UNDER CONSTRUCTION
No, it’s not the Starship Gallant….Sheesh!
(Dilithium crystals are magnetic BTW)
I had the good “fortune” to serve aboard the USS Gallant during the time it was home ported in Oakland CA in the mid 1980’s. We performed a lot of training both in the Bay and outside the Golden Gate, practicing the art of mine hunting, mine sweeping, mine neutralization and bottom surveys. I was the senior Navy Reservist aboard along with the mixed active and reserve crew of 80 men. The Gallant was then commanded by LCDR Mike Bahnmiller and later, LCDR Greg Ostrowski. We had a good crew and a capable, although old ship. Launched in 1954, her hull was built entirely of wood with other non-magnetic materials utilized to the maximum extent possible. That included a bronze anchor and chain, aluminum block Packard diesels (then), aluminum doors and hatches and brass, bronze, non-magnetic stainless steel or wood everywhere else possible.
Wooden Ships and Iron Titanium (non magnetic) Men.
During my tour we made trips to San Diego and trained in Alaskan waters, stopping in Kodiak and Anchorage, streaming our gear in the Gulf of Alaska and the Cook Inlet. Talk about the “Deadliest Catch” HA! We also used our mine hunting sonar to detect the lair of the giant Halibut and King Crab after hours as we anchored out for the night. Carrying fresh food for the crew is always problematic aboard ship and canned food was also an additional problem for us. “Tin” cans are actually made of steel – therefore magnetic and a threat to the safety of the ship and crew when in a minefield. There is minimal canned food aboard so fresh fish and crab saved the day. That’s our story…
Small ship, tight crew, lots of cross-training, independent Ops, great duty…..
USS Gallant MSO 489
Fortune Favors the Bold. Motto of the USS Gallant, an Aggressive class Minesweeper.
Minesweepers at Kodiak Alaska – N6CC.COM
Four minesweepers moored in Kodiak harbor, Alaska, July 1985. Here the USS Enhance MSO 437 (inboard), USS Excel MSO 439 (outboard), USS Gallant MSO 489 (inboard-aft) and unidentified fourth minesweeper (outboard-aft). A vast difference between here and the Gulf of Alaska! Authors Photo:
Fun: I flew with the Navy reservists into Kodiak to meet the ship there. We arrived at the pier at Zero Dark Thirty and found that the ship had anchored out for the night, rather than pulling in. There she was, about 3 miles offshore in the early morning Nautical Twilight. We were in a rental van so I did what any good sailor would do (and this was before Cell Phones don’tcha know). So I parked the van, aiming it at the ship – and blinked “AA489 AA489 USNR standing by at the pier” using the headlight switch.
An alert bridge watch, not normally expecting flashing light signals from ashore, responded back with their flashing light. “Roger, arriving 0800”.
USS Gallant Underway Transfer
Official U.S. Navy photo
Underway during a transfer evolution. The messenger line has already been passed between the Gallant and the USS Constant, another MSO.
USs Gallant Antenna
What a great shot of our AS-2815/SSR-1 Satellite comms antenna – Don’t you think?
USS Gallant MSO 489
Official U.S. Navy photo. Looks like Point Loma in the background.
The USS Gallant was decommissioned in 1994 and then sold to the Republic of China. She sailed as the Yung Ku, M-1308, protecting the Taiwan straits and sea lanes until she was decommissioned in 2013. With the Chicoms still threatening to attack and seize Taiwan, minesweepers will still be needed.
That “bent” HF whip antenna is tilted forward to facilitate Helo ops off the fantail when/if needed. As a bonus, that tilt also helped improve HF communications at close and medium range distances due to NVIS propagation. It would radiate a lot of the signal at very high angles and reflect downward filling in the “skip zone” out to several hundred miles. Does look odd on a Navy ship though!
More to follow – Under Construction – Stay Tuned.
Tim
Walking through the Capital Iron store here in Victoria, BC I noticed they have a USS Gallant MSO489 bronze plaque. It looks in excellent shape.
Thought I’d pass this along just in case it would be of interest to you or a shipmate.
Regards
Peter Gray
Hi Peter – Thanks for the heads up! I think Gallant made several trips to BC over the years, Esquimalt in particular if I recall. We we also did some training with the Canadian CP-3 aviation guys in Comox as well – a great bunch of people up there.
I’m sure many unit plaques made the trip both ways. Bronze eh? The one I received was made of plaster HaHa….I was glad to get it..
Good times – Thanks again..
Tim
Hey shipmate,
Just saw your website and wanted to thank you for putting it together. I was stationed on Gallant from 1989-2002, serving under LCDR O’Bryan and LCDR Van Tol. Lots of great memories of a tight crew where everyone did a little bit of everything.
Rob
Hello, Tim
Enjoyed reading all the great tips and information on your site! USS Gallant was, at one time, homeported in Long Beach, California during the 60s. I was there, assigned to Commander Mine Squadron SEVEN and saw many of these great vessels in service.
73, Mike
DU3/W6QT
Hi Mike – Thanks for checking in and Welcome Aboard…Yep, life on the Sweeps was hard work but great duty. We pulled into Long Beach several times along with all the Greyhounds..When we were stationed in Oakland, we were in MINEDIV 52 up until the ships were decommissioned and ultimately replaced by the Avenger class. “Where the fleet goes, we’ve been” LOL
Any ship can be a minesweeper – Once –
73, Tim
Go NAVY!
I am watching Elvis in “Easy Come Easy Go”. The hull number was 489, so I looked it up. Chuckled when your post showed up. The Gallant is featured in the movie.
Hi Senior Chief! Yep, it’s true, Elvis slept there. Specifically in the top bunk in the Junior Officers stateroom, portside. That bunk (it was also mine many years later) had a brass plaque attached: ELVIS SLEPT HERE. There was also a very tacky portrait of Elvis, painted on black velvet no less, on the bulkhead in the Wardroom. I wonder if the Republic of China’s Navy retained that! LOL
Gentlemen I was on the Gallant when they made the movie and no one sleep on the ship. The day Elvis filmed on the ship it was done just off pier 9 at Long Beach Naval Station and he came out on our motor whale boat, climbed up the jacobs ladder and shot about fifteen minutes of scene. He then got back in the whale boat and went back the Chief’s Club and we never saw him again. The coxswain was DK Lyons BM-3 who was the best man at my wedding. He got a picture of himself and Elvis when he took him back to the harbor craft pier just down from the Chief’s Club.
Tom Dacus EM-2 USS Gallant MSO 489 (1964-1967)
Hi Tom – Thanks for that “Rest of the story” ! Well that was long before my time but I can attest to the brass plaque and the velvet painting anyway.
This is how many Sea Stories propagate – Haha. Thanks for checking in…Tim
Hello All, just came across this site. I served on the Gallant 1973-1977. There was no “Elvis slept here” plackard in either officers staterooms or velvet Elvis in the wardroom. Can’t imagine what why anyone would want to install either of those, must have been some kind of joke.
Hi Keith – Thanks for checking in…
Well I was aboard in 1984-86 and there they were, not sure when they appeared before I was aboard. I took many photos while aboard
but unfortunately none of the wardroom. Undoubtedly a joke – not otherwise an elegant artwork!
GREETINGS! I was on the Gallant as SKSA from early 84 and departed as SK2(SW) in summer of 87. Made a lot of good friends and I, too was there when we ate crab in AK. The tides were amazing when we tied up in Anchorage. I still have a piece of the white canvas roof from the bridge when we replaced it with wood. Man it was loud and cold with that canvas roof! I assisted with the design of the patch shown above, along with ENS Honens, LT Gordon, LTJG Corrigan, RM3 Malak and SK1 Aquitania. I enjoyed my time on the Gallant, especially at Portland Rose Fest, Canadian Navy celebration in Esquimalt BC, Hawaii, Ensenada, and all of the nook and crannie ports along the sound in WA and AK. I ran in to RMCM Marr at AFRC Fresno when I was transferred to a Marine base in Fresno. Also ran in to RMCS Dyer in Stockton when I lived in the area. Still keep in touch with ETCM(SW/AW) Tim Malak. Take care -Fair winds and following seas shipmate!
Hi Greg – Well I think that canvas cover over the bridge had a safety purpose: When a mine detonated under the keel the bridge team was blown through the canvas (without injury) thereby enabling a soft landing in the hole in the water where the ship was. Penetrating that plywood overhead would have hurt! Haha..
Yep, I remember many of those guys – looks like most had long successful careers after Gallant. I still like small commands, lots to do and learned a lot too.
Thanks for your note! Glad you ran into my little webpost….Tim
Served onboard 1980-1983. 30 active duty 3 TAR onboard. LCDR Tom Hermann, CO. Had a great time. Seattle, Esquimalt, Alaska, Portland, Long Beach, Monterey and San Dog!! Learned a lot. She made me Chief the year after I transferred. True what they say “Wooden ships; Iron men”. Best duty I had in my career.
I may be 7 years too late but I just saw the post. Gallant was a fine ship with a great crew! The story behind the halibut feast: We were in Anchorage for a July 4 celebration and I was at a reception that CO’s were required to attend. I met a fellow there that fished commercially and he gave me the lat and long for a halibut hole. XO (Everett Parvin) was an avid fisherman and was really excited. So when we got underway for training instead of night steaming I elected going to anchor and “damage control drills”. We went to the lat & long, made a few passes using the fathometer, turned into the current and anchored with the stern just over the drop off. We conducted drills with every fishing pole onboard. We fired up the drum barbecue on the fantail, cut halibut steaks and feasted! If I remember correctly, I think someone caught a 37 lb halibut. What we didn’t eat, we froze.
Hey Skipper! Glad you checked in!
Yep – the Gallant was great duty and the Alaska ops were interesting. I also remember the crew catching King Crabs while moored to the pier in Kodiak by just lowering a weighted line into the water and the crabs would grab it and be hauled aboard – no bait required…The water was pretty deep but very clear so you could see them wandering around. Not too smart but good eating!
We may also have been the first Nuclear Powered minesweeper – We were moored outboard of one of the CGN’s also in Anchorage for a port visit. (USS Texas?). We received “shore power” from her nuclear reactor…
Do you remember the Elvis portrait in the Wardroom? Haha
Take care – enjoy retirement!
Tim
When I opened your site the first thing I noticed was the “Super Sweep” logo that we started when I had command in 80-81. The picture of the logo was taken from the “stickers “ we had made up to give out. Great crew great ship.
Hi Skipper! Yep – We still had them while I was aboard in 84-86, I still have some someplace around there. We stuck them on everything. Was a good idea!
BZ & thanks for stopping by,,Tim
If you’d enjoy seeing some movie footage of the GALLANT,
Check out the Elvis movie EASY COME, EASY GO.
Yep, they used the MSO 489. EP walked those decks in the
late ‘60s.
Hi Steve – Yep, it’s true! But he was aboard only briefly as noted by the above comments. Still, kinda cool!
I’ve seen the movie – Gallant Lives !!
Cheers! Tim
I served ET-3 on her in 1956/57. Took her to Alcapoco Mexico where we were caught in a storm anchored in the bay. Came close to beaching. Took her to Japan 1957 and then left for Oppama NAF Japan. I have movies of us leaving Long Beach for Japan. Show some of the ships of the unit ripping deck railings off because of too close togetherness when trying to leave the pier. Also unit commander’s sweep dropped a screw off the harbor and had to return. Good ship, Was a great experience for a young fellow like myself. Movies need to be ditgitized and archived in a few places. In 1980’s worked with her commander Roger ??, we were foresters he for LP and I for the state of CA, while she was a reserve ship at Treasure Island. Tnx for the memories Len WA6KLK CM89
I was on the Gallant in 1967 as 3rd class Gunnersmate. At that time it had a MK 3, 40mm gun mount in front of the bridge. This was also during the filming of the movie Easy Come, Easy Go with Elvis Presley. I made 2 west pac tours on the ship. I transferred from the ship in late 1967 and was assigned to PBR’s in Vietnam.
Hi Jack – Thanks for checking in…I understood that the forward 40 mm gun mount was removed to make room for the articulated strut winch of SQQ-14 sonar system.
Long transits to WestPac must have been interesting! Thanks for your service! Tim
The Gallant was my first ship as a young Ensign and I remember these times vividly (1985-1987). In addition to the halibut trip, CO Bahnmiller, XO Parvin, and myself, also enjoyed a great morning catching salmon. Filled the Z-bird with, I believe, 21 salmon.
My dad served on this ship during the Vietnam war. He was stationed in Cameron Bay. He sailed out of Long Beach. I believe this was in 1981. His name is Richard Morris, and goes by Rich.
My father served on this vessel in Vietnam also. He was a Boatswain Mate (1968 – 1972). He talks about Cam Rahn bay as well as Haiphong Bay. He was involved with Operation Endsweep.
Hi Jim – Thanks for the note. This ship and its crew has been around since 1954. Salute to your Dad…
Hello.
Does anyone know where the USS Gallant was stationed from 1985 to 1989 …?
Thank you
Keith
Hi Keith – When I left Gallant in 1985 we were based at Naval Supply Center Oakland CA. It may have been based there until it was decommissioned and sold to the Republic of China in 1994 but I am not sure of that. Anyone?
Fresh out of SWOS in 1976, I requested a small vessel as my first sea duty because I wanted to have different responsibilities, and I was fortunate to be assigned duty on MSO489. It was a great tour for a JG (made LT during my 2-year tour). Served with some really great sailors and officers on that ship! Lots of trips up and down the coast, north into those fine high seas (green water over the fo’csle, south to ops off Santa Rosa Island (Channel Islands). Still have the photo and the plaque–and a stars-n-strips pennant from that fine old gal. Thanks for the website, Keith.
Hi Keith – yep – good duty while aboard! Thanks for checking in….