The USS Hawk (MSC(O)-17/AMS-17/YMS-362) was a YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Laid down on 24 November 1942 by Robert Jacob Inc. on City Island, New York, the vessel was launched on 22 May 1943, with Miss Marilyn Miller serving as the sponsor. She was completed by 30 September 1943 and commissioned shortly after, on 4 October 1943. Initially, YMS-362 spent her early service period training along the eastern coast of the United States. In October 1944, she departed Norfolk, Virginia, and joined the Atlantic Fleet before heading to the Pacific. Arriving at Pearl Harbor in November 1944, she took part in minesweeping operations supporting the invasion of Iwo Jima in February 1945, where she notably destroyed two enemy machine gun emplacements during the initial assault. YMS-362 was present during significant historical moments, witnessing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and being in Tokyo Bay during the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945. Her duties around the Japanese home islands continued until December 1945, after which she began her journey back to Charleston, South Carolina, arriving in late May 1946. Following overhaul and refitting, she served with the Atlantic Fleet at the U.S. Naval Mine-craft Base in Charleston. On 17 February 1947, she was renamed and redesignated Hawk (AMS-17). Later, on 7 February 1955, she was reclassified as MSC(O)-17, continuing her role primarily as a minesweeping training vessel. Hawk was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 17 October 1957 and subsequently sold. Her final fate remains unknown. Throughout her service, USS Hawk earned four battle stars for her World War II operations, marking her as a vessel of notable contribution to Allied naval efforts during the war.

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