Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Not illustrated. Excerpt: USS Agile (AM-421/MSO-421) was an Agile-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. Agile was laid down on 22 February 1954 at Stamford, Connecticut, by the Luders Marine Construction Co. as AM-421; redesignated MSO-421 on 7 February 1955; launched on 19 November 1955; sponsored by Mrs. Alice Donohue; and commissioned at the New York Naval Shipyard on 21 June 1956, Lt. Herbert D. Mills, Jr, in command. The non-magnetic ocean minesweeper completed fitting out at New York and then sailed on 13 July for her home port, Charleston, South Carolina. She remained there for about two weeks before getting underway on 31 July for her shakedown training. Agile operated out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, between 8 August and 6 September and returned to Charleston on the 10th of the latter month. Type training and post-shakedown availability at the Charleston Naval Shipyard followed. The beginning of 1957 found her still at Charleston, but preparing to embark upon her first deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Agile began her first Atlantic Ocean crossing on 12 February 1957, transited the Strait of Gibraltar on the 26th and cruised with the U.S. 6th Fleet for three months. During that time, the ship participated in two amphibious exercises and visited several Mediterranean ports. Among her ports of call were Patras and Athens on the Greek mainland; the Greek islands of Samos, Rhodes, and Crete and Cannes, France. The crisis in Jordan in April kept her in the eastern portion of the Mediterranean for most of her first deployment. After turnover at Rhodes, Agile began the long voyage home on 25 May; and she re-entered Charleston with her di. More:
| | Agile Class Minesweepers: Uss Agile, Uss Dominant, Uss Detector, Uss Direct, Uss Dash |  | 8.41 |  |