USS Nimble (AM-459)

USS Nimble (AM-459/MSO-459) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.

The second warship to be named Nimble by the Navy, MSO-459 was laid down as AM-459, 27 April 1953 by Higgins, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana; launched 6 August 1954 sponsored by Miss Helen M. Wakeman; reclassified MSO-459 on 7 February 1955; and commissioned 11 May 1955, Lt. John T. O'Brien in command.

East Coast operations
Nimble, a non-magnetic minesweeper of laminated wood construction, reported for duty with Mine Force, Atlantic Fleet, at New Orleans, 2 June 1955 and departed for her homeport, Charleston, South Carolina. From Charleston, she continued on to Narragansett Bay for shakedown, thence to Key West, Florida, and Little Creek, Virginia, for various training exercises to enable her to sweep magnetic, contact, acoustic and pressure sea mines.

First European deployment
Until September 1956 Nimble was employed in operations in the 6th Naval District. On the 4th of that month, she departed the South Carolina coast for her first European deployment. Steaming to the North Sea, she participated in NATO exercises, then sailed to the Mediterranean to serve in the U.S. 6th Fleet until 22 February 1957. Beginning with that deployment, Nimble steamed to the Mediterranean for 6 months duty with the 6th Fleet on a bi-yearly basis until 1964. Breaking that pattern in that year, she resumed it in 1965, and has continued to follow it into 1970. Nimble Participated in the recovery effort of the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash.

Supporting NATO exercises and other operations
On her 6th Fleet deployments she has participated in NATO and fleet exercises; while her U.S. 2nd Fleet duties have brought regular Caribbean operations as well as U.S. East Coast exercises including NATO maneuvers. While on the east coast she has also provided services for the Mine Warfare School, the Fleet Sonar School and the Mine Defense Laboratory.

Decommissioning
Nimble was stricken 1 November 1976 and sold for scrapping 1 June 1981.