USS Spoonbill (AMS/MSC-202) was a Bluebird-class minesweeper that served in the United States Navy from 1955 to 1959, after which it was transferred to the Spanish Navy and served as Duero until 1999.
Construction and Commissioning The vessel was laid down on 2 November 1953 by the Tampa Marine Company in Tampa, Florida, as AMS-202. It was launched on 3 August 1954, sponsored by Mrs. A. N. Springer. On 7 February 1955, it was reclassified as a coastal minesweeper with the hull designation MSC-202. The ship was commissioned on 14 June 1955, with Lieutenant (junior grade) Arthur P. Ismay in command.
Design and Characteristics Spoonbill was among the first group of non-magnetic minesweepers constructed of wood, designed to sweep any conventional type of mine in use at the time. It displaced 335 long tons (340 t), measured 144 feet (44 m) in length, had a beam of 28 feet (8.5 m), and a draft of 8 feet 4 inches (2.54 m). It was powered by two General Motors 8-268A diesel engines producing 880 horsepower (660 kW) each, driving two screws, and achieved a top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). The ship had a complement of 39 personnel and was armed with two 20 mm Oerlikon cannons for anti-aircraft defense.
Operational History On 4 July 1955, Spoonbill was assigned to the United States Mine Force, Atlantic Fleet, based in Charleston, South Carolina. After shakedown training off Key West, Florida (26 July to 24 August 1955) and post-shakedown availability in Jacksonville, Florida, it returned to Charleston. On 3 February 1956, it steamed to Yorktown, Virginia, for duty with the Naval Mine Warfare School, where it embarked students for daily minesweeping operations and fleet training. In January 1957, the ship sailed for Argentia, Newfoundland, participating in fleet exercises from 15 January to 7 February before returning to Charleston. On 4 February 1958, Spoonbill transited the Panama Canal and arrived in San Diego, California, on 28 February, later moving to Treasure Island, California, for operations until February 1959.
Decommissioning and Transfer Ordered back to the East Coast, Spoonbill arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, on 9 March 1959 for overhaul in preparation for transfer. It was struck from the Navy List on 16 June 1959 and decommissioned the same day. On 1 July 1959, the vessel was transferred to Spain under the Military Assistance Program, where it served as Duero (hull numbers M-28 and later M-23). Duero was struck from the Spanish Navy List on 16 December 1999. Its final fate is unknown.
