View source for USS YP-345

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
| Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|United States Navy}} {{USN flag|1947}}
|Ship name=''YP-345'' (ex-''Yankee'')
|Ship namesake=
|Ship owner=
|Ship operator=
|Ship registry=
|Ship route=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder= [[Al Larson Boat Building]], [[San Pedro, Los Angeles]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=
|Ship sponsor= Van Camp Sea Food Co. Inc.
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=1939 
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship maiden voyage=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship identification=238205 
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship honors=
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate= Sunk, unknown cause 
|Ship notes=
*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]]: WTJD
*{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Tango}}{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Delta}}
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=
|Ship type=[[Fishing vessel]]
|Ship tonnage={{GRT|294}} tons<ref name=ws>{{Cite web|first= Jan |last=Lettens |title= Yankee FV (1939~1942) YP-345 (ex-Yankee) (+1942) |website=wrecksite.eu|date=July 3, 2017 |url=https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?257216 }}</ref>
|Ship length={{convert|32.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]<ref name=ws/>
|Ship beam={{convert|8.26|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=ws/>
|Ship height=
|Ship draft= {{convert|3.84|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=ws/>
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship power= 490 [[Shaft horsepower|shp]]<ref name=ws/> 122 [[nhp]]<ref name=Lloyds/>
|Ship propulsion=8-cyl. diesel engines,<ref name=ws/> fuel oil
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship speed= 10 knots
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=
|Ship crew= 17
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament= 2 x .50 caliber machine guns
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''YP-345''''' was a converted fishing vessel which served in the [[U.S. Navy]] during [[World War II]].

==History==
'''YP-345''' was commissioned by the Van Camp Sea Food Co. Inc. of Los Angeles and built by [[Al Larson Boat Building]] at their [[San Pedro, California]] shipyard.<ref name=ws/><ref name=Lloyds>{{cite book|url=https://www.wrecksite.eu/docBrowser.aspx?T12tZPenhtinSBmR4gy1GQ==|title=LLoyds Register of Ships 1942-1943|pages=37 |publisher=[[Lloyd's of London]]}}</ref>  She was completed in 1939 as a wooden hulled tuna boat and christened the ''Yankee''.<ref name=ws/> In 1942, soon after the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], the US government requisitioned 52 of the 79 tuna clippers (including the ''Yankee'') in the California fleet (49 by the [[U.S. Navy]] and 3 by the [[U.S. Army]]).<ref name=NEH>{{Cite web|title=Tuna Fleet Service, World War II (1941-1945)   |website=[[University of West Florida]] Next Exit History|url=http://www.nextexithistory.com/explore/historical-sites/tuna-fleet-service-world-war-ii-1941-1945/  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115172129/http://www.nextexithistory.com/explore/historical-sites/tuna-fleet-service-world-war-ii-1941-1945/| archive-date=November 15, 2019}}</ref> Although slow at 10 knots, the wooden hulls of the tuna boats made them ideal for mine sweeping operations and their refrigerated holds suitable for delivery of perishables.<ref name=NEH/> In addition, their crews were already seasoned and with minimal training, ready for service.<ref name=NEH/> The ''Yankee'' was painted grey and fitted with two .50 caliber machine guns and had the ability to fire depth charges.<ref name=NEH/> The ''Yankee'' was designated as a [[yard patrol boat]] (''YP-345'').<ref name=ws/> Ships of this class were affectionately known as "Yippies".<ref name=NEH/>

She was sent to [[Hawaii]] where Admiral [[Chester W. Nimitz]] was preparing for the defense of [[Midway Island]].<ref name=NHH>{{Cite web|first=Robert J. |last=Cressman|title= YP-284 1942–1943  |website=[[Naval History and Heritage Command]]|date=16 January 2018 |url= https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/y/yp-284.html }}</ref> ''YP-345'' along with ''[[YP-284]]'', ''[[USS YP-290|YP-290]]'', and ''YP-350'', were assembled into Task Force (TF) 4 and assigned to protect and patrol the [[Northwestern Hawaiian Islands]].<ref name=NHH/> On 20 May 1942, they set out from [[Pearl Harbor]] to posts at the several islets and islands that extended from Hawaii out to Midway Atoll: ''YP-345'' went to [[Gardner Pinnacles]] while ''[[YP-284]]'' to [[Lisianski Island]], ''[[USS YP-290|YP-290]]'' to [[Laysan Island]], and ''YP-350'' to [[Necker Island (Hawaii)|Necker Island]].<ref name=NHH/> The converted armed yacht ''[[USS Crystal (PY-25)|Crystal]]'' took station at [[Pearl and Hermes Reef]]<ref name=NHH/> while seaplane tenders ''[[USS Thornton (AVD-11)|Thornton]]'' and ''[[USS Ballard (DD-267)|Ballard]]'', both converted destroyers, were stationed at [[French Frigate Shoals]].<ref name=Rigby>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HvWGDwAAQBAJ&dq=French+Frigate+Shoals+japanese+pearl+harbor&pg=PT305|first=David|last=Rigby|title=Wade McClusky and the Battle of Midway|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|date=May 21, 2019|isbn=9781472834737}}</ref> The ships were tasked with patrolling their area of control, serving as a lookout for any enemy activity, and the rescuing of downed airman.<ref name=NHH/> The YPs also carried aviation gasoline, food, and water if needed at Midway Island.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CinC, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Operation Plan No. 29-42.   |website=Midway 1942 - Source Documents|date= May 27, 1942|url=https://midway1942.ru/docs/usn_doc_00.shtml  |quote=YPs with aviation gasoline, food and water stationed along island chain at following positions: YP 284 at LISIANSKI; YP 290 at LAYSAN; YP 345 at GARDNER'S PINNACLES; YP 350 at NECKER ISLAND.}}</ref> Nimitz had correctly surmised that the Japanese had used the outer Hawaiian Islands to refuel seaplanes to reconnoiter Pearl Harbor.<ref name=Rigby /> In fact, the Japanese had on two occasions flown [[Kawanishi H8K|Kawanishi H8K "Emily"]] seaplanes to French Frigate Shoals where they met awaiting submarines to refuel.<ref name=Rigby/> By denying the Japanese access, the Japanese were forced to cancel "Operation K" which entailed flying four H8Ks from [[Jaluit]] and [[Wotje]] in the [[Marshall Islands]] to the French Frigate Shoals and refueling them from submarines ''[[Japanese submarine I-121|I-121]]'' and ''[[Japanese submarine I-123|I-123]]'' so they could then fly on to Pearl Harbor and ascertain if the American carriers remained in port.<ref name=Rigby/> If they had been successful, they would have found out that the American carriers had already departed Pearl Harbor.<ref name=Rigby/>

YP-345 returned to Pearl Harbor after the [[Battle of Midway]].<ref name=NHH/> On 31 October 1942, while traveling from [[French Frigate Shoals]] to [[Midway Island]], YP-345 was lost to unknown causes 80 miles northeast of [[Laysan Island]].<ref name=ws/> All 17 crew members perished.<ref name=ws/> She was one of the 12 converted tuna clippers lost while on duty during World War II.<ref name=NEH/><ref>{{Cite web|title=California Tuna Clippers   |website=Cool San Diego Sites|url=https://coolsandiegosights.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/img_4865z-california-tuna-clippers-military-service-world-war-ii-click-the-image-to-enlarge.jpg }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{October 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:YP-345}}
[[Category:Fishing ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:1939 ships]]
[[Category:Auxiliary ships of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in October 1942]]
[[Category:Yard patrol boats of the United States Navy]]