ATR-31
ATR-31, a sister ship to ATR-78, they were part of the ATR-1 class rescue tugs.
Naval History and Heritage Command

The Life and Service of a World War II Mine Warfare Sailor: Part 15

The USS Sway (AM-120) travels to Miami in March 1945.
By Jason Schreck
April 2021
Naval History Magazine
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We left off with my grandfather and his ship the USS Sway (AM-120) setting sail from Norfolk, Virginia en route to Miami, Florida. They underwent extensive refitting and repairs while in Norfolk and more would follow in Miami along with an unexpected family secret.

28–29 March 1945
Enroute to Miami. 1345: Left division on orders of CominDiv 18 to give medical aide to USS ATR-78. 1512: Medical officer left for tug in tug's whale boat. On advice of medical officer plane requested from NAS Jacksonville, Fla., to take acute appendicitis case to hospital. Stood by tug until plane arrived at 1827. Then set course to rejoin formation, rejoining at 2139.

Stats on these vessels: Wooden-hulled Rescue Tugs built to patrol convoy lanes.

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Jason Schreck

Jason Schreck is a graduate of Christopher Newport University with a Bachelor's in History. He has spent the last 7 years on an ongoing project to research the military history of as many family members as possible, as a part of his ongoing genealogy research. The last two years of which have been dedicated primarily to researching the military records of his two grandfather's military service during the Second World War and beyond. His main areas of research are military, cold war and space age history.

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