USS Gladiator ( AM - 319 ) USS " Gladiator " ( AM - 319 ) was an " Auk " - class minesweeper acquired by the U . S . Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing . Construction history . " Gladiator " was originally built as BAM - 6 , and was launched 7 May 1943 as AM - 319 by the General Engineering & Drydock Co . , Alameda , California ; sponsored by Mrs . Madeline A . Silva ; and acquired and simultaneously commissioned 25 February 1944 , Lt . Comdr . Robert W . Costello in command . World War II service . " Gladiator " sailed from San Francisco , California , 1 May 1944 with a convoy for Pearl Harbor and subsequently made four round trip escort voyages from Hawaii — one to Kwajalein and three to Eniwetok — from 22 May - 11 September 1944 . Underway again 16 October , she reached Ulithi 12 November and commenced patrol and escort duty in those waters . Voyages to Eniwetok , Kossol Roads , and Saipan , were frequently made to shepherd merchantmen to and from those strategic ports until " Gladiator " sailed from Ulithi 19 March 1945 for combat at Okinawa . Closing the beaches of Okinawa 24 March when Vice Admiral Willis A . Lee ’ s battleships were bombarding the island , " Gladiator " began minesweeping operations and screening duties . Under attack by Japanese aircraft . On 6 April she came under attack from a Japanese bomber and shot it down with the help of four American fighters that were on the bomber ' s tail during its approach . Another plane was splashed 6 days later when " Gladiator ' s " automatic weapons brought it down close aboard on the starboard beam ; debris rained about the ship . A third enemy plane was shot down 22 April , crashing into the sea after passing just fifty feet above the ship ' s deck ; but one man was killed and five wounded by the plane ' s strafing . " Gladiator " continued minesweeping duties off Okinawa until sailing 19 May with a convoy for Saipan and Guam , subsequently returning to Okinawa 21 June . From 8 – 25 July 1945 she conducted minesweeping operations in the East China Sea , destroying six mines , and put in at Guam 11 August for major overhaul . End - of - war operations . " Gladiator " departed Guam 24 November and reached San Francisco , California , 15 December 1945 . She steamed to San Pedro , California , 30 May 1946 , and , after being towed to San Diego , California , 2 October 1946 she was decommissioned at that port 2 days later . Korean War service . Recommissioned 29 February 1952 at Long Beach , California , " Gladiator " sailed 2 September for Japan , closing Sasebo 1 month later , and steaming to Wonsan , Korea , 27 October . She swept mines in those dangerous waters until returning to Sasebo 10 November and subsequently , until the spring of 1953 , divided her time between mine - sweeping operations at Wonsan , Inchon , and Hungnam and replenishment and training exercises in Sasebo and Yokosuka , Japan . Post - Korean War activity . " Gladiator " departed Sasebo , Japan , 19 March 1953 and put in at Long Beach , California , 10 April . She engaged in peacetime activities : overhaul at San Francisco , training exercises off southern California , a round trip cruise from Long Beach to Acapulco , Mexico , and Balboa , Panama ( 15 January - 12 February 1954 ) , and a cruise to Bellingham , Washington , and return ( 28 June - 10 July 1954 ) . Decommissioning and disposal . " Gladiator " was decommissioned at Long Beach , California , on 15 March 1955 . Redesignated MSF - 319 , " Gladiator " entered the reserve fleet berthed at Green Cove Springs , Florida . She was later transferred to the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego , California . She remained in " mothballs " until 1973 , when she was sold to Mexico and renamed " Santos Delgollado " . Battle honors . " Gladiator " received two battle stars for World War II service . Mexican Navy service . The former " Gladiator " was sold in 1973 to the Mexican Navy , which renamed her ARM " Santos Delgollado " ( C75 ) . Her pennant number was later changed to G07 , before it was changed a final time to P106 in 1993 . , " Santos Delgollado " was in active service with the Mexican Navy .