Uss Heron Ams-18: A Korean War Naval Adventure

By Bert Millspaugh

This Korean War Naval Adventure is based on the experiences of Albert Bert Millspaugh during the Korean Conflict and his service on the minesweeper USS Heron, AMS-18, from August 1952 through August 1953. Bert was discharged from the U.S. Navy as Petty Officer Second Class, Electronic Technician (ET2), in December 1954 after serving four years in the service.

Bert joined the USS Heron after completing nine months training as an Electronic Technician, ET, at the Naval Training School on Treasure Island, California. Beyond his duties as an ET repairing the ancient radar, sonar, radios, and other electronic equipment, he soon learned to steer the ship using the ships compass, to operate the radar during mine sweeping, and navigation on some of his four-hour night watches.

The book covers the mine sweeping operation of a small wooden ship under the fire of North Korean guns, the explosion of nearby mines, and secret night time excursions.

It includes the good times on the ship as well as the difficult and dangerous times. He once led the ship out of a wild typhoon using the ships radar and Loran navigation systems. It provides a brief history of the Korean Conflict, the names of minesweepers sunk during the war and the number of service men who died as the result, and the relation of the USS Heron with other naval ships.

It concludes with the demise of the USS Heron, AMS-18 and the rise of a new minesweeper also named USS Heron.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491815649

Bert Millspaugh

Bert Millspaugh has been a successful writer for over 45 years. He has written numerous outdoor and travel articles for regional and national magazines and is the author of two novels, The Deadly Seeker, Humanoid from the Planet Venus, and The Mystical Vortex, Gateway to another Dimension. He is an accomplished photographer with scenic photos presented in his travel articles. Mr. Millspaugh has a B. A. degree in Technical Communications from a California University. Born in the woods in the State of Idaho, he lived and worked in the logging industry, farming community, and ranch country before military service. Mr. Millspaugh served four years in the U. S. Navy during the Korean War as Petty Officer Electronics. Following the war, he worked 35 years for Douglas Aircraft and Northrop Corporation as an engineering administrator on contracts with the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force. He was a range master for a local gun club and awarded several proficiency medals by the National Rifle Association. He led Scouting expeditions to the summits of several mountains including Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in continental USA. During that time, he spent many weekends with his wife and family in the desert and mountains of California, Nevada, and Arizona researching and photographing for his articles. The Deadly Seeker Returns takes place in Orange County California where Mr. Millspaugh hiked through the hills and canyons and along the Santa Ana River in his research for the novel. Mr. Millspaugh's Naval service, his work with the military, and his knowledge of the outdoors aided in the writing of this novel. Following retirement, he traveled the United States with his wife, Barbara, in their motorhome. Presently, he is writing a fourth novel on his military experience with a minesweeper squadron during the Korean War.

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© 2013 by Bert Millspaugh. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/19/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-1565-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-1564-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013916618

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Dedication

About the Author

Preface

Chapter 1.     First Blood

Chapter 2.     The USS Heron AMS-18

Chapter 3.     The Korean Conflict

Chapter 4.     Life on Sweeper Not Easy

Chapter 5.     Off Coast of North Korea

Chapter 6.     Radar Down

Chapter 7.     Minesweeping

Chapter 8.     Minesweeping can be Deadly

Chapter 9.     The USS Thompson

Chapter 10.   Inland Sea to Drydock

Chapter 11.   Typhoon

Chapter 12.   Interesting Events

Beer Party Bust

Night Patrol

Chapter 13.   Operation Decoy

Chapter 14.   Demise of the USS Heron AMS-18

Chapter 15.   The New USS Heron

Chapter 16.   Epilogue

Dedication

I dedicate this novel to my wife, Barbara Ann Millspaugh, who shared part of my Navy experience following out marriage in June of 1954. She always met me at the pier when the ship came into port and even cooked a spaghetti and pizza meal for the crew on one of my duty days aboard the USS Gladiator.

I also dedicate this book to my seven children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren who have all been an inspiration in my life.

And I further dedicate it to the members of the US Armed Service, the members of the US Navy, especially to the ones who served and died aboard the little wooden minesweepers.

I am also thankful for the help in the preparation if this book especially my daughter, Lori Thompson, for her excellent graphics support, and photos of Dick Beardsley, Minesweeper Radarman, Wayne Schafer, Officer on the USS Heron, and Burl Gilliland, Officer on the USS Heron. Finally, thanks for the inspirational words of George Thompson, one of the Captains on the USS Heron.

About the Author

This book is based on the experiences of Albert Bert Millspaugh during the Korean War and his service on the minesweeper USS Heron AMS-18 from August 1952 through August 1953. Bert was discharged from the U.S. Navy as Petty Officer Second Class, Electronic Technician (ET2), in December 1954 after serving four years in the service.

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Just Out of Basic Training

Bert Millspaugh has been a successful writer for over 45 years. He has written numerous outdoor and travel articles for regional and national magazines and is the author of three novels, The Deadly Seeker, Humanoid from the Planet Venus; The Mystical Vortex, Gateway to another Dimension; and The Deadly Seeker Returns, Humanoid from the Planet Venus. He is an accomplished photographer with scenic photos presented in his travel articles. Mr. Millspaugh has a B. A. degree in Technical Communications from a California University. Born in the woods in the State of Idaho, he lived and worked in the logging industry, farming community, and ranch country before military service.

Mr. Millspaugh served four years in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War as Petty Officer Electronics. Following the war, he worked 35 years for Douglas Aircraft and Northrop Corporation as an engineering administrator on contracts with the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force. He was a range master for a local gun club and awarded several proficiency medals by the National Rifle Association. He led scouting expeditions to the summits of several mountains including Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in continental USA. During that time, he spent many weekends with his wife and family in the desert and mountains of California, Nevada, and Arizona researching and photographing for his articles. After retirement, he traveled the United States with his wife, Barbara, in their motorhome.

Mr. Millspaugh’s naval service, his hands on experience with a minesweeper squadron during the Korean War, his work with the military, and his knowledge of the outdoors aided in the writing of this book.

Preface

In destroyers, you avoid mines. Ships like the USS Heron now standing toward us hunt them. These tough unheralded mine sweep boys are in a class all by themselves. Theirs is

Reviews for Uss Heron Ams-18

[angela · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love the utter truth and reality that Mr. Millspaugh reveals through his experience as a minesweeper in the US Navy. There aren't enough stories about minesweepers and yet, the Korean War could not have even begun without them! Thank you for allowing us to glance into your past, which is also our past as American citizens, as well as the worlds. To a better world - healthy, free and prosperous! Hooyah!