The USS Conquest (MSO-488) was an Agile-class minesweeper constructed for the United States Navy, designed as a non-magnetic vessel to facilitate effective minesweeping operations. Laid down on 26 March 1953 by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation in Tacoma, Washington, she was launched on 20 March 1954, with Mrs. C. D. Henderson sponsoring the launch. Originally designated AM-488, she was reclassified as MSO-488 on 7 February 1955, reflecting her status as a minesweeper, ocean (MSO). The vessel was officially commissioned on 8 July 1955. Conquest’s initial activities involved trials and training out of Long Beach, California, where she operated until 2 October 1956. Her first international goodwill visit took her to Acapulco, Mexico, from 10 to 14 October 1956. She then prepared for her first Far East deployment, departing Long Beach on 4 March 1957. During this mission, she visited Chinhae, South Korea, and Kaohsiung, Formosa, engaging in minesweeping exercises with the Republic of China Navy. Her itinerary also included calls to Hong Kong and various Japanese ports, emphasizing her role in regional security and naval cooperation. She returned to Long Beach on 13 September 1957 for overhaul. Throughout 1958, Conquest conducted local operations out of Long Beach and participated in minesweeping exercises at Esquimalt, Nootka Sound, and Vancouver, British Columbia, from October to November. Between August 1959 and March 1960, she again served in the Far East, continuing operations into June 1960. Her service record reflects a focus on training, international cooperation, and regional security. Decommissioned on 29 June 1994, Conquest was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day and subsequently sold to the Republic of China on 1 March 1995 for $742,779, where she was renamed Yung Tzu (MSO-1307). Over her career, USS Conquest earned 26 unit awards and citations, marking her as a notable vessel in the post-World War II minesweeping fleet.

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