USS Reaper History

The second Reaper (MSO-467) was laid down 15 May 1952 by Wilmington Boat Works, Wilmington, Calif.; launched 25 June 1954, sponsored by Mrs. John A. Snackenherg; and commissioned 10 November 1954, Lt. Clayton L. Robertson in command.

After shakedown, Reaper sailed for the western Pacific 1 May 1956. Departing Sasebo, Japan, she participated in training exercises at Taiwan with the Republic of China, and helped to search for a P4M aircraft shot down by Communist China. Arriving at Long Beach, Calif., 15 November, she trained off California in 1957 and early 1958. Deployed to the western Pacific 3 November 1958, she visited Sasebo Japan; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Chinhae, Korea; Sattahip, Thailand; Subic Bay, Philippines; and Buckner Bay, Okinawa, before arriving at Long Beach 31 May 1959.

During an amphibious exercise in November 1959 she operated out of Kodiak, Alaska, with Canadian minesweepers. After training in 1960, she deployed to the western Pacific 4 January 1961, and participated in separate exercises with the Philippine Navy, and the Nationalist Chinese Navy, before arriving via Japan at Long Beach 17 July. Departing Long Beach 16 November 1962 for western Pacific deployment, she joined exercise in the Philippines and Taiwan, including a SEATO exercise off Manila Bay, Luton, before returning to Long Beach 22 June 1963.

After exercises off California, she remained active with the Pacific Fleet in 1964 and 1965.

Sailing for the western Pacific 21 September 1966, she participated in "Market Time" patrol duty off Vietnam during November and December, and in February and March 1967, before reaching Long Beach 27 July. Deployed to the western Pacific again in April l968, she patrolled off Vietnam and visited Chinhae, Korea; and Sattahip Thailand, arriving Long Beach 3 December. Deployed to the western Pacific in 1969, she remained active with the Pacific Fleet until 2 May 1970 when she returned to the west coast. Upon her return, she was assigned duty as a Naval Reserve Training ship and remained so engaged until being decommissioned 22 September 1972. After decommissioning she was transferred to the Ships Inactivation and Maintenance Facility at Vallejo, Calif. She is a part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet as of February 1974. [Transcriber's Note: Reaper was stricken from the Navy list 28 February 1975 and disposed of by Navy sale 1 November 1976.]

Does anyone who was a crewmember of the USS Reaper MSO 467 remember the VQ-1 shoot-down of the P4M-1Q aircraft on 22 August 1956 with the lose of all 16 crewmembers off of Shanghai China. A task force of TF 72, TF 77 and TF 73 units set up a search and recovery operation 32 miles off of Shanghai for approximately 2 weeks from that date. The operation included USS Reaper.

Doug Bewall, RMCM USN Ret: ex-crew member of USS Luzon ARG-2 during that op

The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in presenting the MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION to MINE DIVISION SEVENTY-TWO.

For meritorious service from 11 November 1966 to 6 may 1967 while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against communist insurgent (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam.Mine Division Seventy-Two Units,consisting of USS Firm (MSO-444), USS Embattle (MSO-434), USS Force (MSO-445), USS Prime (MSO-466) and USS Reaper (MSO-467).Mine Division Seventy-Two spent a total of 576 ship days on Market Time Patrol and actively supported Operations Surfline, Farragut and Deckhouse VI.