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Sunday, August 12, 2012

"The USS Inaugural (AM-242) was an Admirable-class fleet minesweeper. The Admirable class was the largest and one of the most successful classes of U.S. minesweepers ordered during World War II. Inaugural was launched on 1 October 1944, and was commissioned on 30 December, with Lieutenant John H. Pace USNR in command.

The ship was decommissioned in 1946 and set up as a museum ship in St. Louis, Missouri in 1968.

Inaugural had performed its duties with distinction. By the end of its career, the vessel had cleared eighty-two mines and was awarded two battle stars for service during World War II.

Inaugural was ripped from its mooring and grounded a mile downstream in the flood of 1993.*"

Normally the water level is sufficient to keep anyone from making it out to her, other times she's fully submerged beneath the river. Not only did we find ourselves fortunate enough to finally be standing on the USS Inaugural, but we also found a way inside for a rare look at the interior of this legendary WWII warship which has been submerged and rusting on this muddy Mississippi river bank in Saint Louis for the past 20 years. Getting inside was a challenge itself but it was also rather difficult to navigate the cramped dark interior spaces, especially due to the fact that the ship is resting at about a 45 degree angle and mostly full of mud and water. Fortunately, we were able to explore a decent portion of the interior wherein we found rusty levers, gauges and other unidentified machinery which likely hadn't been touched since the fateful day in which she came loose and sank all those years ago.

Source:Wikipedia. All vintage historic photos are courtesy of Jared Johnson: https://ussinaugural.org/index.html

Update: 10/2012: The guns have been removed from the Inaugural sometime since this visit took place.

Update: 1/2013: The Inaugural is currently being cut up into scrap..

Begin Historic Photos

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis

End Historic Photos

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Shipwreck

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
USS Inaugural's 3" 50 Caliber Dual Purpose Gun

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Looking back at USS Inaugural's 50-cal gun, deck and bridge

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Closeup of hardware on deck aboard USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Closeup of hardware on deck aboard USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Bridge Exterior Closeup - USS Inaugural

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Door on Bridge of Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Interior of USS Inaugural Bridge

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Interior looking out of USS Inaugural Bridge

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Muddy Equipment onboard USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Compass Compensating Control Box onboard USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Rear Door and Hatch Midship USS Inaugural

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USS Inaugural Aft-Deck

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
20mm Gun in the mud

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Interior Ladder USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Interior Mechanical Room USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Interior Mechanical Room USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Partially Submerged Interior Mechanical Room

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Gauges Inside of the USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Rusty Equipment Onboard the USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Various Rusting Levers and Equipment

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Rusting Equipment Onboard USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Rusting Equipment Onboard USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
Rusting Equipment Onboard USS Inaugural

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
USS Inaugural Shipwreck 50 Caliber Deck Gun

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
USS Inaugural Shipwreck 50 Caliber Deck Gun Closeup

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
USS Inaugural Shipwreck

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
USS Inaugural Point Blank

USS Inaugural WWII Minesweeper Saint Louis copyright 2024 sublunar
USS Inaugural Shipwreck

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