USS Lark ( AM - 21 ) The first USS " Lark " ( AM - 21 ) was a in the United States Navy . She was named for the lark . " Lark " was laid down 11 March 1918 by Baltimore Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co . , Baltimore , Maryland ; launched 6 August 1918 ; sponsored by Mrs . Henry A . Stanley ; and commissioned 12 April 1919 , Lt . Henry A . Stanley in command . World War I mine clearance duties . " Lark " departed Boston , Massachusetts 3 July 1919 to join the North Sea Minesweeping Detachment at Kirkwall , Orkney , Scotland . Reporting 15 July , she participated in the last three operations conducted to clear the more than 70 , 000 mines laid during World War I . The U . S . Navy had laid more than 80 percent of these mines and had accepted the responsibility of removing them . With the conclusion of the final sweep , 19 September , " Lark " returned to Kirkwall for a brief rest after the exacting assignment , made more dangerous by the strong winds , rough seas , and poor visibility of the North Sea . She got underway for the United States 1 October and steaming via Plymouth , England , Brest , and Lisbon , arrived New York 19 November . Post - World War I operations . The minesweeper operated from Gloucester , Massachusetts , along the U . S . East Coast , with winter deployments in the Caribbean , until 1931 . During that period she transited the Panama Canal twice , on a voyage to Hawaii for Fleet Problem V in 1925 . On 2 February 1931 she departed the Massachusetts coast for the Pacific Ocean , arriving at Oahu 25 April . She operated out of Pearl Harbor for the next 10 years , making periodic cruises to Samoa . In 1941 , as tension increased in the Far East , " Lark " was ordered to the Philippines . Departing 8 May she headed for Manila , arriving 31 May and reporting for duty with Mine Division 9 , Asiatic Fleet , at Cavite soon afterwards . There on 8 December ( 7 December east of the International Date Line ) she received word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and prepared for a similar move on Cavite . The expected worst came on the 10th . Surviving Japanese attack on the Philippines . After aiding survivors of the bombing of the Navy Yard , " Lark " worked her way south to the Netherlands East Indies . Arriving in Javanese waters on the 22nd , she began minesweeping and antisubmarine patrol . At first operating out of Surabaya , she moved in February 1942 to Tjilatjap , the last Allied port in Java . On 1 March she was ordered to western Australia to protect the new logistics center at Exmouth Gulf , and for the next 2 years cruised the coast of Australia from Exmouth Gulf to Fremantle . Conversion to fleet tug . Redesignated twice , as fleet tug AT - 168 on 1 March 1944 , and again on 15 May as ATO - 168 , " Lark " arrived at Brisbane for overhaul and conversion 20 May . Conversion complete , " Lark " departed for the " Admiralties " on 6 July . She served there four months in towing and rescue activities , operating between Manus , Milne Bay , Hollandia , and Morotai . On 13 October " Lark " sailed from Melanesia and joined a convoy headed for San Pedro Bay , Philippine Islands . Dropping anchor on Leyte Gulf on the 25th , she remained off Leyte until 9 November rendering assistance to naval vessels and merchantmen damaged during the fighting and the typhoon winds which followed . Standing out in convoy from Leyte Gulf on 9 November , " Lark " , with in tow , steamed for Hollandia . There she resumed towing and salvage duties , operating in the New Guinea - Admiralties area until 16 October 1945 . She then departed Manus for Majuro en route Pearl Harbor , arriving 9 November . Decommissioning . Ordered to San Francisco , two weeks later , she decommissioned 7 February 1946 , and 15 January 1947 was transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal . " Lark " received two battle stars for World War II service .