Pacific Ocean Operations
Ready for sea on 15 December 1955, USS Widgeon — a unit of the Pacific Fleet Mine Force — sailed on 3 January 1956 for visits to San Francisco and Long Beach, California. The new minesweeper operated out of the latter port until 29 January, at which time she shifted to San Diego to undergo shakedown training. Upon completion of shakedown, the ship underwent a four-week availability at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
The ship underwent further trials and alterations before she sailed to the Western Pacific Ocean (WestPac) on 1 October 1956. Proceeding in company with Mine Division (MinDiv) 95, Widgeon reported to Commander, Naval Forces, Far East (ComNavFE) for duty and was assigned to MinDiv 32, Mine Squadron 3, Mine Flotilla 1.
Homeported at Sasebo, Japan, Widgeon operated in the Far East for the next 13 years. During that time, she participated in local operations in Japanese waters, as well as voyages to Korea and Okinawa for exercises. She conducted joint minesweeping operations and exercises with units of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces, the Republic of Korea Navy, Chinese Nationalist Navy, and visited ports such as Kobe, Yokosuka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Aburatsu, Beppu, Kochi, Tsushima, Japan; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Maisuru, Japan; Hong Kong; Buckner Bay; Subic Bay, Philippines; and Pphang and Koje Do, Korea. Interspersed with her active training evolutions, the minesweeper underwent routine periods of upkeep and alterations and repairs at her home port of Sasebo.
Read more about this topic: USS Widgeon (AMS-208)
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