USS Nuthatch ( AM - 60 ) USS " Nuthatch " ( AM - 60 ) was an in the United States Navy . " Nuthatch " was laid down at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Bay City , Michigan on 22 May 1942 . She was launched on 16 September 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . Charles D . Swain , and commissioned on 19 November 1942 , with Commander D . D . Humphreys in command . Service history . Atlantic Fleet , 1942 – 1944 . " Nuthatch " crossed the Great Lakes and steamed down the St . Lawrence River into the Atlantic , and proceeded along the east coast for shakedown . Between January 1943 and April 1944 , " Nuthatch " served in the Atlantic Fleet Convoy Escort Group , operating on the " Sugar " runs . Homeported at Norfolk , Virginia , she operated to and from Santiago , Cuba ; Curaçao , Netherlands West Indies ; Bermuda ; St . Thomas , Virgin Islands ; San Juan , Puerto Rico ; Galveston , Texas ; and Port Arthur , Texas ; and other small ports in the Caribbean and Gulf area . Convoy organization on these runs consisted of one to three Naval or Merchant Marine cargo vessels and tankers escorted by two or three minesweepers . Europe , 1944 – 1945 . " Nuthatch " departed the United States with her division MinDiv 21 , on 7 April 1944 and headed east to Falmouth , in Cornwall . There she staged for the much awaited invasion of France , scheduled for early June . The division sailed from Torquay on 5 June 1944 , and before it began sweeping operations lost one of its units , . Early on 6 June , the division started sweeping the coast of France in assault and check sweeps to assure safe passage channels for the landing craft . Sweeping continued after D - Day , and on 15 June , in the Baie de la Seine , a mine exploded close aboard " Nuthatch " on the port side forward . While no personnel injuries were incurred , the force of the explosion damaged the hull , stopped the engines , and made all electric gear inoperative . However , within two hours , she was underway again , and soon pulled out of range of German shore batteries . Repairs completed in England , " Nuthatch " was soon back on the French side of the Channel . On 25 June as a unit of TF 129 , she participated in sweeping operations for the bombardment of Cherbourg . Sweep operations in the area continued until 1 August when , with her entire squadron , COMINRON SEVEN , she headed for Gibraltar and duty with the 8th Fleet . Until 31 May 1945 , " Nuthatch , " with MinDiv 21 , swept mines and escorted ships in the western Mediterranean ; Marseille , Oran , Naples , Bizerte , Valletta , Palermo , and Maddalena being only a few of her stops . On 31 May , " Nuthatch " hoisted her homeward bound pennant and got underway for the United States . Pacific , 1945 – 1946 . Arriving at Hampton Roads on 15 June , " Nuthatch " underwent repairs , and on 18 September , sailed for Panama and duty with the Pacific Fleet . She arrived at Pearl Harbor on 4 November only to receive orders to return to the United States for inactivation . Arriving at San Diego , on 31 December , she decommissioned on 3 June 1946 , and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet . " Nuthatch " was redesignated MSF - 60 on 7 February 1955 and remained in the Reserve Fleet at San Diego until struck from the Navy List on 1 December 1966 . She was sunk as a target for the Pacific Fleet . " Nuthatch " earned two battle star s during World War II .