USS Towhee (AM-388) was an acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. Towhee was named after the Towhee, a North American bird of the sparrow family. Towhee was laid down on 21 March 1944 at Cleveland, Ohio, by the American Ship Building Company; launched on 6 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. C. E. Connors; and commissioned on 18 May 1945. Shakedown voyage Towhee departed Cleveland, Ohio, on 26 May, bound for the Massachusetts coast, via the Canadian ports of Montreal and Halifax, Nova Scotia, and arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, on 10 June. The minesweeper remained at this port through 23 July, undergoing a major overhaul, before proceeding to Little Creek, Virginia, for a continuation of overhaul and shakedown. Pacific Ocean operations Leaving the Norfolk area on 21 September, Towhee headed south for Panama, transited the Panama Canal, and joined the Pacific Fleet on 30 September. A short availability at Craig Shipyard, San Pedro, California, in October prepared the ship for her departure from the west coast; and she got underway for Pearl Harbor on 3 November and arrived eight days later. On the 21st, the minesweeper departed the Hawaiian Islands, but an engineering casualty on the following day forced her return to Pearl Harbor. After spending a month under repair, Towhee again sailed for Japan on 28 December and proceeded via Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, and Samar in the Philippines. Escorting YMS's, the minesweeper reached Sasebo on 1 February 1946 and commenced a short availability alongside for voyage repairs. Departing Sasebo for Saishu To, she spent one week in those waters and then shifted her operations to Tsushima before returning to Sasebo. Assigned as flagship, Task Unit 96.6.2, she participated in part of the gigantic minesweeping operations designed to clear the waters around the Japanese home islands of mines sown during the war and commenced her sweeps in Tsushima Strait on 17 March. East Coast operations After a month of operations, Towhee departed Sasebo on 22 April, bound for the west coast, via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor. Towhee stood into San Diego, California, on 20 May before proceeding on to transit the Panama Canal on 9 June and rejoin the Atlantic Fleet. After a two-day layover at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, the minesweeper got underway north and arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, on