USS Chickadee ( AM - 59 ) USS " Chickadee " ( AM - 59 ) was an of the United States Navy , named after the Chickadee , a family of small passerine birds which appear in North America and Africa . " Chickadee " was launched on 20 July 1942 at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Bay City , Michigan ; sponsored by Mrs . George Buchanan Coale ( Mary Woolfolk Rule Coale ) . She was commissioned on 9 November 1942 , with Lieutenant Commander George Buchanan Coale , USNR , in command and reported to the Atlantic Fleet . Service history . World War II . Between 15 February and 4 May 1943 , " Chickadee " voyaged from Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia , to Casablanca , Morocco on convoy escort duty , then participated in anti - submarine warfare against German U - Boat s and escorted Allied coastal convoys along the African and Mediterranean coasts until 19 June . " Chickadee " sailed out of Norfolk and the Brooklyn Navy Yard , New York as an escort for vessels sailing to Iceland or the Caribbean between 7 July 1943 and 2 March 1944 . " Chickadee " cleared Naval Station Charleston , South Carolina , on 7 April for Milford Haven , Wales , arriving there on 12 May . For the remainder of the month , the minesweeper engaged in training exercises for the coming invasion of Europe . Arriving off Normandy on 5 June 1944 , " Chickadee " swept fire support channels into Baie de la Seine and throughout the various assault areas along the French coast in support of Operation Overlord , the Normandy Invasion . She performed her hazardous duties under enemy shore fire on several occasions , but escaped with only minor damage from shrapnel and no casualties . The ship assisted in the rescue of survivors from and , and towed the damaged LST to safety . " Chickadee " continued to operate off the coast of France , with frequent visits to British ports , until 1 August 1944 when she departed Plymouth , England , for Naples , Italy . After arriving in Italian waters on 12 August , she swept in the Strait of Bonifacio until 23 August when she sailed to Cavalaire Bay , France , for sweeping operations during Operation Dragoon , the invasion of southern France . Between 29 August and 2 October , she swept the harbor of Marseilles , and conducted anti - submarine patrols off that port . During October and November 1944 , " Chickadee " carried out a visual search for mines south of Sanremo , Italy , temporarily becoming the flagship of COMINRON SEVEN . After a brief overhaul at Palermo , Sicily , she returned to sweeping duty throughout the Mediterranean , operating out of Cannes , Nice , Livorno , Palermo , Malta , and Corsica . On 31 May 1945 , she cleared Oran , Algeria , for Norfolk , arriving there on 15 June . After a lengthy overhaul , " Chickadee " sailed from Norfolk on 18 September 1945 for the Pacific , reaching San Pedro , California , on 10 October . On 26 November , she sailed for Naval Station Astoria , Oregon , where she was placed out of commission in reserve with the Astoria Reserve Fleet on 15 May 1946 . Her classification was changed to Fleet Minesweeper ( Steel Hull ) ( MSF - 59 ) on 7 February 1955 . " Chickadee " received two battle stars for World War II service . Uruguayan Navy . On 18 August 1966 , with the pending closure of Naval Station Astoria , Oregon and the disestablishment of the Astoria Reserve Fleet , " Chickadee " was transferred to Uruguayan Navy and was renamed ROU " Comandante Pedro Campbell " ( MSF - 1 ) , arriving in Uruguay on 3 October 1966 . The " Campbell " was later renumbered MS - 31 , and on 23 November 1979 was reclassified as a corvette with a pennant number / hullnumber of C - 4 . The ship commenced a major overhaul on 1 October 1986 , which was completed by December 1989 . With her armament removed , the ship was redesignated as an Antarctic and Oceanographic Support Vessel , pennant number / hull number A - 24 , in May 1990 , beginning her first Antarctic cruise on 15 January 1991 . Decommissioned on 18 March 2003 , the ship was struck from the Uruguayan Navy Register on 12 December 2003 , and was used as a training hulk at the Navy ' s " Escuela de Especialidades " training facility at Montevideo for damage control training and abandon ship drills . She was finally scrapped in 2005 with over 63 years of service . In coordination with the US naval attache to Uruguay , her steel was recycled for construction of a new Uruguayan naval vessel .