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5) during a training exercise. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group is conducting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility
    U.S. Navy photo 090905-N-3165S-631 by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Steinhour    		 Robert Hurst
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR Christopher David Noble, USN18 September 1993 - 03 July 1995
    02LCDR Alfred Collins, Sr.,USN03 July 1995 - 12 December 1996
    03LCDR Richard Banks Landolt, USN - Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legion of Merits, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal - Retired as Rear Admiral12 December 1996 - 28 February 1997
    04LCDR David Daniel Bruhn, USN28 February 1997 - 05 December 1997
    05LCDR Jeffery Richmond Howlett, USN05 December 1997 - 17 August 1998
    06LCDR Brian Joseph Shanahan, USN17 August 1998 - 05 December 1998
    07LCDR Donald Dwight Hodge, USN05 December 1998 - 01 October 1999
    08LCDR Brian Joseph Shanahan, USN01 October 1999 - 13 January 2000
    09CDR Dominic (Dom) DeScisciolo, USN13 January 2000 - 24 August 2001
    10LCDR Everett Scott Pratt, USN24 August 2001 - 26 June 2003
    11LCDR Lyle David (Doug) Stuffle, USN26 June 2003 - 2004
    12LCDR Jeffrey Albyn Bennett, II, USN - USNA Class of 19922004
    13LCDR William Scott Switzer, USN2005
    14LCDR Paul Donald Young, USNDecember 2005 - November 2006
    15LCDR Michael Edward Hutchens, USNNovember 2006 - February 2007
    16LCDR William Scott Switzer, USNFebruary 2007 - September 2007
    17LCDR Adam McGregor Aycock, USN - USNA Class of 1994September 2007 - May 2008
    18LCDR Hans Eric Lynch, USNMay 2008 - 2009
    19LCDR Michael Frank Gesualdo, USNJanuary 2009 - November 2009
    20LCDR Benjamin R. Nicholson, USNSeptember 2010
    21LCDR Andrew D. Bucher, USN - Awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and five Navy/Marine Corps Achievement MedalsOctober 2011 - November 2011 (Crew Swerve)
    22LCDR Wayne P. Liebold, USN - Awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, five Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Army Achievement MedalNovember 2011 - 20 May 2012 (Crew Reaper)
    23LCDR Edison Clair Rush, III, USN - USMMA Class of 2002
    Awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals    		 May 2012 - September 2012 (Crew Swerve)
    24LCDR Ian James Scaliatine, USN - USNA Class of 2000
    Awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Joint Services Commendation Medal and three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals    		September 2012 (Crew Swerve)
    25LCDR Matthew Thomas Erdner, USN - Awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal20 May 2012 - January 2013 (Crew Dominant)
    26LCDR Leonard Michael Leos, USN - Awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and four Navy/Marine Corps Achievement MedalsJanuary 2013
    27LCDR Christopher J. Gilbertson, USN - Awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and six Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals2013
    28LCDR Horst Dieter Sollfrank, Jr., USN - Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal 2013 - 06 February 2014
    29LCDR Robert Myers Laird, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 2000
    Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, six Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and two Navy/Marine Corps
    Achievement Medals    		06 February 2014 - 06 October 2014 (Crew Leader)
    30LCDR Corey David Odom, USN06 October 2014 - 14 February 2015
    31LCDR Christopher Michael Causee, USN - Awarded two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals14 February 2015 - 23 March 2016
    32LCDR Francisco Xavier Garza, USN - Awarded the Bronze Star, three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and four Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals23 March 2016 - 12 April 2017
    33LCDR Roosevelt B. White, Jr., USN - Awarded two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal12 April 2017 - 11 July 2018
    34LCDR Rebecca Emily Wolf, USN - USNA Class of 2006
    Awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal    		11 July 2018 - February 2020
    35LCDR William John Golden, USN - USNA Class of 2008
    Awarded three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals    		February 2020 - March 2021
    36LCDR Ann Marie Rahall, USNMarch 2021 - 20 June 2022
    37LCDR William David Goodyear, USN - USNA Class of 201020 June 2022 - September 2024
    38LCDR Joseph Howard Minnich, USNSeptember 2024 - present
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves, Joe Radigan and Bill Gonyo
    There is no DANFS history available for Gladiator (MCM-11)
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    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo & maintained by Joseph M. Radigan & David L. Wright
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    Last Updated 20 February 2026