USS Gull (AM-74)

USS Gull (AM-74) was a minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

Gull, formerly trawler Boston College, was built by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, in 1928; acquired 30 August 1940; converted at the Boston Yards of the Bethlehem Steel Corp. 30 September 1940; and commissioned 3 December 1940, Lt. Comdr. Ernest L. Posey, USNR, in command.

World War II service
Attached to the Inshore Patrol, Gull conducted minesweeping operations in Massachusetts Bay until 28 March 1941 when she sailed for Norfolk, Virginia, via Yorktown, Virginia. Homeported at Norfolk 6 April to 26 August 1941, she operated along the Atlantic coast as far north as Boston, Massachusetts, until sailing the latter date for Argentia, Newfoundland, where she put in 4 September.

Gull continued her exacting duties as a minesweeper at Argentia until the summer of 1944, calling at Boston for repairs as needed.

Decommissioning
She decommissioned at Quincy, Massachusetts, 25 July 1944. Stricken from the Navy List 22 August 1944, she was transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 15 May 1946. She was sold the same month and served commercially as Gudrun.