USS Inaugural

on
Sunk.  In the Mississippi River.

I had heard about the USS Inaugural before, but had forgotten about it..... until I spotted this news story yesterday:

Low Mississippi River Levels Reveal Sunken WWII Ship in St. Louis

USS Inaugural (AM-242) was an Admirable-class fleet minesweeper. The Admirable class was the largest and one of the most successful classes of U.S. minesweepers ordered during World War II. Inaugural was launched on 1 October 1944 and commissioned less than three months later. After seeing combat in the Pacific Theater, she was decommissioned in 1946 and spent two decades in mothballs.



Then, the ship ended up in St. Louis.

Anyone remember when there was a Burger King and Taco Bell tethered to the bank near the Gateway Arch?  The USS Inaugural was part of that floating complex.

Until the mighty Mississippi's flood in 1993, that is.


Long story short, it sank about a mile downstream.  And still rests there today.


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Grace & Peace & Love to you all -

Matt