USS PCS-1376

USS PCS-1376 was the lead ship of her class of patrol minesweepers built for the United States Navy during World War II. Later in her career, she was named Winder after Winder, Georgia, becoming the only U.S. Navy ship of that name.

History

PCS-1376 was laid down on 13 October 1942 at the Wheeler Shipbuilding Corporation in Whitestone, New York; launched on 3 April 1943, sponsored by Mrs. J. E. Flipse; and commissioned on 9 July 1943, with Lieutenant (j.g.) John P. Morgan, III, USNR, in command. (Lieutenant Morgan's relationship to American financier J. P. Morgan, Jr. is undetermined.)

Following several days of trials, PCS-1376 departed Long Island for shakedown training in the vicinity of Cuba. At the conclusion of the cruise in August, she reported for duty as a school ship at the Submarine Chaser School located at Miami, Florida. The warship did double duty until the end of 1943 conducting anti-submarine patrols at night and training submarine chaser nucleus crews in the daytime. On New Year's Day 1944, she discontinued her nightly anti-submarine patrols and concentrated on preparing crews to man new submarine chasers. On 1 October 1944, she also gave up training duty but continued to support the schools mission by acting as an escort for larger ships conducting the actual at-sea training. That type of duty lasted until the cessation of hostilities of World War II in August 1945, at which time she resumed actual onboard training.