The Auk class were a class of minesweepers serving with the United States Navy and the Royal Navy during the Second World War. In total, there were 93 Auks built.
Prior to the United States entering World War II, they had produced two ships of the Raven-class minesweeper for testing and evaluation. From these two examples it was decided that the use of Diesel-electric engines to power the ship and the minesweeping equipment, rather than separate geared diesel engines to propel the ship and diesel generators to energize the minesweeping equipment, would work better. The Royal Navy placed an order for 32 of these minesweepers from the United States, BAM-1-BAM-32. Because of the additional equipment, the displacement was raised from 810 long tons (820 t) on the Ravens, to 890 long tons (900 t) on what would come to be known as the Auk -class in the USN, and the Catherine-class in the RN.[1]
The Auk class displaced 890 long tons, with a length of 221 ft 1 in (67.39 m), a beam of 32 ft 2 in (9.80 m), and a draft of 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m). They had a maximum speed of 18.1 kn (33.5 km/h; 20.8 mph). The Auks armament varied. All were equipped with a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun on the bow, but many had their aft 3-inch gun removed or replace by two 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns. Originally designed with four 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons, some ships mounted as many as eight.[2]
Five manufactures provided the diesel-electric engines used in the class. These included the Cleveland Diesel Engine Division of General Motors, Cooper Bessemer, Baldwin Locomotive Works, the American Locomotive Company (ALCO), and Busch-Sulzer.[3]
Twenty of the original 32 ships ordered by the Royal Navy were delivered, with an additional two coming from the USN program. They were given "J" pennant number prefixes. Of these twenty-two, three were sunk in action, and 19 were returned to the US after the war.[4]
Eleven minesweepers of the Auk class were lost in World War II, six to direct enemy action including USS Skill, torpedoed by U-593.[4]
The ships were constructed in 11 different shipyards, by 10 different companies, in 9 different states.[5]
