The USS Condor (AMc-14) was a coastal minesweeper constructed with a wooden hull, originally built as the purse seiner New Example in Tacoma, Washington, in 1937. Acquired by the U.S. Navy on October 28, 1940, the vessel was converted into a coastal minesweeper and officially placed in service on April 18, 1941. During its naval service, the Condor was manned by the Coast Guard and deployed to Hawaiian waters, arriving in Pearl Harbor on May 28, 1941. The ship played a notable role during the attack on Pearl Harbor; it is believed to have made the first enemy contact at 03:50, alerting USS Ward by visual signals about a periscope sighting. This early warning contributed to the initial defensive actions during the surprise attack. At approximately 06:37, USS Ward sighted a periscope, which was later identified as belonging to a Japanese midget submarine attempting to penetrate the harbor defenses. Ward engaged the target, firing the first shots of the Pacific War, marking Condor’s involvement in a pivotal event early in World War II. Throughout the war, Condor remained in or near Hawaiian waters, contributing to harbor defense and mine-sweeping operations. After the conclusion of hostilities, the vessel was decommissioned and placed out of service at San Diego on January 17, 1946. It was struck from the List of District Craft in February 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal on July 24, 1946. The subsequent fate of the USS Condor remains unknown. Overall, USS Condor's service is marked by its key role in the Pearl Harbor attack, exemplifying the importance of small, wooden-hulled vessels in harbor defense and early wartime naval operations in the Pacific theater.

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