USS YDG-5 was a degaussing vessel of the United States Navy (USN) and formerly an auxiliary minesweeper operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during World War II.

History
Australia
NameTSS Nambucca
NamesakeNambucca River
OwnerNorth Coast Steam Navigation Company
Port of registryUnited Kingdom Sydney
BuilderErnest Wright, Tuncurry, New South Wales
Launched1936
FateRequisitioned by Royal Australian Navy
Australia
NameHMAS Nambucca
Acquired7 November 1939
Commissioned10 January 1940
Decommissioned19 April 1943
FateTransferred to United States Navy
United States
NameUSS YDG-5
Acquired19 April 1943
Commissioned31 July 1944
Decommissioned8 February 1946
Honours and
awards
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
*World War II Victory Medal
FateDestroyed by fire on 8 February 1946
General characteristics
Tonnage489 gross tons
Length153 ft (47 m)
Beam35 ft 1 in (10.69 m)
Draft8 ft 7 in (2.62 m)
Installed power48 horsepower
Propulsion4-cylinder compound engine by Campbell & Calderwood, Paisley
Speed8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph)
Complement28
Armament1 × 12-pdr and 2 × 20 mm (RAN service)
4 × 20 mm (US Navy service)

She was built by Ernst Wright, Tuncurry, New South Wales and launched in 1936 for the North Coast Steam Navigation Company as the TSS Nambucca.[1] Nambucca was requisitioned by the RAN on 7 November 1939 and converted to an auxiliary minesweeper, and commissioned on 10 January 1940 as HMAS Nambucca (NB). She formed part of Minesweeping Group 50 based in Sydney, undertaking minesweeping activities around Wilsons Promontory and Cape Otway. She was transferred to the USN on 19 April 1943.

After conversion to a degaussing vessel by Evans Deakin & Company, Brisbane, she was commissioned on 31 July 1944 as USS YDG-5. She was inspected at Okinawa by USS Black Hawk in November 1945 and declared unseaworthy and declared a total loss on 30 December 1945. She was decommissioned on 7 February 1946 and was destroyed by fire on 8 February.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Lloyd's Register 1937–38" (PDF). plimsollshipdata. Retrieved 29 October 2012.

References

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  • "YDG-5". District Degaussing Vessel (YDG) Index. Retrieved 29 October 2012.