USS Heron ( AM - 10 ) USS " Heron " ( AM - 10 ) 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 . " Heron " was named by the U . S Navy after the heron , a long - necked , long - legged wading bird indigenous to Louisiana and the vast coastal marshes . " Heron " was launched 18 May 1918 by the Standard Shipbuilding Co . ; sponsored by Miss Astrid Rundquist , daughter of the mine sweep ' s prospective commanding officer ; and commissioned 30 October 1918 , Lt . K . Rundquist in command . 1918 – 41 . Departing Boston 17 November 1918 , " Heron " performed experimental mine sweeping work until 8 March 1919 , when she returned to Boston to be fitted out for foreign duty . She departed Provincetown , Massachusetts and sailed for Kirkwall , Orkney Islands to participate in mine sweeping in the North Sea . She remained in the area for seven months helping to remove the countless mines laid there during World War I . Returning to Hampton Roads 1 November , she proceeded to New York and then to the U . S . West Coast . " Heron " reached San Diego 27 January 1920 to report for duty with the Pacific Minesweeper Division . She sailed for Pearl Harbor to join the Asiatic Fleet . In early October Heron sailed for the Philippines with and . The minesweeper served in the 4th Division mine detachment until she decommissioned at Cavite on 6 April 1922 . " Heron " recommissioned 18 December 1924 and reported to the Aircraft Squadron , Asiatic Fleet for duty as a seaplane tender . She operated principally in Chinese and Philippine waters , performing such diverse tasks as patrol , survey , target - towing , and plane - tending in addition to tactical maneuvers . " Heron " was reclassified AVP - 2 on 22 January 1936 and continued to play an important role in protecting American citizens and interests in the Far East . World War II . When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor thrust America into war on 7 December 1941 , " Heron " ( Lt . William L . Kabler ) was stationed in Port Ciego , Philippines . After supporting General MacArthur ' s defense of the Philippines , " Heron " retired to the Moluccas and set up a base at Ambon . Upon hearing that had been bombed and was in need of help , she got underway 29 December with oil and spare part s intending to rendezvous with the stricken destroyer at Ternate . Next morning , upon learning that " Peary " had left , she headed back to Ambon . Attacks by Japanese aircraft , 31 December 1941 . The following morning , 31 December , an enemy aircraft came in on a bombing run . " Heron " opened fire with every gun on the ship , and apparently enough machine gun fire hit the plane to discourage a bomb drop on the first run . The bomber came in twice more to aim bombs at the twisting and turning seaplane tender , but the agile ship always managed to dodge in time . " Heron " then made a run for a rain squall to the southwest . Some two hours later the weather cleared , and a Japanese flying boat was sighted on the water on " Heron ' s " starboard beam . The aircraft took off and circled " Heron " for almost four hours . About 1430 two sections of three four - engine Japanese patrol planes were sighted . Half an hour later , one of the sections broke off and came in on a horizontal bombing attack . Although this section made three bombing attacks , in each case the ship was maneuvered to avoid the bombs . The second section came in next on a bombing attack , and , on their first run , " Heron " drew first blood by hitting one of the planes with a 3 - inch shell . The plane started smoking , dropped out of formation , and retired to the north . " Heron " was again able to outmaneuver the bombs unleashed by the two remaining planes on a final pass . About this time five twin - engine land - based bombers and three additional four - engine patrol bombers were sighted . The five bombers made a pass over the ship , but did not release any bombs until they had circled again . On the rerun they dropped a stick of bombs . One hit directly on the top of the mainmast , and three others hit just off the port bow . Pieces of shrapnel cut all the mainmast stays to the boat booms , injuring most of the gun crew there . The near misses off the port bow set the paint locker in the forward storeroom on fire , damaged the port 3 - inch gun , killed one of the lookouts , and injured all the gun crew on the port 3 - inch gun and the gun crews on the port machine guns . Next , three four - engine patrol planes made torpedo attacks : one plane on the starboard bow ; one on the port bow ; and the other on the port quarter . " Heron " maneuvered skillfully , and all three torpedoes missed . They then strafed the ship , doing considerable damage . However , the crew of single gun shot down one of the planes as it came in to attack . " Heron " had approximately 26 casualties , or about 50 percent of the crew , as a result of the attack . During that night the fires were extinguished ; the forward hold was pumped out to bring the ship back to an even keel ; and the 3 - inch gun was repaired . When the ship arrived back at Ambon , she resumed tending seaplane s and continued this duty until early 1942 . For her " valiant action " during this period , " Heron " received the Navy Unit Commendation . 1942 – 46 . Following the fall of the Dutch East Indies to the Japanese , " Heron " was based in Australia as a seaplane tender . She remained in and around Australia through early 1944 as an advance base tender . " Heron " also conducted salvage operations and served as an aviation gasoline and fuel oil transport . Departing Australia on 22 March 1944 , she next participated in the landings in the Admiralty Islands during April and then continued her plane tending duties . Steaming to the Solomons 1 September , " Heron " served as tender for Patrol Squadron 101 , which was engaged in search and rescue work as the Pacific Ocean campaign moved into high gear . When the U . S . Navy brought MacArthur back to the Philippines in the momentous Leyte campaign , " Heron " was there , reaching San Pedro Bay on 21 November . In the thick of almost continuous enemy air attacks , " Heron " spent over a month in the Philippines tending seaplanes before returning to New Guinea for repairs . " Heron " again returned to the Philippines in April 1945 to participate in the wrap - up of the war in that quarter , and remained there through the end of World War II . She decommissioned at Subic Bay , Philippines on 12 February 1946 and was transferred to the State Department ( Foreign Liquidation Commission ) in July 1947 for disposal . " Heron " earned four battle stars for World War II service , plus the Navy Unit Commendation .