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{{short description|Minesweeper of the United States Navy}}
{{other ships|USS Turkey}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= Turkey (Minesweeper No. 13).jpg
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag= {{USN flag|1946}}
|Ship name= USS ''Turkey''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder= Chester Shipbuilding, [[Chester, Pennsylvania]]
|Ship laid down= 19 August 1917 
|Ship launched= 30 April 1918, as Minesweeper No.13
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= 13 December 1918 
|Ship decommissioned= 6 November 1945  
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck= 28 November 1945
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=*AM-13, 17 July 1920
*AT-143, 1 June 1942
*ATO-143, 15 May 1944
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours= 1 [[battle star]] (World War II)
|Ship fate= Sold for scrap, 30 December 1946
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class= {{sclass|Lapwing|minesweeper}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|840|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}  
|Ship length={{convert|187|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam={{convert|35|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|8|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship propulsion=  
|Ship speed={{convert|14|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range= 
|Ship complement=85
|Ship armament=2 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}}]] guns
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Turkey'' (AM-13)''' was a {{sclass|Lapwing|minesweeper}} the [[United States Navy]], thus named after the bird, not after the country which in 1917 was an enemy in the ongoing World War I. The minesweeper was acquired by for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

''Turkey'' (Minesweeper No. 13) was laid down on 19 August 1917 at [[Chester, Pennsylvania]], by the [[Chester Shipbuilding]] Co.; launched on 30 April 1918; sponsored by Mrs. W. T. Smith; and commissioned on 13 December 1918.

== Clearance of World War I mines ==
Although completed too late to see service during [[World War I]], ''Turkey'' took part in the gigantic operation to clear the mine barrage which had been laid in the [[North Sea]] during this conflict. This system of [[minefields]] constituted a formidable obstacle to the resumption of trade in the aftermath of the war. After steaming across the Atlantic Ocean, the new minesweeper arrived at [[Kirkwall]], Scotland, on 20 April 1919 and joined the American forces massing there to begin clearing the shipping lanes between Scotland and Norway.

=== ''Turkey'' strikes a mine ===
Soon thereafter, ''Turkey'' got underway for mine-sweeping operations in the North Sea. During her second operation (which ran from 8 to 29 May), a mine exploded directly beneath ''Turkey'' on 16 May. The disabled minesweeper crept to [[Lyness]], at [[Scapa Flow]], where she was [[drydock]]ed for repairs.
 
Her damage was corrected in time for ''Turkey'' to take part in the project's fifth operation, commencing on 22 July. Eight days later, the minesweeper suffered a condenser failure. After receiving a cannibalized unit from the disabled {{USS|Pelican|AM-27|6}}, she resumed operations in mid-August.
 
Fair weather conditions, unusual for the North Sea, enabled the ships to make excellent progress. While thus engaged, ''Turkey'' fouled a mine in her sweep gear; and it exploded close aboard, causing minor damage. However, the ship effected quick repairs at sea and continued operations without missing the proverbial step. By 16 August, ''Turkey''{{'}}s group had swept a record 1,373 mines.

=== ''Oriole'' damaged by a mine ===
Deteriorating weather conditions, however, hampered the clearing of group 13, in an operation begun on 5 September. After delaying putting to sea due to heavy fog, the ships got underway to carry out their assignment but seemed dogged with misfortune and bad luck from the beginning. {{USS|Oriole|AM-7|6}} snared a mine which exploded in one of her "kites", damaging both kite and ship and forcing her to limp home. {{USS|Swan|AM-34|6}} closed ''Turkey'' to obtain more sweep wire to replace her depleted stock, but the capricious sea slammed the two ships together, forcing USS ''Swan'' out of action and back to port for repairs.

=== Completion of North Sea mine clearance ===
By November 1919, the colossal job of sweeping the barrage had been completed. On 25 November, ''Turkey'' and her 34 sister ships received orders detaching them from duty in the North Sea. Taking on fuel at [[Brest, France|Brest]], France, ''Turkey'' departed European waters but soon ran into bad weather off the [[Azores]]. Bucking heavy seas and high winds, the ship used a large amount of her fuel and exhausted it completely, long before she reached [[Bermuda]]. [[Destroyer tender]] {{USS|Panther|AD-6|6}} passed a towline to the minesweeper and eventually brought her to Bermuda.

== Assignment to the Pacific Fleet ==
Following her return to the United States, ''Turkey'' began operating out of New York in the waters of the [[3rd Naval District]]. On 17 July 1920, the minesweeper was designated AM-13 when the U.S. Navy adopted its modern alphanumeric system of hull numbers. In 1921, the ship shifted to the Pacific Ocean to join the Pacific Fleet Train. Based at [[Pearl Harbor]], she operated as part of [[Mine Division]] 4 and Mine Division 6 until decommissioned there on 12 April 1922.
 
After 15 years in reserve, ''Turkey'' returned to the [[West Coast of the United States]] in September 1937 and was fitted out at the [[Mare Island Navy Yard]], [[Vallejo, California]]. Recommissioned there on 15 August 1938, ''Turkey'' subsequently operated out of [[San Pedro, Los Angeles]], through 1939.
 
As the Fleet shifted to Pearl Harbor in late 1939 and early 1940, ''Turkey'' followed and operated out of Pearl Harbor into 1941. On 7 December of that year, she lay moored in a nest of her sister ships at the Coal Docks at Pearl Harbor, when [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] planes launched a surprise attack on the unsuspecting [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]].

== Japanese planes attack Pearl Harbor ==
A [[United States Navy Reserve|Naval Reserve]] ensign, who had experienced only six months of sea duty, led the ship's defense until her [[commanding officer]] could return to the ship. The crew tumbled to [[battle stations]] at the sound of the [[general quarters]] alarm and quickly manned the main battery of two 3-inch guns. In addition, two [[Lewis guns]] atop the tall pilot house went into action. A number of riflemen armed with [[M1903 Springfield|Springfield 1903 bolt-action rifles]] roamed the decks looking for good vantage points from which to fire at the attacking planes. Twenty minutes after the raid began, ''Turkey'' backed clear of the next ship to improve her field of fire and continued the fight.
 
When all Japanese planes had departed the area, ''Turkey'' and her sister ships labored to salvage the critically damaged [[battleships]] which were partially sunk in the mud and oily waters off [[Ford Island]]. ''Turkey'' remained engaged in these operations until 1 April 1942, when she departed Pearl Harbor for [[Samoa]]n waters.

=== Pacific Theatre operations ===
Relieving {{USS|Kingfisher|AM-25|6}} as station ship at Samoa, ''Turkey'' operated in Samoan waters through the end of the year and into 1943. She conducted [[Minesweeper|minesweeping]] patrols, provided local escort services, and towed targets for the [[United States Marines]] shore batteries on Samoa. On 1 June 1942, she was reclassified as an ocean-going [[Tugboat|tug]] and given the designation AT-143. She also supported [[Marine Raiders|Marine raider]] landing exercises.

=== Discovering castaways ===
On 14 April 1943, ''Turkey'' visited [[Bowditch Island]] on an inspection and discovered two [[castaway]]s who had been there for nearly a month. The two had been treated well by the local populace and were in good shape. After receiving repairs from 21 to 30 April, the minesweeper became station ship at [[Tutuila]]. She returned to Pearl Harbor in June and thence proceeded to the U.S. West Coast and a major overhaul at [[Mare Island]], California. Following trials off the west coast, she headed for Hawaii and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 20 October.
 
Operating out of the Fleet's Hawaiian base, ''Turkey'' towed targets for naval aircraft and recovered practice [[torpedo]]es through January 1944. Operating as a unit of [[Service Squadron]] 6, she conducted these activities through late February, after which she underwent more repair work at Pearl Harbor from 1 March to 24 April.
 
Following post-repair trials and practice torpedo-recovery operations in Hawaiian waters, she headed for the [[Marshall Islands|Marshalls]] on 10 May 1944 – in company with {{USS|Preserver|ARS-8|6}} and towing barges ''YOGL-7'' and ''YW-68'' – and arrived at [[Majuro]] on 25 May. Five days later, ''Turkey'' headed for [[Kwajalein]] with ''YF-412'' and ''YF-383'' in tow and in company with ''ATR-46'', making port there on 1 June. Upon delivering her tows, she proceeded back to Majuro. Meanwhile, on 15 May 1944, she had been reclassified as an old ocean tug and redesignated ATO-143.

=== Providing ammunition for the larger ships ===
On 4 June, she commenced [[ammunition]] replenishment operations at that base for [[cruiser]]s {{USS|Santa Fe|CL-60|6}}, {{USS|Biloxi|CL-80|6}}, and {{USS|Mobile|CL-63|6}}. For the remainder of the summer, ''Turkey'' operated in the Marshalls, towing small [[barge]]s between Majuro, Kwajalein, and [[Eniwetok]], undergoing a brief overhaul alongside {{USS|Ajax|AR-6|6}} at Majuro from 29 August to 2 September and conducting harbor operations. Then, on 5 October, she headed for [[Ulithi]].
 
After harbor duty there, she sailed for [[Ngulu Atoll]] on 17 October to assist in salvage operations for {{USS|Montgomery|DD-121|6}}, which had been damaged by a mine explosion earlier that day. She returned to Ulithi on the 23rd and, four days later, assisted the torpedo-damaged {{USS|Houston|CL-81|6}} into the harbor after the cruiser had been struck off [[Taiwan|Formosa]] by a Japanese aircraft-launched torpedo.

=== Sinking of ''Mississinewa'' ===
While ''Turkey'' was towing ''YOG-21'' alongside {{USS|Essex|CV-9|6}}, the minesweeper's [[foremast]] caught in one of the carrier's [[flight deck]] radio antenna braces and was broken in three places. On 21 November, ''Turkey'' went to the assistance of the tanker {{USS|Mississinewa|AO-59|6}} which had been struck by a Japanese manned torpedo. The minesweeper closed to help put out the fires. Despite valiant firefighting efforts, the oiler rolled over and sank some three hours later, the war's first victim of Japan's ''[[kaiten]]''.
 
Following a short overhaul period at Ulithi in December 1944, ''Turkey'' commenced assisting in fueling operations of Fleet carriers there early in January 1945; and, but for a brief drydock period from 9 to 13 January, she continued the task through the end of the month.

=== Iwo Jima operations===
In early February, she assisted in preparations for the [[Iwo Jima]] landings before proceeding, via [[Kossol Roads]] in the [[Palau]]s, to [[San Pedro Bay (Philippines)|San Pedro Bay]], off [[Leyte]]. ''Turkey'' then continued operations as part of the [[Service Squadron, South Pacific Forces]], in harbor activities at Ulithi in March through May 1945. After getting underway again for Leyte on 7 May, she served as a retriever for a tow [[convoy]], keeping a lookout for [[barges]] and other craft which might slip their tows en route. Arriving in San Pedro Bay on 13 May, she commenced harbor operations and continued them until 7 June, when she began 10 days of upkeep alongside {{USS|Prometheus|AR-3|6}}.

=== End-of-war activity ===
She operated between Leyte and Ulithi through the end of hostilities in mid-August before stopping at Kwajalein on the 24th. On 30 August, she got underway for Hawaii and reached Pearl Harbor on 11 September. From there, she proceeded to San Francisco.

== Decommissioning ==
''Turkey'' was decommissioned on 6 November 1945; struck from the [[Navy list]] on 28 November 1945; and sold and delivered to the Hawley Forge and Manufacturing Co., of San Francisco on 30 December 1946.

== Awards ==
''Turkey'' received one [[battle star]] for her [[World War II]] service.
 
== References ==
{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/turkey-i.html}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/research/archives/digitized-collections/action-reports/wwii-pearl-harbor-attack/ships-s-z/uss-turkey-am-13-action-report.html USS ''Turkey'', Report of Pearl Harbor Attack]
* {{navsource|11/02013|USS Turkey (AM-13/AT-143/ATO-143)}} 
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5170.html uboat.net – USS ''Turkey'' (AM 13)]

{{Lapwing class minesweeper}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turkey (AM-13)}}
[[Category:Lapwing-class minesweepers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Chester, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1918 ships]]
[[Category:World War I minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II minesweepers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships present during the attack on Pearl Harbor]]
[[Category:Lapwing-class minesweepers converted to tugs]]

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