USS Wheatear ( AM - 390 ) USS " Wheatear " ( AM - 390 ) was an acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing . " Wheatear " was named after the Wheatear , a small northern bird related to the stonechat and whinchat . " Wheatear " was laid down on 29 May 1944 at Cleveland , Ohio , by the American Ship Building Company ; launched on 21 April 1945 ; sponsored by Mrs . H . P . Isham ; and commissioned on 3 October 1945 , Lt . Comdr . George M . Estep , USNR , in command . East Coast operations . " Wheatear " departed Cleveland , Ohio on 8 October and arrived in Boston on the 20th . There , she completed the fitting - out process and its attendant exercises . On 23 November , she got underway and headed south , arriving at Little Creek , Virginia , on the 27th . She began shakedown training which lasted until 14 January 1946 when she became an active unit of Mine Division ( MinDiv ) 10 . Following post - shakedown availability , " Wheatear " began training operations in the Chesapeake Bay from her base in Norfolk , Virginia . That employment continued until 24 June when she received orders to proceed to Charleston , South Carolina , where she went into an inactive status due to a severe shortage of crew members . She continued in that status until 31 October . Return to East Coast operations . On 1 November , she returned to sea for a training cruise to the Panama Canal , during which voyage she also visited Orange , Texas , and Miami , Florida . For almost two years , the minesweeper operated out of Charleston as a unit of the Atlantic Fleet Mine Force . In August 1948 , she was reassigned to the Operational Development Force , based at Panama City , Florida . For almost five years , she supported the force ' s developmental work . Based at Panama City , she cruised the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and in the West Indies , operating frequently in the Guantanamo Bay operating area and infrequently making cruises along the Atlantic seaboard as far north as Naval Station Argentia , Newfoundland . On 15 April 1953 , " Wheatear " rejoined the active Mine Force at Charleston as a unit of MinDiv 81 ; however , less than a month later on 1 May , she transferred to MinDiv 85 . For the remainder of her brief career , the warship operated along the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies carrying out training missions with the Atlantic Fleet . The only exception to that routine came on 19 September 1953 when she departed Charleston on her only deployment . Mediterranean operations . She served with the U . S . 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean until January 1954 when she headed home . The minesweeper arrived at Charleston on 5 February 1954 and resumed her duties with the Mine Force . Decommissioning . In June , she began preparations for inactivation . On 17 November 1954 , " Wheatear " was decommissioned at Orange , Texas , and berthed with the Orange Group , Atlantic Reserve Fleet . On 7 February 1955 , she was redesignated MSF - 390 . The warship remained in reserve at Orange until 1 July 1972 at which time her name was struck from the Navy list . On 20 December 1973 , she was sold to the Southern Scrap Material Co . , Ltd . , of New Orleans , Louisiana , for scrapping .