Heed was launched 19 June 1942 by the
General Engineering & Dry Dock Company of
Alameda, California; and commissioned 27 February 1943. After
shakedown out of
San Diego, California,
Heed sailed on 24 April for the
Aleutians where she took up patrolling station then acted as escort for
convoys sailing to and from Alaskan ports. After minesweeping operations out of
Dutch Harbor,
Alaska, she sailed for
Pearl Harbor on 1 December and took up duty there. On 22 January 1944 she joined Rear Admiral
Richard L. Conolly's Northern Attack Force for the
Marshall Islands Operations (29 January–23 February 1944).
Heed screened the transports until they entered
Kwajalein Lagoon on 31 January for the initial landings then began her sweep of the anchorage areas. Screening, mine-sweeping operations and
hydrographic work kept
Heed busy until 31 March when she sailed for Pearl Harbor. After escort duties at Pearl Harbor,
Heed joined
Vice Admiral Turner's Northern Attack Force as a unit of the Minesweeping and Hydrographic Survey Group for capture of Marianas'
Saipan and
Tinian (June–August 1944). After screening during fire support missions off the southern coast of Saipan,
Heed patrolled between Saipan and Tinian and subsequently for the next seven months screened convoys between the Marshalls, the
Carolines, and
Marianas.
Heed sortied from
Ulithi on 19 March 1945 as a unit of Admiral
Blandy's Amphibious Support Force for the capture of
Okinawa (14 March – 30 June 1945). After sweeping operations off Okinawa, she acted as patrol and escort ship until 28 April when she sailed for the
United States via Pearl Harbor, arriving
Seattle, Washington, 24 May. With the newest of sweep gear,
Heed sailed again for the Western
Pacific, arriving
Eniwetok 9 October via
Johnston Island. She carried out minesweeping operations at Okinawa,
Sasebo,
Formosa, and the
East China Sea.
Heed returned to San Diego, California, 9 February 1946.
Heed remained at San Diego, California and decommissioned there on 15 January 1947, joining the
Pacific Reserve Fleet.
Heed received five
battle stars for
World War II service.
Heed was recommissioned on 5 March 1952. Departing San Diego, California, 12 May 1952,
Heed transited the
Panama Canal and arrived
Charleston, South Carolina, on 6 June. Between June 1952 and November 1953
Heed operated out of Charleston, South Carolina, and
Norfolk, Virginia, making one deployment to the
Mediterranean (6 January – 21 May 1953) and a cruise to
Quebec,
Canada (3–29 August 1953). Departing Charleston 16 November she sailed to
Orange, Texas, and decommissioned there on 27 January 1954, and once again joined the
Reserve Fleet. Reclassified MSF-100 on 7 February 1955,
Heed remained at Orange, Texas, until struck from the
Navy List on 1 March 1967. == References ==