The USS Avocet (AMCU-16), originally laid down as LCI(L)-653, was a World War II-era landing craft infantry built by the New Jersey Shipbuilding Corporation in Barber, New Jersey. Launched on 14 July 1944 and commissioned shortly thereafter on 21 July 1944, she was an LCI-351-class vessel primarily designed for amphibious operations. During her service in the final year of World War II, LCI(L)-653 was assigned to the Pacific Theater, where she operated around the Philippines in spring 1945. Her activities included participating in the occupation of smaller islands near Mindanao and within the Sulu Archipelago, contributing to the Allied effort to secure and establish control over strategic and occupied islands. Following the war, she was decommissioned and placed in reserve on 6 June 1946. Her reactivation came in 1952 when she was reclassified as a minehunter and renamed USS Avocet (AMCU-16). Her conversion to a minehunter was carried out at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard beginning July 1953, and she was recommissioned in December of that year. Her brief post-conversion service included operating out of San Diego, where she conducted experiments for the Naval Electronics Laboratory, served as a sonar training vessel, and participated in mine-hunting exercises. In early 1955, USS Avocet moved to San Francisco to prepare for inactivation. During her overhaul, she was reclassified as a coastal mine-hunter (MHC-16). She was towed to Stockton, California, and decommissioned there on 20 May 1955. Her disposal was authorized at the end of 1959, and her name was struck from the Navy List on 1 January 1960. Throughout her service, USS Avocet earned one battle star for her World War II operations, marking her contribution to the Pacific campaign. Her ultimate fate after decommissioning remains unknown.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.