USS Sentinel ( AM - 113 ) USS " Sentinel " ( AM - 113 ) was an built for the United States Navy during World War II ; she was the third U . S . Naval vessel to bear the name . It was laid down on 28 November 1941 by the American Ship Building Company , Cleveland , Ohio ; launched on 23 May 1942 ; and commissioned on 3 November 1942 , Lt . Comdr . George L . Phillips , USNR , in command . World War II Atlantic Fleet operations . " Sentinel " reported for duty with the Atlantic Fleet on 15 January 1943 . The minesweeper experienced her first enemy contact on 20 February while escorting from Bermuda to Norfolk , Virginia when an escorting aircraft dropped a smoke bomb 2 , 500 yards astern . Picking up suspected submarine wake noise with her echo - ranging equipment , " Sentinel " attacked on two contacts within a 25 - minute period . There was no evidence of damage to the enemy , except for some dark brown or black matter which appeared after the second starboard depth charge exploded . On 8 March , " Sentinel " , accompanied by , departed Norfolk , Virginia for patrol duty , joined a convoy on the 17th , and anchored at Norfolk the next day . The two minesweepers got underway again on the 19th , and possibly encountered a submarine the next day . They fired depth charges which produced no results , and proceeded to New London , Connecticut . " Sentinel " spent the remainder of the month in training in Long Island Sound and moored at the Brooklyn Navy Yard . North African operations . On 5 April , " Sentinel " resumed patrol duty and escorted to Bermuda on the 9th , after standing by stranded en route as the latter made repairs . The minesweeper departed Bermuda on the 13th to escort convoy UGL - 2 to Europe , arriving at Gibraltar Harbor on the 30th . From 2 to 4 May , the minesweeper escorted the convoy to the Advanced Amphibious Training Base , Ténès , Algeria , where she remained until sailing for Oran on the 9th . " Sentinel " departed Oran on 12 May for anti - submarine patrol until her return on the 16th . The minesweeper got underway again on the 20th , entered the harbor at Philippeville on the 24th , and reached Bizerte , Tunisia , on the 25th . On 30 May , " Sentinel " stood out of Bizerte as an escort for Task Group 81 . 1 . After conducting sound and radar search ahead of the convoy , the minesweeper reached Ghazaouet , Algeria , on 2 June . Departing the harbor on the 3rd , " Sentinel " reached Arseu the same day . " Sentinel " continued her escort and patrol duty along the North Africa n coast until 8 July , when she stood out of Bizerte and set her course for the invasion of Sicily . Sinking . On 10 July , " Sentinel " was part of Task Group 86 . 3 tasked with landing in the Licata area . At 0430 , while serving on antisubmarine patrol , " Sentinel " was attacked by German aircraft . At about 0500 , a bomb exploded about 200 feet off her starboard quarter . Flares inshore of the minesweeper illuminated her for the unobservable enemy aircraft . At approximately 0510 , four or five bombs burst nearby . One opened a hole one foot wide and eight feet long in her after engine room . The damage control party and the after engine room crew were seriously weakened by death and injury , and the radio room and all interior communications , except one sound - powered telephone circuit , were wrecked . Between 0510 and 0600 , the ship was attacked four times more . She repulsed two attacks without being bombed ; but , at 0525 , attacking aircraft released bombs despite " Sentinel ' s " heavy anti - aircraft fire and observable 20 millimeter hits . This attack put the forward 3 - inch gun out of action and killed or wounded half its crew . Bridge personnel and the port side 20 millimeter crew were also hit . All communications were lost , the forward engine room was holed , and the steering engine was knocked out . At 0530 , one bomb hit put the forward engine out of commission . " Sentinel ' s " crew , however , hit two Messerschmitt Me 210 bombers and , at about 0545 , effectively used the after 3 - inch gun and 20 millimeter guns to repulse one last attack . By 0615 , with all power gone , the badly listing " Sentinel " contacted , and the " Green " beach - master by portable radio using dry cell s from hand lanterns . This message brought " SC - 530 " , " LCI - 33 " , and " PC - 550 " to her assistance at the utmost speed . After the more seriously wounded had been evacuated on " LCI - 33 " and " SC - 530 " , it became apparent that the ship would not remain afloat . Her list was about 28° and water was on her main deck when the remainder of her crew boarded " PC - 550 " , at no small risk to the submarine chaser which then remained by " Sentinel " until she capsized at 1030 and went under at 1045 . " Sentinel " was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 19 August 1943 .