USS Sandpiper Mission
Although built as a minesweeper, Sandpiper performed aircraft tender duties throughout her career. Her assignments moved her from Train, Scouting Fleet; to Aircraft Squadrons, Scouting Fleet; to Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet; to various individual squadrons and finally to patrol units and training commands.
Her duties — initially restricted to guarding plane flights, fueling planes, and towing seaplane barges — were gradually expanded. Transportation of aviation spares and personnel came with extended operations and new bases. Salvage and repair duties were added to her search and rescue work and were retained until ships designed for the purpose were built in the 1930s. The minesweeper/aircraft tender, however, was designated AM-51 in July 1920 and retained that hull number for over 15 years. On 22 January 1936, she was officially reclassified as a small seaplane tender and redesignated AVP-9.
Read more about this topic: USS Sandpiper (AM-51)
Famous quotes containing the words sandpiper and/or mission:
“Across the lonely beach we flit,
One little sandpiper and I;
And fast I gather, bit by bit,
The scattered driftwood, bleached and dry.
The wild waves reach their hands for it,
The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,
As up and down the beach we flit—
One little sandpiper and I.”
—Celia Thaxter (”Laighton”)
“The mission of men there seems to be, like so many busy demons, to drive the forest all out of the country, from every solitary beaver swamp and mountain-side, as soon as possible.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)