USS Strategy ( AM - 308 ) USS " Strategy " ( AM - 308 ) was a steel - hulled built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She had a courageous and adventurous life in clearing minefields in areas controlled by Japanese forces . She survived attacks by Japanese gunfire and planes , and won four battle star s for her service under battle conditions . She was laid down on 4 October 1943 by Associated Shipbuilders , Seattle , Washington ; launched on 28 March 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . J . E . Kelley ; and commissioned on 22 September 1944 , Lt . V . A . Brown , USNR , in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . " Strategy " sailed on 20 October for San Pedro , California , and held her shakedown in Los Angeles Harbor . After sound training at San Diego , California , she returned to San Pedro . On 6 December , she got underway for Hawaii and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 14 December . She was attached to Mine Division 36 and began rehearsals at Lahaina Roads , Maui , for the invasion of Iwo Jima . " Strategy " sortied with Task Group 51 , LST Flotilla One , in the screen of Tractor Group Able , for Ulithi on 22 January 1945 . The group remained there from 3 to 5 February and then steamed to the Mariana Islands where final staging for the Iwo Jima operation was begun . She was detached from the screen and , with her division , sailed for Iwo Jima on the 13th . The mine division arrived off that island three days later and began sweeping mines for the landings which began on the 19th . The ship remained off Iwo Jima until 28 February when she sailed to Saipan . " Strategy " arrived on 5 March and , two days later , steamed to Ulithi to rejoin her division . Under attack by Japanese planes . " Strategy " reached Ulithi on 8 March ; rejoined her unit ; and , on 19 March , was underway for the Ryukyu Islands . There , the division began sweeping mines on 25 March to clear the way for U . S . Army landings the next day . The minesweeper then helped clear the approaches to Okinawa for the impending invasion of 1 April . One of the war ' s heaviest attacks by Japanese suicide planes occurred on 6 April . One plane made a glide approach on a nearby merchant ship , and the minesweeper opened fire with all of its guns . A wing tank was hit , and the plane burst into flames and fell short of its target . Another followed within two minutes , and the guns from " Strategy " soon had it blazing , but it banked and crashed into SS Logan Victory . The sweeper closed the ammunition - laden merchantman and rescued 48 survivors . " Strategy " operated in the Okinawa area until 5 May when she departed for Ulithi . The ship put in at Ulithi on 9 May and refitted there until the 20th when she and other ships of her division escorted a resupply convoy back to Okinawa , arriving a week later . " Strategy " operated from Kerama Retto until 31 July . In June , she helped clear area " Zebra " in the East China Sea of an antisubmarine minefield . She then aided in clearing another area of about northwest of Okinawa , almost to Kyūshū . The operation took more than three weeks , after which the ship returned to Buckner Bay for logistics . On 6 August , she sailed for Leyte for an availability period . End - of - War operations . " Strategy " was at Leyte when hostilities with Japan ceased . The ship sailed for Japan on 28 August . At Kii Suido , Wakayama , Honshū , she swept mines for the occupation forces until 5 October . The ship then moved to Nagoya , Japan , on 7 October and remained in that area until the 19th when she went to Sasebo . She rejoined Mine Squadron 36 in sweeping known minefields from Kyūshū to Korea until early December . " Strategy " sailed from Japan on 12 December 1945 , en route to the California coast , via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor . End - of - War deactivation . " Strategy " reached San Diego , California , on 12 January 1946 and was routed onward to the east coast for disposition . She arrived at Galveston , Texas , on 10 February , for a pre - inactivation overhaul . The minesweeper then moved to Orange , Texas , on 10 May 1946 and , four days later , was decommissioned and assigned to the U . S . 16th Fleet . " Strategy " was redesignated MSF - 308 on 7 February 1955 while in reserve . " Strategy " was struck from the Navy List on 1 October 1967 . Awards . " Strategy " received four battle stars for World War II service .