From Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Redwing

A northern European songbird, the smallest of the thrushes, with an orange-red patch on the underside of the wings.

(AMS-200: dp. 335; l. 144'; b.28'; dr. 8'4''; s. 14 k.; cpl. 39; a. 2 20mm.; cl. Bluebird)

The second Redwing, an auxiliary motor minesweeper, was laid down 1 July 1953 by Tampa Marine Co., Tampa, Fla.; launched 29 April 1954 as AMS-200, sponsored by Mrs. Courtney W. Campbell, wife of U.S. Representative Campbell of Fla.; and commissioned 7 January 1955, Lt. R. L. Anderson in command.

Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, Redwing arrived Charleston S.C., 23 January 1955. Reclassified a coastal minesweeper, MSC-200 on 7 February, she underwent shakedown out of Key West, Fla., commencing 3 March. Returning via Mayport to search for downed aircraft, she arrived Charleston 20 April and commenced minesweeping operations with various units of the Fleet.

Redwing arrived Panama City, Fla. 5 July and provided services to the Mine Defense Laboratory through 9 September. She then joined Tonawanda (AN-89) for special development operations at Key West before returning to Charleston 22 September. Redwing continued to operate out of Charleston until January 1957, participating in minesweeping and amphibious training exercises as far south as Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and Vieques, P.R.

She departed Charleston 16 January to provide services for the Naval Mine Warfare School at Yorktown, Va., and to operate under the Amphibious Training Command, Little Creek, Va. She then conducted surveys in Boston Channel beginning 3 October, followed by exercises the New Jersey coast in January 1958.

Departing New York 25 February for exercises as far south as Key West, she returned to Boston 21 March and for the next year provided services for the Destroyer Development Group in Narragansett Bay. Redwing departed Boston 26 February 1959 en route Norfolk, Va. for overhaul in preparation for transfer to Spain. Decommissioned at Norfolk 16 June 1959, she was struck from the Navy list and transferred to the Spanish Navy as Sil (M-29) effective 18 June 1959.