Sanderling was laid down as
PCS-1393 on 22 May 1943 by
Robert Jacob Inc. of
City Island, New York; launched on 26 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Joseph K. Harvey; and commissioned on 9 June 1944. Initially assigned to the
3rd Naval District,
YMS-446 operated in the
Staten Island, New York area until 23 July 1945 when she got underway for
California. She arrived at
Newport Beach, California, on 22 August; and, in September, was routed farther west. From 25 September to 11 October, she conducted exercises out of
Pearl Harbor; then continued on across the
Pacific. On 2 November, she arrived at
Fukuoka, Japan; and, for the remainder of the year, cleared shipping lanes to that northern
Kyūshū manufacturing port. During January and February 1946, she conducted similar minesweeping operations off the northern coast of the
Inland Sea to ensure safe passage to and from
Kure. She completed her postwar sweeping duties in mid-February and, on the 28th, departed Japan.
YMS-446 then steamed east. After stops in the
Marianas, the
Marshalls, and the
Hawaiian Islands, she arrived at
San Pedro, California, on 14 April; and, in May, put into
Charleston, South Carolina. During July and August, she underwent overhaul; then, because of personnel shortages, she remained immobilized into December. Early in 1947, the YMS departed Charleston for
Key West, Florida, but returned in February. On the 17th, she was redesignated
Sanderling (AMS-35)). On the 18th, she got underway for fleet maneuvers off
Puerto Rico; but, later in the day, collided with a Norwegian merchant ship and was towed to
Norfolk, Virginia, for repairs. In May, she returned to Charleston; and, two months later, she moved south to conduct operations off
Florida for the Mine Countermeasure Station,
Panama City, Florida. In November, she returned to
South Carolina for indefinite berthing at the Minecraft Base at Charleston. In May 1948,
Sanderling resumed operations along the east and
Gulf Coasts, from
Newfoundland to the
Mississippi River and in the
Caribbean. Based at Norfolk and then at Charleston, she operated primarily from
Hampton Roads, Virginia, south for the next nine years; participating in type and fleet exercises and providing services for the Operational Development Force. During that period, she was redesignated twice: to AMCU-49, effective 1 February 1955; and to MHC-49, effective7 February 1955. In mid-September 1957, she arrived at
Green Cove Springs, Florida, and joined the
Reserve Fleet. Two months later, on 14 November, she was decommissioned.
Sanderling remained berthed at Green Cove Springs until struck from the
Navy List on 1 November 1959. ==Awards and honors==