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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Incredible (AM-249, later MSF-249), 1944-1960.

USS Incredible, a 530-ton Admirable class minesweeper built at Savannah, Georgia, was commissioned in April 1944. She went to the Mediterranean Sea a few months later, where she participated in the Southern France invasion and subsequent operations. On 10 September 1944, she helped defeat an attack on Allied warships by German human torpedoes. Incredible carried out minesweeping duties in the Black Sea during the first two months of 1945. Returning to the U.S. in May, she transferred to the Pacific the following July and swept mines in the East China Sea and Ryukyus during the months following Japan's surrender. During the later 1940s, Incredible was out of commission, but kept "in service" at Yokosuka, Japan.

In August 1950, Incredible recommissioned for Korean War service, and took part in the intense minesweeping operations off Wonsan later in that year. She left the Far East for the U.S. West Coast in the Summer of 1951, but returned for another WestPac tour in 1953-54. USS Incredible decommissioned in September 1954, and was redesignated MSF-249 in February 1955. She was sold for scrapping in August 1960.

This page features views of USS Incredible (AM/MSF-249).

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 80-G-437698

USS Incredible (AM-249)


Flying a "Homeward Bound" pennant, probably upon her departure from Japanese waters in about July 1951.
This photograph was received by the Naval Photographic Center in January 1952.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 600 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 73146

USS Incredible (AM-249)


Probably photographed circa July 1951, while en route to the U.S. following minesweeping service off Korea.
Location appears to be Pearl Harbor, with Ford Island Naval Air Station in the background.

Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 96908

USS Incredible (AM-249)


Underway off San Diego, California, circa 1951-53.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-422081

Mine Division Thirty-One


Commanding Officers in conference off Korea, 26 October 1950. Probably taken in the wardroom of USS Incredible (AM-249), off Wonsan.
Those present are identified in Photo # 80-G-422081 (Complete Caption).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 620 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 73685

USS Incredible (AM-249)


Is welcomed by hula dancers as she arrives in Hawaii while en route to the U.S., circa July 1951, following Korean War minesweeping service.
Note mine scoreboard painted on her bridge.

Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 


While the Naval Historical Center has no World War II photographs of USS Incredible, the National Archives appears to hold several. The following list features some of these images:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.".


  • Photo #: 80-G-325064
    USS Incredible (AM-249) underway on 25 June 1945.
    Port broadside aerial view, taken from a very low altitude by a plane from NAS Norfolk, Virginia.

  • Photo #: 80-G-325067
    USS Incredible (AM-249) underway on 25 June 1945.
    Starboard broadside aerial view, taken from a very low altitude by a plane from NAS Norfolk, Virginia.

  • Photo #: 80-G-325068
    USS Incredible (AM-249) underway on 25 June 1945.
    Starboard bow aerial view, taken from a low altitude by a plane from NAS Norfolk, Virginia.

  • Photo #: 80-G-325066
    USS Incredible (AM-249) underway on 25 June 1945.
    Starboard stern aerial view, taken from a low altitude by a plane from NAS Norfolk, Virginia.


    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.".


  • If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    25 July 1999