USS Pursuit ( AM - 108 ) USS " Pursuit " ( AM - 108 ) 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 . " Pursuit " was laid down by Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company , Winslow , Washington , on 12 November 1941 ; launched on 12 June 1942 , sponsored by Miss Carrie Ann Copp ; and commissioned on 30 April 1943 , Lt . Romer Franklin Good , USNR , in command . World War II Pacific operations . Following shakedown off the U . S . West Coast , " Pursuit " escorted a round trip convoy between San Francisco , California and Pearl Harbor before getting underway for the New Hebrides on 25 October . " Pursuit " was command ship during the invasion of Helen Island , Gilberts before joining Task Force TF 52 for the Kwajalein invasion in which she served as an antisubmarine and minesweeping ship . On 21 March 1944 she returned to San Francisco , California , as a convoy escort . She steamed again for Pearl Harbor on 21 April , to escort convoys to the Marshalls through July . On 4 October she got underway from Eniwetok to Manus , Admiralty Islands , to stage for the invasion of the Philippines . Arriving in Leyte Gulf on 24 October , she conducted minesweeping operations and anti - submarine patrols , and searched for survivors of sunken ships and downed aircraft . Lingayen Gulf operations . On 6 January 1945 " Pursuit " reached Lingayen Gulf among the first ships of the invasion force , where she operated until steaming for Leyte Gulf on 14 January . Back off Luzon on 28 January she swept off the San Felipe and San Antonio invasion beaches then on the 29th swept in Subic Bay . After completing this operation she proceeded to Guam and Ulithi on 4 February to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa . Okinawa Invasion operations . Arriving at Okinawa on 24 March with Task Group TG 52 . 3 , she commenced sweeping operations until the 31st , then took her part in an inner anti - submarine screen for the landing forces at Hagushi Beaches . On 6 April " Pursuit " shot down one suicide plane and assisted in shooting down several others , sailing on 27 May for Portland , Oregon . Post War decommissioning . After the cessation of hostilities , " Pursuit " got underway for the east coast . Arriving Norfolk , Virginia 5 January 1946 , from 28 April to 5 September she served as a target ship for torpedo bombing practice off the Florida coast until ordered to Orange , Texas for inactivation . She arrived there on 7 November , and was decommissioned on 30 April 1947 . Recommissioned as survey ship . Recommissioned 15 February 1950 , " Pursuit " left Texas and proceeded off Labrador and Greenland as part of Hydrographic Survey Group 2 . For the next three years she spent the winter survey season operating in the Caribbean , and the summer months in the northern latitudes off Labrador and Greenland . Reclassified AGS – 17 , 15 August 1951 , " Pursuit " continued that employment schedule until mid - 1954 when she set course for İskenderun , Turkey , 6 October , returning to Norfolk , Virginia , 23 March 1955 . On 15 July she was underway for a survey and resupply mission along the Arctic " DEW Line " . Having sounded previously uncharted waters both above and below the Arctic Circle , she returned to the east coast , at New York , 10 October . During 1956 , 1957 , and 1958 " Pursuit " again conducted hydrographic and oceanographic surveys off the coast of Turkey . On her return she resumed surveys in the Caribbean . Reassigned to the $ 3 in 1960 , Pursuit departed New York on 15 February for Pearl Harbor , arriving 14 April . She operated in Hawaiian waters until May when she sailed for Long Beach , California . Final decommissioning . Mooring there 9 May , she began inactivation and decommissioned 30 June 1960 . Her name was struck from the Navy List on 1 July 1960 . Awards . " Pursuit " earned 8 battle stars for World War II service .