Lapwing-class minesweeper


The Lapwing-class minesweeper, often called the Bird class, was an early "AM-type" oceangoing minesweeper of the United States Navy. Seven ships of the class were commissioned during World War I, and served well into the 1950s. A number were refitted to serve as ocean-going tugs, salvage vessels, seaplane tenders, or submarine rescue ships.
The propulsion system consisted of 2 Babcock & Wilcox 200psi boilers and a 1,400shp Harlan and Hollingsworth triple expansion reciprocating steam engine.

Ships

The table makes no distinction between classification as "Minesweeper No. X" and "AM-X". This change affected all boats equally ca. 1920.
All boats reclassified as Fleet Tugs where later again reclassified as Fleet Tug, Old . The table treats them the same. Brant and Grebe were never reclassified as ATO.
Ship nameHull numberBuilderCommissionedDecommissionedFate
LapwingAM-1Todd Brooklyn12 Jun 191811 Apr 1922Sold, 19 August 1946; fate unknown
LapwingAVP-1Todd Brooklyn1 Sep 193229 Nov 1945Sold, 19 August 1946; fate unknown
OwlAM-2Todd Brooklyn11 Jul 1918Sold for scrap, 27 June 1947
OwlAT-137Todd Brooklyn1 Jun 194226 Jul 1946Sold for scrap, 27 June 1947
RobinAM-3Todd Brooklyn29 Aug 1918Sold for scrap, 1945
RobinAT-140Todd Brooklyn1 Jun 19429 Nov 1945Sold for scrap, 1945
SwallowAM-4Todd Brooklyn8 Oct 1918n/aRan aground, 19 February 1938; later sank
TanagerAM-5Staten Island Shipbuilding Company28 Jun 1918n/aSank, 4 May 1942
CardinalAM-6Staten Island Shipbuilding Company23 Aug 1918n/aRan aground, 6 June 1923; later sank
OrioleAM-7Staten Island Shipbuilding Company5 Nov 1918
15 Aug 1938
3 May 1922Sold 1947
OrioleAT-136Staten Island Shipbuilding Company1 Jun 19426 Feb 1946Sold 1947
CurlewAM-8Staten Island Shipbuilding Company7 Jan 1919n/aRan aground, 15 December 1925; later sank
FinchAM-9Standard Shipbuilding Company10 Sep 1918n/aSank, 10 Apr 1942;salvaged later sunk 12 January 1945
HeronAM-10Standard Shipbuilding Company30 Oct 1918
18 Sep 1924
6 Apr 1922Sold for scrap, 25 July 1947
HeronAVP-2Standard Shipbuilding Company27 Jan 193612 Feb 1946Sold for scrap, 25 July 1947
CondorAM-11neverneverConstruction cancelled, 4 December 1918
PloverAM-12neverneverConstruction cancelled, 4 December 1918
TurkeyAM-13Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation13 Dec 191812 Apr 1922Sold for scrap, 30 December 1946
TurkeyAT-143Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation1 Jun 19426 Nov 1945Sold for scrap, 30 December 1946
WoodcockAM-14Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation19 Feb 1919
21 Feb 1924
5 May 1922Sold for scrap, 19 December 1947
WoodcockAT-145Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation1 Jun 194230 Sep 1946Sold for scrap, 19 December 1947
QuailAM-15Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation29 Apr 1919n/aScuttled to prevent capture, 5 May 1942
PartridgeAM-16Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation17 Jun 1919n/aSank, 11 June 1944
EiderAM-17Pusey and Jones23 Jan 191918 Apr 1922Fate unknown
EiderYNG-20Pusey and Jones7 Oct 194028 Nov 1945Fate unknown
ThrushAM-18Pusey and Jones25 Apr 19193 Apr 1922Sold to a commercial interest, 21 August 1946; Sank, 10 March 1951
ThrushAVP-3Pusey and Jones31 Oct 193513 Dec 1945Sold to a commercial interest, 21 August 1946; Sank, 10 March 1951
AvocetAM-19Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding17 Sep 1918
8 Sep 1925
3 Apr 1922Sold for scrap, 12 December 1946
AvocetAVP-4Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding22 Jan 193610 Dec 1945Sold for scrap, 12 December 1946
BobolinkAM-20Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding28 Jan 1919Fate unknown
BobolinkAT-131Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding1 Jun 194222 Feb 1946Fate unknown
LarkAM-21Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding12 Apr 1919Fate unknown
LarkAT-168Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding1 Mar 19447 February 1946Fate unknown
WidgeonAM-22Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company27 Jul 1918Sold for scrap, 5 March 1948
WidgeonASR-1Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company22 Jun 19365 Feb 1947Sold for scrap, 5 March 1948
TealAM-23Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company20 Aug 1918Fate unknown
TealAVP-5Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company22 Jan 193623 Nov 1945Fate unknown
BrantAM-24Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company5 Sep 1918Fate unknown
BrantAT-132Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company1 Jun 1942Fate unknown
BrantARS-32Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company1 Sep 194219 Dec 1945Fate unknown
KingfisherAM-25Puget Sound Navy Yard27 May 1918Fate unknown
KingfisherAT-135Puget Sound Navy Yard1 Jun 19426 Feb 1946Fate unknown
RailAM-26Puget Sound Navy Yard5 Jun 1918Fate unknown
RailAT-139Puget Sound Navy Yard1 Jun 194229 Apr 1946Fate unknown
PelicanAM-27Gas Engine and Power Company10 Oct 1918Sold for scrap, November 1946
PelicanAVP-6Gas Engine and Power Company22 Jan 193630 Nov 1945Sold for scrap, November 1946
FalconAM-28Gas Engine and Power Company12 Nov 1918Fate unknown
FalconASR-2Gas Engine and Power Company12 Sep 192918 Jun 1946Fate unknown
OspreyAM-29Gas Engine and Power Company7 Jan 191912 Dec 1920Sold for scrap, 1952
OspreyARS-2Gas Engine and Power Company17 Sep 194113 Feb 1947Sold for scrap, 1952
SeagullAM-30Gas Engine and Power Company7 Mar 1919Fate unknown
SeagullAT-141Gas Engine and Power Company1 Jun 19425 Sep 1946Fate unknown
TernAM-31Gas Engine and Power Company17 May 1919Fate unknown
TernAT-142Gas Engine and Power Company1 Jun 194223 Nov 1945Fate unknown
FlamingoAM-32New Jersey Dry Dock and Transportation Company12 Feb 191917 Mar 1953Sold for scrap, 22 July 1953
PenguinAM-33New Jersey Dry Dock and Transportation Company21 Nov 1918n/aScuttled to prevent capture, 8 December 1941
SwanAM-34Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company31 Jan 1919Fate unknown
SwanAVP-7Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company22 Jan 193613 Dec 1945Fate unknown
WhippoorwillAM-35Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company1 Apr 1919Fate unknown
WhippoorwillAT-169Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company1 Mar 194417 Apr 1946Fate unknown
BitternAM-36Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company28 May 1919n/aScuttled following incapacitating damage, 10 December 1941
SanderlingAM-37Todd Brooklyn4 Dec 19182 May 1922Accidentally sank while under tow, 26 June 1937
AukAM-38Todd Brooklyn31 Jan 191928 Jan 1947Transferred to Venezuela, 9 June 1947; decommissioned in 1962 and abandoned as of 2019
ChewinkAM-39Todd Brooklyn9 Apr 19194 Feb 1947Sunk as a target, 31 July 1947
ChewinkASR-3Todd Brooklyn9 April 19194 February 1947Sunk as a target, 31 July 1947
CormorantAM-40Todd Brooklyn15 May 191929 March 1946Fate unknown
CormorantAT-133Todd Brooklyn15 May 191929 March 1946Fate unknown
GannetAM-41Todd Brooklyn10 July 1919n/aSunk, 7 June 1942
GannetAVP-8Todd Brooklyn10 July 1919n/aSunk, 7 June 1942
GoshawkAM-42neverneverConstruction cancelled, 4 December 1918
GrebeAM-43Staten Island Shipbuilding Company1 May 1919n/aRan aground, 6 December 1942; destroyed by hurricane, 1–2 January 1943
GrebeAT-134Staten Island Shipbuilding Company1 May 1919n/aRan aground, 6 December 1942; destroyed by hurricane, 1–2 January 1943
MallardAM-44Staten Island Shipbuilding Company25 Jun 191910 Dec 1946Sunk as a target, 22 May 1947
MallardASR-4Staten Island Shipbuilding Company25 Jun 191910 Dec 1946Sunk as a target, 22 May 1947
OrtolanAM-45Staten Island Shipbuilding Company17 Sep 191918 Mar 1947Fate unknown
OrtolanASR-5Staten Island Shipbuilding Company17 Sep 191918 Mar 1947Fate unknown
PeacockAM-46Staten Island Shipbuilding Company27 Dec 1919n/aSunk, 24 August 1940
PigeonAM-47Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding15 July 1919n/aSunk, 4 May 1942
PigeonASR-6Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding15 July 1919n/aSunk, 4 May 1942
RedwingAM-48Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding17 October 1919n/aSunk, 29 June 1943
RedwingARS-4Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding17 October 1919n/aSunk, 29 June 1943
RavenAM-49neverneverConstruction cancelled, 4 December 1918
ShrikeAM-50neverneverConstruction cancelled, 4 December 1918
SandpiperAM-51Philadelphia Navy Yard9 October 191910 December 1945Fate unknown
SandpiperAVP-9Philadelphia Navy Yard9 October 191910 December 1945Fate unknown
VireoAM-52Philadelphia Navy Yard16 October 191918 April 1946Fate unknown
VireoAT-144Philadelphia Navy Yard16 October 191918 April 1946Fate unknown
WarblerAM-53Philadelphia Navy Yard22 December 191929 March 1946Fate unknown
WarblerARS-11Philadelphia Navy Yard22 December 191929 March 1946Fate unknown
WilletAM-54Philadelphia Navy Yard29 January 19201 December 1947Sold for scrap 2 November 1948
WilletARS-12Philadelphia Navy Yard29 January 19201 December 1947Sold for scrap 2 November 1948