About this Unit
USS Pluck (MSO-464) was an Agile-class minesweeper of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1954. Designed for clearing naval mines, she played a vital role in ensuring safe passage for military and civilian vessels during the Cold War era. Throughout her service, USS Pluck participated in numerous training exercises and operations across the Pacific, including deployments to the Western Pacific and Vietnam. After decades of dedicated service, she was decommissioned in 1990 and subsequently struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
Historical Facts
• Launch and Commissioning: USS Pluck (MSO-464), an Agile-class minesweeper, was launched on February 6, 1953, by Wilmington Boat Works in Wilmington, California, and commissioned on June 6, 1955.
• Dedicated Minesweeper: The "MSO" in her designation stands for "Minesweeper, Ocean," indicating she was specially built to detect and remove naval mines from open waters, protecting shipping lanes during the Cold War.
• Non-Magnetic Construction: To avoid triggering magnetic mines, USS Pluck was constructed primarily from wood and non-ferrous metals, a common practice for minesweepers of the era.
• West Coast and Western Pacific Operations: Pluck operated primarily out of Long Beach, California, and made several deployments to the Western Pacific, supporting the U.S. Seventh Fleet and participating in joint exercises with allied navies.
• Vietnam War Service: Pluck was deployed to the Vietnam theater, where she conducted minesweeping operations and coastal patrols, securing critical waterways against enemy mining activities.
• Humanitarian Missions: During her deployments, USS Pluck sometimes assisted with search and rescue operations and humanitarian missions, helping vessels in distress in the Pacific region.
• Modernization: Throughout her service, Pluck received several upgrades, including improved sonar and mine-countermeasures equipment to keep up with evolving naval mine threats.
• Decommissioning: After almost three decades of service, USS Pluck was decommissioned on September 30, 1990, marking the end of her naval career during the post-Cold War drawdown.
• Navy Tradition: The name "Pluck" reflects the Navy’s tradition of naming minesweepers with words denoting courage, spirit, and determination.
• Legacy: Although she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register and disposed of in 1994, the service of USS Pluck (MSO-464) and her crew contributed significantly to the U.S. Navy's mine warfare capabilities and maritime security during the Cold War and Vietnam War.
