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COMMANDING OFFICERS
4 UNIT AWARDS AND CITATIONS
ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL (2), NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION (1) and REPUBLIC of VIETNAM GALLANTRY
CROSS UNIT CITATION (1)
Mine Division 84
USS Exulant MSO 441
USS Nimble MSO 459
USS Pinnacle MSO 462
USS Sagacity MSO 469
The second Nimble (MSO-459) was laid down as AM-459, 27 April 1953 by Higgins, Inc., New Orleans La.; launched
6 August 1954 sponsored by Miss Helen M. Wakeman; reclassified MSO-459 on 7 February 1955; and commissioned 11 May 1955, Lt.
John T. O'Brien in command.
Nimble, a non-magnetic minesweeper of laminated wood construction, reported for duty with Mine Force, Atlantic
Fleet, at New Orleans, 2 June 1955 and departed for her homeport, Charleston S.C. From Charleston, she continued on to Narragansett
Bay for shakedown, thence to Key West and Little Creek for various training exercises to enable her to sweep magnetic, contact
acoustic and pressure sea mines.
Until September 1956 Nimble was employed in operations in the 6th Naval District. On the 4th of that month she
departed the South Carolina coast for her first European deployment. Steaming to the North Sea, she participated in NATO exercises,
then sailed to the Mediterranean to serve in the 6th Fleet until 22 February 1957. Beginning with that deployment, Nimble
steamed to the Mediterranean for 6 months duty with the 6th Fleet on a bi-yearly basis until 1964. Breaking that pattern in
that year, she resumed it in 1965, and has continued to follow it into 1970
On her 6th Fleet deployments she has participated in NATO and fleet exercises; while her 2nd Fleet duties have
brought regular Caribbean operations as well as east coast exercises including NATO maneuvers. While on the east coast she
has also provided services for the Mine Warfare School, the Fleet Sonar School and the Mine Defense Laboratory. [Transcriber's
Note: Nimble was stricken 1 November 1976 and sold for scrapping 1 June 1981.]
EXULTANT departed Charleston on the morning of 12 August 1960 in company with USS NIMBLE (MSO 459) for a visit
to Miami, Florida in connection with the annual convention of the National Association of County Officials. That evening off
the coast of Savanna, Georgia at about 1745 the ship experienced a severe flash fire in the after engine room which
rapidly spread throught the entire engineering spaces. The fire was fought for nearly three (3) hours under dangerous and
adverse conditions in which the engineering officer and four (4) enlisted crewmen died. Only by the outstanding performance
of EXULTANT"s fire-fighting parties and the gallant aid of NIMBLE kept the ship afloat.
NASA NAVY RECOVERY SHIPS
Gemini-Titan 4 (GT-4) - June 3-7, 1965
USS Wasp (PRS)
USS Barry
USS Blandy
USS Charles S. Sperry
USS Chukawan
USS Furse
USS Goldsborough
USS Hawkins
USS Higbee
USS Hois
USS Leonard F. Mason
USS
Nimble
USS Orleck
USS Ponchatoula
USS Rich
USS Robert Owens
USS Rupertus
USS Skill
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