USS Terror ( CM - 5 ) USS " Terror " ( CM - 5 ) was a fleet minelayer of the United States Navy , the only minelayer of the fleet built specifically for minelaying during World War II . She was laid down on 3 September 1940 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard ; launched on 6 June 1941 ; sponsored by Mrs . Ralph A . Bard ; and commissioned on 15 July 1942 , Commander Howard Wesley Fitch in command . Service history . North Africa , 1942 . Following fitting out and shakedown , " Terror " arrived at New York on 30 October 1942 to prepare for her first large - scale operation . With Task Group 38 . 3 , the new minelayer sortied the harbor on 2 November and set her course for North Africa . Rain squalls , strong winds , and heavy seas forced the convoy to alter its course , but its goal remained the same — the support and reinforcement of Operation Torch . At dawn on 14 November , " Terror " parted company with the convoy and , escorted by a single destroyer , made her way at to the newly taken port of Casablanca . Sunken ships added to the congestion of the harbor as " Terror " fueled and supplied that vessel with mines . " Terror " then prepared for her primary mission at Casablanca and the task for which she had been designed , minelaying . Her sortie was delayed on the morning of the 16th due to continued congestion in the harbor . Later , as " Terror ' s " crew made ready to get underway , they discovered that a large , " old fashioned " anchor with a heavy chain was fouling the ship ' s starboard anchor chain . After correcting this problem , " Terror " got underway in company with two minesweepers and , in short order , began laying the minefield which would protect the ships in the harbor . When completed , shortly before dark the same day , the minefield provided Allied shipping a protected channel entrance to Casablanca , stretching seven miles ( 11 km ) out from El Hank Light , a formidable barrier for any marauding enemy submarine to penetrate . Steaming at , " Terror " made her way back to the port just as night fell . On the following day , despite the obstacles imposed by rudimentary receiving facilities on shore and an extreme shortage of lighters , " Terror " unloaded her cargo of depth charges and ammunition , using a salvaged tank lighter and several wooden barges . Having accomplished her mission , " Terror " departed Casablanca and rendezvoused with a convoy bound for the east coast of the United States . Strong head winds , heavy seas , and the slowness of the convoy made it difficult for " Terror " to keep her station . Off the Virginia Capes , " Terror " was detached from the convoy and made for the Naval Mine Depot , Yorktown . She arrived on 30 November to commence overhaul and training . Yorktown , 1942 – 1943 . In the months that followed , " Terror " operated out of Yorktown , making frequent voyages to the Chesapeake Bay for exercises and occasionally stopping at Norfolk for repairs or overhaul . Often students from the Mine Warfare Training Facility came on board for instruction tours . Meanwhile , members of " Terror ' s " crew , when not attending classes ashore , participated in drills , training , and exercises in gunnery , mine warfare , and damage control . In February , the minelayer assisted as that vessel tested the Mark 10 " Hedgehog " off Yorktown . After receiving additional antiaircraft guns in May , " Terror " participated in tactical exercises in the Chesapeake Bay through the summer . Pacific , 1943 – 1945 . Late in September , she began loading mines in preparation for her departure from the Atlantic coast . At Norfolk , she rendezvoused with Task Unit 29 . 2 . 5 ; and , on 2 October , she got underway for the Canal Zone and Pacific ports . On the morning of 19 October , she passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and anchored in San Francisco Bay . The next day , she departed the west coast and steamed via Pearl Harbor to the Ellice Islands . She arrived at Funafuti on 9 November , unloaded pontoon barges , and took on fresh water . During the nearly three weeks she remained at Funafuti , " Terror " supported the many small craft which surveyed and mined the approaches to the atoll , supplying them with provisions , water , repairs , and medical services . At the same time , she assisted in the conversion of a 1 , 500 - ton covered lighter into a barracks for a construction battalion , sending skilled personnel to speed the work and providing water and mess facilities for the battalion until the task was completed . On the 17th , " Terror ' s " gunners fired on the enemy for the first time when Japan ese planes bombed the runway on Funafuti . The Japanese raiders dropped 40 bombs near the airstrip , causing a fire which burned for an hour . Another alert followed in the afternoon , but no further action occurred . " Terror " laid mooring buoys in the anchorage before getting underway for Hawaii on 28 November . Early in December , she loaded mines and gear at Pearl Harbor ; then set her course for Tarawa , where she provided heavy equipment and mines for mine details . At night , searchlights from shore combed the dark , spotting enemy planes in an attempt to foil the persistent Japanese raiders . On Christmas Day , " Terror " got underway . She delivered mines and heavy equipment to units at Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal before arriving at Makin Island on 18 January 1944 . The minelayer anchored in the lagoon while her boats surveyed the passes in the reef . She then readied a self - propelled barge to mine the channels . She departed Makin on the 28th and proceeded independently to Tarawa where she embarked Mine Detail 19 . On 31 January 1945 , she got underway for Pearl Harbor and took on passengers for transportation to San Francisco . After a three - day stay , she departed the west coast on 21 February with over 500 passengers on board , accommodated on a temporary wooden deck constructed over the tracks on the mine deck . She discharged her passengers at Pearl Harbor on the 26th ; then steamed on to Majuro , where she arrived on 10 March . During the rest of March and into April , she conducted minelaying operations in the Marshall Islands before getting underway for the Hawaiian Islands on 22 April . There , she underwent repairs , loaded mines , and participated in gunnery exercises before departing on 24 May . In the following months , she carried ammunition , mines , and bombs to the Marshalls and Mariana Islands , returning once to Pearl Harbor to load ammunition . On 17 August , she departed Oahu — this time setting her course for the west coast . " Terror " arrived at San Francisco on the 24th for drydocking and overhaul . On 9 September , she got underway carrying a cargo of ammunition . After loading mines and minesweeping gear at Pearl Harbor , she steamed to Ulithi where she began defensive mining operations . On 15 October , " Terror " was transferred from ServRon 6 to Minecraft Pacific Fleet . During October and November , she carried cargoes to the Marianas , Carolines , and Admiralties . On 25 November , she entered the Navy Yard at Pearl Harbor for repairs and alterations to accommodate the staff of Commander , Minecraft Pacific Fleet . On 6 January 1945 , " Terror " assumed duty as the flagship of Rear Admiral Alexander Sharp . For two weeks , " Terror " conducted exercises out of Pearl Harbor . Then , on 22 January , she got underway and proceeded via Eniwetok to the Carolines . At Ulithi , " Terror " supplied mines and gear to minecraft preparing for the invasion of Iwo Jima . She then steamed on to Tinian to act as tender for minecraft in that second staging area . On 13 February , she departed the Marianas setting her course for the Volcano Islands . Iwo Jima . At 07 : 17 on 17 February , " Terror " arrived in the fire support area off the east coast of Iwo Jima . Pre - assault bombardment and minesweeping were well underway when fire from guns on the cliff lined shore began to interfere with minesweepers operating close inshore , north of the eastern beaches . " Terror " closed the shore to and , for 20 minutes , added her five - inch ( 127 mm ) gunfire to the bombardment in an attempt to aid the small craft . Nevertheless , the formidable barrage put out by the enemy began to take its toll as first and then suffered hits . Shortly after noon , damaged landing craft began coming alongside the tender for assistance . " Terror " acted as a casualty evacuation vessel for minesweepers and small craft acting in support of underwater demolition teams . Soon her medical facilities were severely taxed . One after another of these small craft came alongside to transfer their wounded and to receive assistance in repairing their vessels . " Terror " continued her duties off Iwo Jima until 1835 on 19 February when she headed for the Marianas . Okinawa . On 21 February , she transferred battle casualties to an Army hospital at Saipan ; then steamed to Ulithi , where she arrived on the 23rd . At that base , she serviced and supplied minecraft staging for the assault on Okinawa . She arrived off Kerama Retto on 24 March to act as flagship and tender for minecraft . " Terror " operated off Kerama Retto until the morning of the 29th when she anchored in that island ' s harbor . There , despite the constant danger of kamikaze attacks , she performed her dual role as tender and flagship . Her entire complement labored long hours to maintain the supply of water , oil , gear , and ammunition required by minecraft in the area . At the same time , her resources were further strained by the duties imposed by her status as flagship . On the morning of 2 April 1945 , Japanese planes penetrated the harbor . " Terror " took two of the attackers under fire and witnessed the splashing of one plane only away . In the following days , " Terror " — responding to warnings to be prepared for attacks by Japanese aircraft , swimmers , and suicide boats — stationed special night sentries on deck and in a picket boat to intercept any ingenious attackers . Predicted mass air attacks materialized on 6 April when Japanese planes pounded the harbor at Kerama Retto for four hours , coming in on " Terror " from all quarters and keeping her gunners busy . The tender joined other ships in downing two Japanese planes and furnished rescue boats , clothing , and treatment for the survivors of " LST - 447 " and SS " Logan Victory " . Throughout April , " Terror " remained at Kerama Retto providing logistic services and receiving casualties from ships hit by kamikazes . Combat air patrols kept raiders outside the harbor most of the time ; but , on 28 April , — anchored nearby — was hit by a suicide plane . " Terror " fired on the enemy aircraft , sent boats to " Pinkney ' s " aid , and treated many casualties . During the long and arduous month of April , " Terror ' s " crew went to general quarters 93 times , for periods ranging from seven minutes to six and one - half hours . Kamikaze attack , 1 May 1945 . Minutes before 04 : 00 on 1 May 1945 , as " Terror " lay at anchor in Kerama Retto , a kamikaze dove toward the ship . Darting through a hole in the smoke screen and coming in on " Terror ' s " port beam , the attacker banked sharply around the stern , then came in from the starboard quarter so rapidly that only one of the minelayer ' s stern guns opened fire . As the plane crashed into the ship ' s communication platform , one of its bombs exploded . The other penetrated the main deck before it , too , exploded . The aircraft ' s engine tore through the ship ' s bulkheads to land in the wardroom . Fire flared immediately in the superstructure but was soon controlled and , within two hours , was extinguished . Flooding of the magazines prevented possible explosions , and no engineering damage occurred , but the kamikaze had exacted its toll . The attack cost " Terror " 171 casualties : 41 dead , 7 missing , and 123 wounded . The following day , the battered ship was moored to for emergency repairs . She got underway on the 8th to rendezvous with a convoy bound for Saipan . Since a survey of the vessel revealed that her damage was too great to be repaired in a forward area , " Terror " steamed via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor to the west coast . She reached San Francisco on 1 June 1945 , unloaded ammunition , and then began her overhaul . Post - war , 1945 – 1947 . Her repairs completed , she departed San Francisco Bay on 15 August - the day of the surrender of Japan - and steamed for Korea via the Hawaiian Islands , Saipan , and Okinawa . Moored in Buckner Bay on 16 September , she weathered a furious typhoon . Pounding against put a few holes in " Terror ' s " side , but she was soon repaired . On 9 October , while still at Okinawa , she emerged undamaged from another typhoon which beached or wrecked over 100 vessels at Buckner Bay and Unten Ko . In December , replaced " Terror " as flagship for Minecraft Pacific Fleet , and the veteran of many Pacific campaigns again crossed the Pacific to arrive at San Francisco in February . She made one voyage to Pearl Harbor in March , then returned to the west coast . " Terror " remained there until February 1947 when she departed San Francisco and steamed through the Panama Canal to embark the Commander , Minecraft Atlantic Fleet , at San Juan late in February . Following exercises in the Caribbean , she operated out of east coast ports until July 1947 when she arrived at the Charleston Navy Yard for inactivation . In reserve and decommissioning , 1947 – 1956 . During the Korean War , she was placed in service in reserve ; and , on 7 February 1955 , she was redesignated a fleet minelayer ( MM - 5 ) . Her designation symbol was changed to MMF - 5 in October 1955 , and she was decommissioned on 6 August 1956 . In 1971 , her hulk was sold to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation , of New York City . " Terror " received four battle stars for World War II service .