USS Serene (AM-300) was an built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean and was awarded six battle stars. She was decommissioned and placed in reserve in 1946. In January 1964, the former Serene was transferred to South Vietnam as RVNS Nhật Tảo (HQ-10) in the Republic of Vietnam Navy. She was sunk in January 1974 during combat with Chinese forces in the Battle of the Paracel Islands. U.S. Navy career Serene was laid down on 8 August 1943 by the Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Co. of Winslow, Washington, launched on 31 October 1943, sponsored by Miss Maxine Noblett, and commissioned on 24 June 1944. Following shakedown off southern California, Serene sailed for Pearl Harbor on 29 August. After arriving on 6 September, she performed ocean escort duty on convoy runs from Hawaii to Eniwetok and San Francisco into December; then participated in fleet and type exercises until mid-January 1945. On 22 January, she got underway to escort Tractor Group Able to the Marianas to prepare for the Iwo Jima campaign. Screening , flagship of TG 52.3, Serene arrived in the Volcano Islands area on 16 February and commenced sweeping operations in an area some 15 miles south of Iwo Jima. On the 17th, her division MinDiv 36, moved closer to the target area. Through the 18th they cleared the approaches to the landing beaches. As the troops landed on the 19th, the smaller YMS's were fuelled; and, from the 20th to the 28th, the minesweepers conducted anti-submarine patrols. Returning to the Marianas on 5 March, Serene departed again on the 7th and headed for Ulithi, the staging area for Operation Iceberg, the invasion of the Ryukyus. Departing Ulithi on 19 March, she swept enemy minefields in the Kerama Retto on the 25th and 26th; then, after that anchorage was secured, participated in the sweeping operations preceding the main assault on Okinawa. On the 31st, she took up duty as a marker vessel and antisubmarine patrol ship off Kerama Retto. After the 1 April landings on the Hagushi beaches, she continued her patrol duties and provided assistance to damaged shipping. On the 6th she picked up survivors of the SS Hobbs Victory. On the 7th, she resumed sweeping operations in the sea-lanes in the Kerama Retto Okinawa area; and, at mid-month, cleared the approaches to the assault beaches on Ie Shima.