Now available!
Wooden Ships and Iron Men: The U.S. Navy's Coastal and Motor Minesweepers, 1941–1953

 

Possessing insufficient minesweepers to protect U.S. harbors and bays as the threat of war in Europe spread, in the winter of 1939-40 the Navy began purchasing fishing vessels and modifying them to combat mines. One of them, Condor (AMc-14), first sighted the Japanese Type-A midget submarine that destroyer Ward (DD-139) sank on December 7, 1941 with the first shots fired by American forces during World War II. She would be one of six coastal minesweepers to receive a battle star. From boat- and shipyards across America came the largest production run of any World War II warship, 561 scrappy little 136-foot wooden-hulled vessels characterized by Arnold Lott in Most Dangerous Sea as "belligerent-looking yachts wearing grey paint." Although their designers envisioned that they would operate primarily in the vicinity of yards or bases, the YMSs (too numerous to be given names) would see action in every theater of war, earning almost 700 battle stars, 21 Presidential Unit Citations, and 15 Navy Unit Commendations. YMSs were present in the North African campaign, in Sicily, at Anzio, Salerno, and elsewhere in Italy, and swept ahead of invasion forces at Normandy and in Southern France. In the Pacific, they operated in the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, Solomons, Treasury Island, Gilbert Islands, New Britain, Admiralty Islands, Guam, Palau, Leyte, Luzon, Manila Bay, Iwo Jima, Southern Philippines, Okinawa, and Borneo.

Following the war, they cleared mines from the East China Sea, Yangtze River approaches, and throughout Japanese waters, and their activities gave rise to the proud slogan of the mine force: "Where the Fleet Goes, We've Been." During the Korean War, a mere 16 auxiliary motor minesweepers (former YMSs) performed the bulk of mine clearance, often while inside the range of enemy coastal artillery, necessary for larger naval vessels to close the coast to support operations ashore. Garnering collectively 124 battle stars, 7 Presidential Unit Citations, and 7 Navy Unit Commendations, the men aboard these ships were then, and remain to date, the most highly decorated crews of minesweepers in the history of the U.S Navy.

Cover painting by Richard DeRossett (view entire painting)
Click here for an expanded view of "Moonlit Assault in the Aegean" by Richard DeRossett, depicting the Luftwaffe attack in 1943 on British Yard Minesweeper 72. This air attack and capture of BYMS-72 by German naval forces is the subject of one chapter of the book.



Praise for Wooden Ships and Iron Men: The U.S. Navy's Coastal and Motor Minesweepers, 1941–1953

I much enjoyed reading your book and found it a fine mixture of well-researched fact, easily read narrative, vivid personal accounts and useful data. It is well written and extremely enjoyable to read with handy diagrams and other illustrations where necessary. Above all, it describes with obvious care the hardships, bravery, forbearance and determination of ordinary men who performed such extraordinary feats in these minor war vessels all over the world, work that’s still underestimated in value and given scant regard by people in general. Your book will also provide me with a fruitful source of information to help answer all the queries generated by my website, as well as several others to which I contribute. Thank goodness you have included such a comprehensive index.

Lt Cdr R J Hoole MBA MCMI MIExpE MNI RN
Vice Chairman & Webmaster
Minewarfare & Clearance Diving Officers’ Association
www.mcdoa.org.uk

Wooden Ships and Iron Men really took me back to my days aboard USS Firecrest (AMS-10) off the coast of Korea from 1951-53. More than that, it answered the many questions I pondered during my minesweeping days. Why were there so few of us? Where had Firecrest and the others served before I became ship's company? Most of all, what was the big picture at the time I served. As a helmsman, my view was dead ahead and port/starboard. Your book is not only a great read, but it has given me the big picture I lacked at the time. Thanks for a great trip down memory lane!

William "Andy" Anderson
Fair Oaks, California

    
  

From 1953 to 1994, sixty-five U.S. Navy ocean minesweepers (MSOs) swept mines; searched the seafloor for downed aircraft, sunken ships, and lost munitions; “showed the flag” throughout the world, even sailing up the Congo and Mekong Rivers, calling at dozens of the world's seaports; and carried out patrols and special tasks off strife-torn or hostile countries. Some participated in the 1962 nuclear test program in the Pacific and in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. Others, as part of a U.S. armada of military and civilian research ships at Palomares, located a nuclear bomb lost on the seafloor off Spain as a result of a midair collision between two U.S. Air Force aircraft. Iron men in wooden ships were with the Fleet in hotspots around the world, including Lebanon and the Quemoy-Matsu islands of Taiwan in 1958; the Dominican Republic in 1961 and 1965; and the Cuban Missile Crisis and Haiti in 1962.

During the Vietnam War, minesweepers participated in Operation MARKET TIME to prevent the infiltration of North Vietnamese soldiers and munitions into South Vietnam. Leader received the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in Operation SEA LORDS; Endurance engaged in close gun action with and helped destroy an enemy armed trawler in a sea battle; and MSOs cleared mines in Haiphong Harbor,

which aided in the negotiations in progress for the return of U.S. prisoners of war. During the twilight of their service in the late 1980s and early 1990s, aging sweeps cleared Iranian- and Iraqi-laid mines in the Persian Gulf.

Cover painting by Richard DeRossett (view entire painting)


Praise for Wooden Ships and Iron Men: The U.S. Navy's Ocean Minesweepers, 1953–1994

Wooden Ships and Iron Men is a fitting tribute to the ocean minesweepers and Sailors who crewed them during a critical time in the U.S. Navy’s modern history. While enduring all the hardships common to life at sea in small vessels, these men contributed significantly to the Navy’s successful operations, from 1953 to 1994, in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, off the coast of Vietnam, and in the volatile Persian Gulf. This work is a must read.
We are truly impressed with the depth of your research on an important, but often overlooked, aspect of the U.S. Navy's Cold War and post–Cold War operations. I plan to spread the word on this important work to my colleagues here at the Center, who I'm sure will find it a useful resource in their own work. As Project Director of our forthcoming Cold War Gallery [for the National Museum of the United States Navy], I can say that it will be at my elbow as I work to develop the exhibition.
Edward J. Marolda
Senior Historian
Naval Historical Center
Washington, D.C.
Cdr. Bruhn’s history of the Ocean Minesweeper will delight all those who served in and worked with these fine wooden ships. It will also provide much interesting detail on their employment to anyone concerned with the U.S. Navy’s mine countermeasures efforts between the Korean War and DESERT STORM. Bruhn reviews many of the ongoing issues and competing priorities that have crippled this important warfare area. Wooden Ships and Iron Men is a real walk down memory lane for a former MSO Commanding Officer and Mine Group Commander. Worth the read!
Captain David J. Grieve, USN (Ret.)
Commander U.S. Mine Countermeasures Force 1990–1991
Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM (“Persian Gulf War”)
Reading Dave Bruhn’s important book on mine warfare, I was delighted to return to sea on an MSO without the usual seasickness caused by its endless corkscrewing and the nausea induced by stack gas blowing into the bridge on a following wind. I could actually walk a deck without leaving heel prints three feet up a bulkhead! Thank you, David, for returning me to the days of my youth and callow innocence.
Mike Goss, Former Lt., USN

My son gave me a copy of your book for Christmas. Thanks so much for writing it! Upon completion of Radioman “A” School in the Spring of 1963 I served aboard Aggressive (MSO-422) for about two months before being transferred to Agile (MSO-421) for the next two plus years. I reported aboard Agile as a RMSN and departed as a RM2 and leading radioman. I subsequently changed my rate to CT and never saw sea duty again, so the memories of my time with MINDIV 83 out of Charleston are precious to me. It was great to read about the history of the “Sweeps” during my time of service, but very enlightening to read about their history both before and after as well. . . . Again, thanks for a great read!
CTRC Sam Kemp, USN (Ret)

As the Operations Officer aboard USS Woodpecker (MSC-209) from 1966-67, I thoroughly enjoyed Wooden Ships and Iron Men. I appreciate and agree with your candid assessment of the Navy's employment of minesweepers and the shortfalls in their capabilities. I also found your criticism of the administration of the Naval Reserve on target. As a reserve unit commander, I found the TARs obstacles rather than facilitators.
James McClure
Captain, USNR (Ret.)

As the Deck, Gunnery and Mine Countermeasures Officer on USS Firm (MSO-444) from May 1967 to Jan 1969, and as the Staff Operations Officer in 1969 for MINDIV 71 while it was in ROH status at Pearl Harbor, I found your account of the Ocean Minesweepers accurate and compelling. It not only filled in gaps in my memory, but it also fleshed out the partial knowledge I had at the time of the actions I participated in.
In the nearly 40 years since I was discharged, I don't recall ever seeing any recognition of the sailors who served on MSO's or discussion of the ship type and its unique characteristics. I was particularly fascinated by the discussion of replacement vessels and new techniques for sweeping mines that have developed in subsequent years—or the lack thereof. Perhaps if some of your suggestions for reinventing mine warfare were adopted, the mine force would finally receive adequate funding and modernization.
Thanks for a great book!
Don Cook


The first American book on shipboard engineering in nearly twenty years, this useful reference offers a guiding philosophy to new, experienced, and prospective engineers. Focusing on the art of the engineer rather than the doctrine and regulations that govern the technical side of the billet, it helps engineers become more effective at their jobs. Assuming that readers already possess basic knowledge of engineering principles and practices, the author sets forth a coherent blueprint to achieve and maintain the level of readiness necessary to support sustained operations at sea.

Ready to Answer All Bells guides the reader through all of the challenges an engineer officer will encounter, from taking over the department, through an overhaul, to the various evolutions and assessment processes that confirm readiness to deploy to faraway regions of the world. This book strikes a balance between current fleet conventions and engineering practices that have withstood the test of time. Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine engineering officers and Navy surface and submarine warfare officers will all benefit from heeding its advice, which until now could only be learned through experience.