From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

Enhance

To augment or add.

(MSO - 437: dp. 620; l. 172'; b. 36'; dr. 10'; s. 16 k.; cpl. 74; a. 1 40 mm.; cl. Agile)

Enhance (AM-437) was launched 11 October 1952 by Martinolich Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif., sponsored by Mrs. A. C. Martinolich; reclassified MSO-437, 7 February 1955; and commissioned 16 April 1955, Lieutenant R. P. Green in command.

From her home port, Long Beach, Calif., Enhance operated along the west coast on training and exercises in mine warfare. She sailed from Long Beach 1 October 1956 for her first tour of duty with the 7th Fleet in the Far East. During that fall's crisis over the Suez Canal, Enhance patrolled in the Sea of Japan, recording the movement of shipping, as part of the intensified alertness required of the Navy during periods of international tension anywhere in the world. She returned to Long Beach 12 April 1957 and resumed her west coast operations.

During her second Far Eastern deployment, from 2 April 1959 to 16 October, Enhance joined in exercises with minecraft of the navies of the Republics of China and Korea. Returning to west coast operations, on 8 January 1960 she rescued four men from an overturned sailboat off Long Beach. In June 1960 she visited Portland, Oreg. Enhance spent the remainder of the year conducting type training and under overhaul at San Diego.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.fr)