Howard Hagedorn

USS EXCEL (MSO-439) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper commissioned by the United States Navy in 1955. Designed for clearing naval mines to ensure safe passage for fleets, she served primarily in the Pacific Fleet during the Cold War, participating in numerous exercises and patrols, including deployments to the Western Pacific and the Vietnam War to support Operation Market Time. Her wooden hull and non-magnetic construction were critical for reducing vulnerability to magnetic mines. After decades of service, USS EXCEL was decommissioned in 1992 and eventually struck from the Naval Vessel Register, marking the end of her distinguished career in mine countermeasure operations.