From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

A swift and powerful falcon.

(AM-373: dp. 890; l. 221'1", b. 32'2"; dr. 10'9"; s. 18 k.; cpl. 117; a. 1 3", 2 40mm; cl. Auk)

Peregrine (AM-373) was laid down by the Savannah Machine and Foundry Co., Savannah, Gal, 24 October 1944 launched 17 February 1945 sponsored by Mrs. Ethel K Adams; and commissioned 27 September 1945, Comdr. Carl R. Cunningham, Jr. in command.

After fitting out at the Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston and shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Peregrine became school ship at the Naval Mine Warfare School, Yorktown.

From 1945 to 1951 she conducted daily minesweeping operations in Yorktown, Va., Charleston, S.C., and Norfolk, Va. and also conducted tests on anti-roll gear, and other tests of an experimental nature.

Peregrine spent most of the years from 1951 to 1955 operating out of Norfolk with cruises as far south as Balboa, Canal Zone and as far north as Argentia, Newfoundland. On 7 February 1955 she became MSF-373. On 9 September 1955 she departed Key West Fla., for Port Lyautey North Africa. She operated off Casablanca and called at Gibraltar before sailing for Bermuda and Key West. Fla., arriving at that homeport 8 December.

From 1955 to 1960 Peregrine operated out of Key West Fla., as far south as Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and Cuidad Trujillo, Dominican Republic, and as far north as New York City. On 24 June Peregrine departed for special operations near St. Johns Harbor, New Brunswick, Canada.

Peregrine departed the Key West area again 31 July 1961 enroute to Argentia, Newfoundland returning 5 October. During November 1962, while serving under ComServLant Peregrine escorted Oxford in patrol off Havana, Cuba during the Cuban crisis.

During 1963 Peregrine was involved in a mapping project from Bermuda to Argentia, Newfoundland and Halifax, Nova Scotia, during which time she did not see her homeport for five month. On 25 February 1964 the ship's designation was changed from Experimental Fleet Mine Sweeper (EMSF-373) to general auxiliary (AG-176). Her new designator reflected her operational task of full time testing and evaluating of experimental equipment prior to incorporation of the equipment into other ships of the fleet. In February 1965 Peregrine departed Key West for a South Atlantic cruise to conduct independent project operations. After a return to Key West Peregrine entered Rosyth, Scotland, 20 May. On 27 May Peregrine gained her "Blue Nose," as she crossed the Arctic Circle. For most of the rest of the year Peregrine participated in classified oceanographic operations in the Norwegian Sea. She visited Bremerhaven, Germany, 21 25 October, returning to Key West 10 November.

In early 1966 Peregrine participated in the testing of an experimental oceanographic survey method in Bermuda operating areas. In late 1966 Peregrine was deployed to the North Atlantic on special operations, operating out of Argentia, Newfoundland.

On 1 March 1967 Peregrine got underway from Key West for the Panama Canal which she transited 5 6 March, reaching her new homeport of San Francisco 16 March. She departed San Francisco 25 March, reaching Pearl Harbor 1 April. She departed 4 April for Yokosuka Japan, where she conducted project operations. September and October were spent conducting operations out of Midway. After further operations out of Hawaii, the ship returned to San Francisco 28 November.

Peregrine decommissioned 31 January 1969. She was struck from the Navy List 1 February 1969.