The USS Redstart (AM-378/MSF-378) was an Auk-class minesweeper constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Built by the Savannah Machine and Foundry Co. in Savannah, Georgia, she was laid down on June 14, 1944, launched on October 18, 1944, and commissioned on April 4, 1945. As a fleet minesweeper, Redstart was designed to clear naval mines to facilitate fleet movements into combat zones. Redstart's initial operations included a shakedown cruise off the Virginia and Maryland coasts, followed by transit through the Panama Canal to Long Beach, California. Equipped with specialized minesweeping gear such as towable "pigs," cables with cutters, acoustical hammers, and hedgehog weapons, she was capable of detecting and destroying mines by cutting cables that caused mines to surface for detonation. Her post-war duties took her to Japanese waters, specifically Nagoya Bay, where she participated in minesweeping operations to clear remnants of defensive mines. During these operations, she struck an underwater object, damaging her shaft and requiring repairs at Sasebo, Japan. Her service in Japan earned her one battle star. Redstart was decommissioned in 1946 but was recommissioned on December 1, 1950, amid the Korean War. During her Korean service, she conducted extensive minesweeping operations, notably in Wonsan, and engaged in shore bombardments and patrol duties. She participated in numerous operations, earning five additional battle stars, and was involved in combat with enemy shore batteries, sustaining minor damage in 1951. Her operations also included escort duties and maintaining a U.S. naval presence off the Korean coast. Following her Korean War service, Redstart continued operations along the California coast and in the Far East, including ports in Japan, Hong Kong, and Formosa. She participated in various exercises, such as mock atomic warfare, and supported operations with the Formosan navy. She was redesignated MSF-378 on March 1, 1955, and later decommissioned on November 16, 1956, at Astoria, Oregon. Transferred to the Taiwan Navy in 1963, she served as Wu Sheng (PCE-66, later PCE-866) until her decommissioning in 1998. Throughout her service, USS Redstart played a vital role in minesweeping operations during and after World War II and the Korean War, earning recognition for her contributions to maritime safety and naval operations.

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