Mine Squadron 3
World War II Operations
Collectively, they accumulated a distinguished record on radar picket duty off Okinawa in 1945. The Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to Harry F. Bauer, Henry A. Wiley and Aaron Ward while the Navy Unit Commendation was received by Robert H. Smith, Adams, Shea, J. William Ditter and Gwin—a total of eight of the twelve ships in the class.
At Okinawa, both J. William Ditter and Aaron Ward were so badly damaged during suicide plane attacks that, after steaming home under their own power, they were decommissioned 28 September 1945 and scrapped in July 1946. Others were stricken in 1970–71 except Shea, which lasted until 1973. All were scrapped except Gwin, which was sold to Turkey in 1971, where she served until 1992 as Mauvenet.
Sources: U.S. Navy photos, Friedman, Reilly, Saxon, Lawrence S., Thomas E. and Sisters, Paducah, KY, Turner Publishing Co. 1997.
