page_title: Blockade of Wonsan
section_title: Renewed minesweeping operations
hierarchical_section_title: Blockade of Wonsan / Blockade / Renewed minesweeping operations
caption_attribution_description: English: The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS William Seiverling (DE-441) underway off the Korean coast, in 1951.
context_page_description: The Blockade of Wonsan, or the Siege of Wonsan, from February 16, 1951 to July 27, 1953, during the Korean War, was the longest naval blockade in modern history, lasting 861 days. UN naval forces, primarily from the United States, successfully kept the strategically important city of Wonsan from being used by the North Korean Navy.
  The blockade diverted communist troops from the front line. North Korean artillery fired at the American fleet was mostly ineffective, and the city was heavily damaged by UN naval aircraft and warships.
context_section_description: Because the communists were still mining the approaches of Wonsan and Hungnam, on September 5 the commander of CTF-95 ordered the minesweeping group CTG-95.6 to sweep the coastline so as to allow UN ships to remain within gunfire range of the shore at all times while blockading. Upon completion, allied warships no longer had to withdraw out of range each night. While supporting the minesweepers involved in the mission, the destroyer escort USS William Seiverling was hit three times on September 8 by ground-based artillery. Her fire room flooded but there were no casualties.
  On September 10, the minesweepers Redstart and Heron were again damaged by shell fire from Wonsan, this time while rechecking pre-swept waters. On September 20, USS Orleck bombarded enemy troops and mortar positions, scoring five hits which destroyed an ammunition dump. Orleck also attacked a large sampan, suspected of minelaying, and struck her four times with gunfire. On September 24, ROKN PF-62 was also damaged by shore battery fire. After three hits, the frigate was moderately damaged and caught on fire. Three South Korean sailors were wounded but they were able to save their ship from complete destruction.
  Minesweeping operations would continue for months, the UN ships constantly swept various areas to ensure that no new mine fields were laid. Incidents of shore batteries scoring hits on allied warships also became less common and for weeks no vessels were damaged until October 29 when USS Osprey was engaged. Osprey's engine room flooded after being hit three times and communications went out, one man was seriously wounded though the ship was saved from sinking. By November 9, the minesweeping mission was eighty percent complete, accurate shore battery fire delayed the UN ships from completing the operation for a few more weeks.
caption: USS William Seiverling off Korea in 1951.
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