USS Barricade (ACM-3)

Career
Name:	USS Barricade (ACM-3)
Builder:	Marietta Manufacturing Company, Point Pleasant, West Virginia
Laid down:	as USAMP Colonel John Storey for the U.S. Army, 1942
Acquired:	7 April 1944
Commissioned:	7 April 1944
Decommissioned:	28 June 1946
Struck:	19 July 1946
Honours and awards:	1 battle star
Fate:	Transferred to the Coast Guard, 28 June 1946, commissioned CGC Magnolia 19 October 1947, decommissioned 13 August 1971. Sold commercial
Status:	Burned and sank as fishing vessel Galaxy 2 October 2002
General characteristics
Class and type:	Chimo-class minelayer
Displacement:	1,320 long tons (1,341 t) full
Length:	188 ft 2 in (57.35 m)
Beam:	37 ft (11 m)
Draft:	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Propulsion:	Skinner Engine Company reciprocating steam engine; 2 Combustion Engineering boilers; 1,200 SHP; twin propellers.
Speed:	12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)
Complement:	69
Armament:	1 × 40 mm gun

USS Barricade (ACM-3) was a Chimo-class minelayer in the United States Navy during World War II.

Laid down as the U.S. Army mine planter USAMP Colonel John Storey built in 1942 at Point Pleasant, West Virginia, by the Marietta Manufacturing Co. She was acquired by the Navy on 7 April 1944, renamed Barricade, and commissioned the same day, Lt. Charles P. Haber in command. The ship was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard and commissioned as USCGC Magnolia (WAGL / WLB-328) serving until 1971. She then was sold and operated by Alaskan fishing interests until lost by fire, explosion and sinking in 2002 with loss of two lives.

U.S. Navy Service history

World War II Invasion of Europe

Following her commissioning, the former army mine planter was converted to an auxiliary minelayer by the Norfolk Navy Yard and was ready to begin her new role by 29 April. Barricade departed the United States on 14 May and arrived at Bizerte, Tunisia, where preparations for the invasion of southern France were moving forward. Between June 1944 and the war's end in May 1945, the minelayer served at Salerno, Naples, Toulon, Oran, Palermo, Golfe Juan, Cannes, Sardinia, and Anzio.

Pacific Theatre operations

Returning stateside on 23 June, Barricade underwent overhaul in Jacksonville, Florida, from 26 June to 10 August. She was then reassigned to the Pacific Fleet; and, despite the Pacific War's end in mid August, she loaded supplies and departed Norfolk on 27 August. Barricade transited the Panama Canal on 2 September and reported for duty on the 4th. From her base at San Diego, California, she worked along the California coast in peacetime operations.

Decommissioning

She was decommissioned and transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard on 28 June 1946. For that service, she served on weather patrols and helped to maintain aids to navigation. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 19 July 1946.

U.S. Coast Guard

Commissioned as USCG Magnolia (WAGL/WLB 328) 19 October 1947 assigned to San Francisco and then transferred to Astoria, Oregon on 1 September 1965. The ship's primary mission was tending aids to navigation with search and rescue and law enforcement duty as required. Magnolia was decommissioned on 13 August 1971 and sold.

Commercial

By 1976 the ship was in Alaska as a salmon and crab processing vessel for Dutch Harbor Seafoods then sold to Galaxy Fisheries for use as a freezer longliner with the name Galaxy. A fire and explosion, followed by sinking, occurred on 2 October 2002 with two of her crew lost.

Awards

Barricade earned one battle star for her World War II service.

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

See also

• List of United States Navy ships
• Mine Planter Service (U.S. Army)

External links

• Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
• Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 ACM-3 USS Barricade
• NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - ex-USS Barricade (ACM 3) - ex-Colonel John Storey