Ocean Going Minesweeper

USS IMPERVIOUS (MSO-449)

 

15 July 1954 - 12 December 1991

(Click for hi-res image)

Click on the logo for a larger image and the explanation of the symbolism

 

Welcome aboard the USS IMPERVIOUS web site.
This is the first website dedicated to the officers and crew of the USS IMPERVIOUS.

I hope you enjoy your stay and will tell others about this site.

 

                               Builder                                               Martinolich Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif. 

                               Keel Laid                                           18 November 1951

                               Launched                                          29 August 1952

                               Commissioned                                15 July 1954

                               Decommissioned                            12 December 1991

                               Stricken                                             18 March 1992

                               Homeports                                        1954-1968: Long Beach, CA

                                                                                            1968-1971: Pearl Harbor, HI

                                                                                            1971-1974: Guam

                                                                                            1974-1991: Mayport, FL

                               Ships Complement                         74 Enlisted, 6 Officers

                               Length                                                172 feet

                               Max Beam Width                             36 feet

                               Displacement                                   716 tons light

                                                                                            853 tons full load

                               Standard Armament                       One 40-mm bow gun and

                                                                                            Two .50 cal machine guns.  The 40-mm

                                                                                            was removed during a modernization in 1969

                                                                                            and replaced with a smaller 20-mm mount to

                                                                                            accommodate the new sonar winch.

                               Desert Storm Armament                Four .50 cal machine guns, two M19 chain-fed grenade 

                                                                                            launchers, one on the forecastle port side and one

                                                                                            starboard aft on the 01 level.  Both outside the 

                                                                                            pilot house and on the fantail port and starboard 

                                                                                            side were 60-mms.  On the 04 level at forward 

                                                                                            lookout and on the 02 level behind the stack

                                                                                            were Stinger missile mounts, each armed 

                                                                                            with 3 missiles (Thanks to Jim Wilson for the Desert

                                                                                            Storm information)

                               Draft                                                    13.75 Ft 

                               Maximum Speed                              14 Knots 

                               Propulsion                                        Pre-1969:Four Packard ID1700 diesel engines

                                                                                            4 cycle, 12 cylinder engines

                                                                                            Post-1969: Four Waukesha L-1616 diesel engines

                                                                                            1,140 Hp per shaft, 2 shafts, 

                                                                                            with controllable pitch propellers.

                               Cost to build                                     $3.5 million

 

Ship's History

The IMPERVIOUS was under construction by Tampa Shipbuilding Company in Tampa for service as (AM-449) during WWII, but was cancelled on June 6, 1944.  With the outbreak of the Korean War her keel was laid down on November 18 1951 at the Martinolich Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, and she was launched  on August 29th the following year.  She was commissioned on July 15th, 1954 and following shakedown and mine warfare training off the California coast, IMPERVIOUS was reclassified MSO-449 on 7 February 1955 and assigned to MINDIV 92. She sailed 1 July with her division for duty in the Far East with the 7th Fleet, arriving Sasebo via Pearl Harbor 5 August. During this deployment, she operated with ships of the Republic of Korea and Nationalist Chinese navies. Following visits to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea, IMPERVIOUS departed Yokosuka, Japan in January 1956 and arrived at her homeport of Long Beach via Midway Island and Pearl Harbor on 15 February 1956. During the next two years she operated out of Long Beach.

IMPERVIOUS sailed for her second 7th Fleet deployment 3 January 1958 with MINDIV 71 and arrived in Yokosuka, Japan via Pearl Harbor and Midway on 31 January.  During the next 5 months she took part in exercises with the Nationalist Chinese Navy and a goodwill tour of various ports in Japan, as well as Hong Kong and Manila.  She departed Yokosuka on June 20th and returned to Long Beach via Midway and Pearl Harbor on 15 July 1958.  During September 1958 IMPERVIOUS took part in a giant amphibious exercise off Camp Pendleton, Calif.

In April 1959 IMPERVIOUS interrupted her regular training schedule to take part in a joint mine warfare exercise with Canadian ships, and spent the rest of the year on training exercises in California waters. On 3 May,1960 the ship departed Long Beach with MINDIV 71 and arrived in Yokosuka via Pearl Harbor and Midway on 1 June.  During the following five months she participated in exercises with the Chinese, Korean and Philippine navies.  Port visits included Hong Kong and Japan.   She sailed 10 October via Guam and Pearl Harbor to Long Beach, arriving 16 November.

Ship's History Continued . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated on 04/09/2008by Steve Metzler