The USS Brant (AM-24) was a Lapwing-class minesweeper constructed for the United States Navy, launched on 30 May 1918 by Sun Shipbuilding Co. in Chester, Pennsylvania. She was commissioned on 5 September 1918 and initially assigned to the Minesweeping Force, 5th Naval District, where her early duties included sweeping convoy courses off the coast of Virginia. During December 1918, she served as a lightship off Virginia, and from May 1919, she was under the Director of Tugs, 5th Naval District, performing towing and harbor operations at Norfolk. In September 1919, Brant reported to the Pacific Fleet at San Diego, and she remained on the West Coast until June 1941, functioning as a minesweeper, target vessel, and fleet tug, with occasional movements to the East Coast, Caribbean, Panama Canal Zone, and Hawaiian Islands. She arrived at the New York Navy Yard on 1 August 1941, where she began testing mines and performing various operations along the U.S. East Coast. During World War II, Brant was active in multiple theaters. She arrived in Newfoundland in late 1941, performing towing, escort, and picket duties. She assisted grounded vessels such as the SS Anderson, SS Kitty's Brook, and SS Magnhild, and was involved in salvage operations. Her designation changed to Ocean tug AT-132 in June 1942, and later to rescue salvage ship ARS-32 in September 1942. In the Mediterranean, from late 1942 to December 1943, she operated at ports in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, participating notably in the Sicilian occupation and Salerno landings. A significant incident occurred on 10 August 1943, when Brant was accidentally shelled by the destroyer USS Benson off Sicily due to poor visibility and communication errors, resulting in ten fatalities, 18 wounded, and damage on her main deck. Despite this, she continued her service, including participating in the Normandy invasion in June 1944, providing salvage and logistical support. After the war, Brant was stationed in Germany before returning to the U.S., arriving at New London in August 1945. She was decommissioned on 19 December 1945 and transferred to the Maritime Commission in August 1946. Throughout her service, USS Brant earned three battle stars for her contributions during World War II, marking her as a notable vessel in naval salvage and minesweeping operations during the conflict.

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