Soviet minesweeper T-111

History
United States
Name	USS Advocate (AMc-115)
Builder	Tampa Shipbuilding Company
Reclassified	AM-138, 21 February 1942
Laid down	8 April 1942
Launched	1 November 1942
Completed	25 June 1943
Fate	Transferred to the Soviet Union, 25 June 1943
Reclassified	as MSF-138, 7 February 1955
Stricken	1 January 1983
History
Soviet Union
Name	T-111
Commissioned	25 June 1943
Renamed	TV-25, 3 November 1956
Fate	Scuttled in the Barents Sea, 1956
General characteristics
Class and type	Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement	650 tons
Length	184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Draft	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion	2 × ALCO diesel engines, 1,710 shp (1.3 MW); 2 shafts;
Speed	15 knots (27.8 km/h)
Complement	104
Armament	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun; 6 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon; 4 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun; 1 × hedgehog; 4 × Depth charge projectors; 2 × Depth charge racks; 2 × Minesweeping paravanes;

T-111 was a minesweeper of the Soviet Navy during World War II and the Cold War. She had originally been built as USS Advocate (AM-138), an Admirable-class minesweeper, for the United States Navy during World War II, but never saw active service in the U.S. Navy. Upon completion she was transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease as T-111; she was never returned to the United States. The Soviets later scuttled the ship in the Barents Sea in 1956. Because of the Cold War, the U.S. Navy was unaware of this fate and the vessel remained on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was struck on 1 January 1983.

Career[edit]

Advocate was laid down on 8 April 1942 at Tampa, Florida, by the Tampa Shipbuilding Co.; launched on 1 November 1942; sponsored by Mrs. A. K. Brown; and completed on 25 June 1943. She was transferred to the Soviet Navy that same day as T-111. She was never returned to U.S. custody.

T-111 was scuttled by the Soviet Navy in the Barents Sea in 1956.

Due to the ongoing Cold War, the U.S. Navy was unaware of this fate. They had reclassified the vessel as MSF-138 on 7 February 1955, and kept her on the American Naval Vessel Register until she was struck on 1 January 1983.

References[edit]

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.