Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin Leitner | 200817-N-OA516-1149 NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck,...... read more read more
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USS Ardent Decommissions
USS Ardent Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO -- Mine countermeasures ship USS Ardent (MCM 12), recognized more than 26 years of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, Aug. 20.
Due to public health safety and restrictions of large public events related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, plankowners and former crew members of the Avenger-class ship virtually celebrated its distinguished history
Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Three, Rear Adm. Philip E. Sobek, Ardent’s guest speaker, thanked the crews for their work.
“It was an honor to be with you today as we close this chapter in naval history,” said Sobeck. It was a distinct privilege to work alongside some of the finest mine-countermeasure Sailors in our Navy.”
Sobeck, who had previously command the Ardent remarked, “Those Sailors, and all who have manned these rails, truly lived up to the ship’s motto – “Igneus et Fervens” (fiery and fervent), which represents the irrepressible character and fighting spirit of the crew.”
Commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Samuel Moffett, the ship maintained a crew of eight officers and 76 enlisted Sailors.
“Today is an end of an era, but also a happy day, for those Iron Men and Women that brought this Wooden Ship to life and proudly represented what it means to be a U.S. Navy Sailor,” said Moffett.
The first Ardent (SP-680) was built as a commercial fishing steamer by the Greenport Basin and Construction Company at Greenport on Long Island, New York, in 1902. The U.S. Navy purchased her on June 11, 1917 to be used as a section patrol boat and minesweeper during World War I. She was commissioned on Aug. 15, 1917 as USS Ardent with LT F. P. Betts in command. Ardent was assigned to the Mining Force of the 2nd Naval District in southern New England and conducted patrol and minesweeping duties in the Newport and Block Island sections throughout World War I. She was decommissioned in early 1921.
The second Ardent (AM-340) was an Auk-class minesweeper in the United States Navy. Ardent was initially laid down as the HMS Buffalo (BAM-8) for the Royal Navy on Feb. 20, 1943 at Alameda California by the General Engineering & Drydock Co. but was reassigned to the United States Navy. Ardent was commissioned May 25, 1944 with LCDR Allan D. Curtis in command. During the first seven months of her career, Ardent escorted convoys and ships operating between the west coast of the United States and the Hawaiian Islands. The highlight of her service occurred on Nov. 13, 1944 when she sunk the Japanese submarine I-12. During her second deployment Ardent saw action in minesweeping operations and downed several Japanese aircraft. Ardent was decommissioned July 1, 1972 and was subsequently sold to the Mexican government.
Ardent (MCM 12), the third ship to bear the name, had her keel laid down on Oct. 22, 1990, launched on Nov. 16, 1991, and subsequently commissioned Feb. 18, 1994. Her maiden voyage from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin commenced on Oct. 30, 1993, and included a unique transit though the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. The trip was punctuated by the arrival of Ardent to her homeport of Ingleside, Texas on Dec. 15, 1993. From 1995 to 2014 Ardent was forward deployed to the Arabian Gulf, working from Manama, Bahrain. She participated anti-mine, anti-submarine and maritime security operations independently and in cooperation with multi-national partners. Ardent’s missions included continuously surveying shipping lanes, ship’s safe passage corridors (Q-routes) and provided a constant presence to discourage any hostile actions in the area. Continuing in the spirit of her tenured career in the Gulf, once stateside again, Ardent continued her anti-mine operations while continuing to be ambassador of the Navy to our neighbors Mexico and Canada. She will officially decommission Aug. 27th.
For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnsp/, www.dvidshub.net/unit/COMNAVSURFPAC, and www.public.navy.mil/surfor/.
For more about LCSRON1, visit www.dvidshub.net/unit/C-LCSSO.
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2020 13:40 |
| Story ID: | 376386 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 399 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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