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USS Sage (AM-111)
Encyclopedia
USS Sage (AM-111) was an acquired by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.
Sage was laid down on 29 July 1942 by the Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company
Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company
Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company was a shipyard that operated from 1903 until 1959 on Bainbridge Island, Washington.The shipyard was built as an expansion of Hall Bros. Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company of Port Blakely, Washington, on near the village of Madrone, later renamed...
, Winslow, Washington
Winslow, Washington
Winslow is the name of the downtown area of the city of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and is the original name of the city. It encompasses the area around the main street, Winslow Way, and is made up of approximately overlooking Eagle Harbor....
; launched on 21 November 1942; sponsored by Miss Shirley Woodman; and commissioned on 23 August 1943, Lt. Franklyn K. Zinn, USNR, in command.
World War II Pacific operations
Following shakedownShakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
off the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast, Sage moved west to Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. Arriving on 20 October, she departed again on the 28th; proceeded to Midway Island, whence she provided escort services to the Ellice
Ellice
Ellice is a former provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1979 and eliminated in 1989.The riding was located in west-central Winnipeg, in the area of the future Minto and St...
and Phoenix Islands
Phoenix Islands
The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight atolls and two submerged coral reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands and west of the Line Islands. They are a part of the Republic of Kiribati. During the late 1930s they became the site of the last attempted colonial...
; then returned to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Through December 1943 and into January 1944, she conducted minesweeping exercises and experiments and was altered to carry a small support landing craft. On 22 January, she embarked a hydrographic
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
party; and, on the 23rd, she sortied with Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
51, the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
assault force.
On the 31st, Sage commenced minesweeping and hydrographic
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
survey operations at Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
; and, four days later, shifted to Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
. For the next week, she alternated antisubmarine patrols with sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
watch duty at the entrance to the lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
. On 11 February, she and three other AM's tracked and attacked a possible submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
one mile off Gea
GEA
GEA was a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded by Gustaf Ericsson in 1904 in Stockholm. Originally the company was located in Arbetargatan, but later it moved to Liljeholmen. Together with his study friends from Chalmers University of Technology K G Karlsson and Erik L Magnus they had the...
, but the depth charges they dropped seemingly inflicted little or no damage. On the 15th, however, she sailed with Task Group 51.11 for Eniwetok; and, the same day, joined the destroyers and in sinking the Japanese submarine RO-40.
Two days later, Sage, with , YMS-262
USS James M. Gilliss (AMCU-13)
USS James M. Gilliss was a acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent ships from passing.-Operational history:...
, and YMS-383, was detached from the formation. Proceeding to Wide Pass, they commenced sweeping operations at 0617; and, at 0726, entered the lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
. An hour and one half later, they sighted personnel on board a beached Japanese ship. After shelling the ship, they resumed sweeping operations and added patrol duties which continued until mid-March.
Reassigned to task force TF 51, Sage departed Eniwetok and returned to Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, whence her task group moved to occupy the outer islands of the Marshall group: Ailinglapalap, Namu
Namu Atoll
Namu Atoll is a coral atoll of 54 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. Its total land area is only , but that encloses a lagoon of...
, and others to the southeast; Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
, Rongelap, and Utirik to the north.
Stateside overhaul
Escort duty followed these operations and took Sage back to Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, then to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Arriving on 7 May, she underwent overhaul at Alameda, California
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
; resumed escort duty on 11 June; and, by mid-August, had completed several runs between the Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an and Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. The following month, she received more up-to-date radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
equipment; and, on 23 September, she departed Hawaii with another westbound convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
. On 3 October, she arrived at Eniwetok; shifted from Task Unit (TU) 31.5.3 to task unit TU 31.5.2; and continued on to the Admiralties to stage for the invasion at Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
.
Sage, with others of her division, MinDiv
MinDiv
MinDiv is a standard U.S. Navy abbreviation or acronym for "Minesweeper Division."The Commander of a minesweeper division is known, in official Navy communications, as COMMINDIV , such as COMMINDIV EIGHT....
13, arrived in Seeadler Harbor
Seeadler Harbor
Seeadler Harbor, also known as Port Seeadler, is located on Manus Island, Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea and played an important role in World War II...
, Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
, on 9 October. On the 10th, she sortied with task group TG 77.5 and headed northwest. On the 17th, her division left the formation and, despite high winds, frequent squalls, and reduced visibility, commenced sweeping operations at the entrance to Leyte Gulf. At 0207 on the 20th, the minesweepers began maneuvering to avoid the main body of the assault force as it entered the gulf and, soon after 0630, they resumed mine disposal activities. Two hours later, the invasion was in progress and enemy planes became active.
Leyte Gulf operations
Minesweeping activities continued through the 23rd. On the 24th, intensified enemy air activity opened the multi-phased Battle for Leyte Gulf, and Sage was ordered to make smoke to cover smaller vessels in her area. She then anchored in San Pedro BaySan Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
, where she remained through the concluding actions of the battle. On the 27th, she cleared the bay and moved to the site of the Battle off Samar
Battle off Samar
The Battle off Samar was the centermost action of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history, which took place in the Philippine Sea off Samar Island, in the Philippines on 25 October 1944...
, where, for the next four days, she searched for survivors of the ships sunk during the engagement. Her lookouts sighted only unoccupied life rafts and life rings.
On the evening of the 31st, Sage returned to San Pedro Bay, whence she conducted sweeps from 3 to 7 November. She then shifted her operations to an area north of Suluan and, on the 13th, returned to Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
. On the 19th, she assumed antisubmarine patrol duties between Homonhon and Manicani, where a party from the ship provided the first medical assistance to the inhabitants in over three years.
From the 23d to the 29th, the AM patrolled off the entrance to Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
; then, after a week's rest, departed San Pedro Bay to support operations against Japanese facilities at Ormoc Bay
Battle of Ormoc Bay
The Battle of Ormoc Bay was a series of air-sea battles between Imperial Japan and the United States in the Camotes Sea in the Philippines between 11 November and 21 December 1944, part of the Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II. The battles resulted from Japanese operations to...
. On 6 December, she moved through Canigao Channel
Canigao Channel
Canigao Channel is a body of water in the Philippines that connects the Bohol Sea with the Camotes Sea. It lies between Bohol Island and Leyte Island....
and conducted sweeps in the Camotes Sea
Camotes Sea
The Camotes Sea is a small sea within the Philippine archipelago, between the Eastern Visayas and the Central Visayas. It is bordered by the islands of Leyte to the north and east, Bohol to the south, and Cebu to the west. The sea is connected to the Visayan Sea to the northwest, and to the Bohol...
. On the 7th, she patrolled off the entrance to Ormoc Bay as the 77th Infantry Division was landed. Then, on the 8th, she returned to San Pedro Bay.
Operating with the Mindoro Attack Force
Four days later, Sage sortied with the MindoroMindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
Attack Force. Enemy air attacks plagued the force as it moved toward the assault area north of Mangarin Bay; but, on the 14th, Sage commenced minesweeping operations off the island and, early on the 15th, moved in toward White Beach to clear the way for the troops assigned to land near the Tubaong River. By mid-morning, she had recovered her gear and assumed covering duties for the smaller minecraft working in closer to the beaches.
Later in the day, as the troops moved off the beaches and secured their objectives, she got underway to return to Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, where she prepared for her next invasion, Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
, on Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
.
On 2 January 1945, Sage departed Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
. During the next three days, Japanese aircraft, kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
s, swarmed over the Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.Sulu Sea contains a number of...
in an attempt to stop the Allied attack force. On the 6th, Sage reached her destination; and, at daylight, commenced sweeping in the gulf. Enemy aerial resistance continued and intensified. On the 8th, Sage was detached from sweeping duties and assigned to support YMS operations. On the 9th, troops streamed ashore at Lingayen
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
The Liberation of Lingayen Gulf was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 9 January 1945, an Allied force commanded by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf began approaching the shores of Lingayen. U.S...
and San Fabian
San Fabian, Pangasinan
San Fabian is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 74,005 people in 12,690 households....
; and., on the 14th, Sage cleared Lingayen Gulf to escort a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
back to Leyte.
Subic Bay operations
She departed Leyte for Luzon again on the 25th. Three days later, she was at MindoroMindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
; and, at 0358 on the 29th, she commenced sweeping approaches to landing areas on the southern Zambales
Zambales
Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, and Bataan to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea and the Zambales Mountains. With a land area of...
coast. Within hours, Operation "Mike VII" had landed troops near San Antonio
San Antonio, Zambales
San Antonio is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales in the Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 32,494 people in 6,483 households in an area of 18,812 hectares...
, San Narciso
San Narciso, Zambales
San Narciso is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 24,856 people in 5,319 households.San Narciso is famous for its beaches that is suited for surfing...
, and San Felipe
San Felipe, Zambales
San Felipe is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2007 Philippine census, it has a population of 21,322 people in 4,094 households.-Barangays:San Felipe is politically subdivided into 11 barangays....
to cut off a Japanese retreat into Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
. In the afternoon, Sage shifted to the entrance of Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
; conducted antisubmarine patrols there until the next morning; then moved into the bay for sweeping missions.
On 4 February, Sage departed Subic Bay; returned briefly to Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
; then sailed east to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
; whence she set a course for Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
where she staged for Operation Iceberg, the invasion of the Ryukyus. By 20 March, she had left the western Carolines behind and was moving northwest with task group TG 52.4. From the 24th to the 31st, she helped clear the way for the forces approaching Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
and Okinawa. On 31 March and 1 April, she replenished at Kerama Retto; then, got underway to support the main assault force as it went ashore on Okinawa's Hagushi
Hagushi
Hagushi bay was the primary unloading point for American supplies during the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. The bay, at the mouth of the Bishi River , was the dividing line between the First and Sixth US Marine divisions, which landed on the Hagushi beaches to the north, and the Seventh...
beaches.
Patrol assignment
On the 3rd, she added patrol operations to her duties; and, on the 7th, she assisted in rescue operations for survivors of ships kamikaziedKamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
on the 6th. She continued her patrol and sweeping work through the 16th; then gained a brief respite. On the 17th, she replenished at Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
; and, that evening, resumed patrol duties, continuing them through the 24th. On the 25th, she reported for escort duty and got underway for Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
.
Sage arrived in the Marianas on 1 May. After stops at Saipan and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, she got underway for Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
, whence she escorted a reinforcement and resupply convoy to the Ryukyus, where she resumed sweeping operations on 4 July. From then until the 14th, she worked in area "Juneau" in the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
. On the 15th, she put into Buckner Bay; and, from the 17th to the 21st, was at sea on a typhoon evasion course. On the 22nd, she returned to area "Juneau" and remained until the end of the month. On 6 August, she got underway again; escorted a convoy back to Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
; and remained in San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
until after the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific.
At the end of August, Sage departed the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and moved back to the Ryukyus. On 5 September, she moved north, to the Japanese home islands, and began clearing minefields and planting navigational aids in waters off Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
. In mid-September, she shifted to Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, where she operated primarily as a minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
and secondarily as a pilot into December. On 17 December, she departed the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
.
Post-War inactivation
Ordered to the U.S. East Coast of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Sage transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
in February 1946; and, in early March, she arrived at Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, for overhaul. Then immobilized and designated for inactivation, she moved south and west in October and, at mid-month, arrived at Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
. There inactivation was completed, and she was berthed with the U.S. 6th Fleet (Inactive) in mid-February 1947.
Recommissioning for East Coast operations
In June 1950, war broke out in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and created a need for minecraft and trained men to man them. In August, Sage, with others of her type, was ordered activated. Recommissioned on 16 March 1951, she was homeported at Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
; and, for the next three years, conducted training exercises off the southeastern seaboard, in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. In March 1954, she deployed to the Mediterranean where she operated with the U.S. 6th Fleet through the summer. In October, she resumed operations out of Charleston; and, in December, she was ordered inactivated for a second time.
Final decommissioning
Reclassified MSF-111 on 7 February 1955, Sage departed Charleston ten days later; and, on the 18th, arrived at Green Cove Springs, FloridaGreen Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs is a city in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,908. It is the county seat of Clay County....
, where she was decommissioned on 19 April 1955 and shifted to the Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
, berthing area. She remained in the Reserve Fleet
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
until 1 July 1972 when she was struck from the Navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
. Sage was sold to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
on 4 November 1973.
Mexican Navy service
On 4 November 1973, the former Sage was sold to the Mexican NavyMexican Navy
The Mexican Navy is the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over...
and renamed ARM Hermenegildo Galeana (C86). Later, her pennant number was changed to G19. In 1993, she was renamed ARM Mariano Matomoros (P117) to free her former name for American frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
, which was purchased the same year. , Mariano Matomoros was in active service with the Mexican Navy.