The USS Tern (AM-31) was an Lapwing-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy, designed for the hazardous task of removing naval mines from water to ensure safe passage for Allied vessels. Laid down on September 7, 1918, at Morris Heights, New York, by the Gas Engine & Power Co. and C. L. Seabury Co., she was launched on March 22, 1919, and commissioned on May 17, 1919, as Minesweeper No. 31. The vessel’s construction featured the typical design of the Lapwing class, which consisted of wooden-hulled ships equipped with gear suitable for minesweeping operations. Initially assigned to the Pacific Fleet, Tern sailed to the west coast and joined Train Squadron (TrainRon) 2 at Pearl Harbor on October 1, 1919. She served in support of the Battle Force for nearly a decade, and her designation was changed to AM-31 on July 17, 1920, when the Navy introduced hull numbers. In 1927, Tern and her squadron moved to San Diego, before transferring to San Pedro, California, in 1933, continuing her operations out of these ports. During World War II, Tern was present at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. She was in upkeep alongside Argonne, with dead machinery, and quickly responded to the attack, firing on an enemy aircraft and rescuing 47 survivors from various ships. She also assisted in firefighting efforts on the battleships Arizona and West Virginia. After the attack, Tern undertook various auxiliary roles, including towing fuel oil barges to Johnston Island, and served as a station ship at Bora Bora in the Society Islands. Reclassified as AT-142 on June 1, 1942, and later as ATO-142 on May 15, 1944, she operated primarily as an ocean tug, towing targets, recovering training torpedoes, and supporting submarine training in the Pacific. She participated in operations across the Marshall Islands, Ulithi, and Leyte, before returning to the United States in late 1945. Decommissioned on November 23, 1945, and struck from the Navy register on December 5, she earned one battle star for her service in World War II. The USS Tern’s versatility and active service record highlight her maritime significance during a critical period in naval history.

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