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Mine Counter Measures Group, mid-1991

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MERRILL joined the Mine Counter Measures Group after the DESERT STORM ceasefire. After the clearance of the last Mine Danger Area in the North Arabian Gulf, the Mine Counter Measures Group held a celebratory “raft-up.” The Japanese oiler TOKIWA anchored in the middle of the Gulf (which is actually pretty shallow) and the other ships tied up to her. A U.S. frigate remained underway in case of trouble.

The ships are, from left to right (to the best of my ability to reconstruct things):

• M/V CELINA (civilian diving support vessel)
• Saudi patrol boat (Addriyah-class patrol minesweeper, ex-US MSC 322 type)
• USS IMPERVIOUS (MSO 449) (minesweeper)
• USS ADROIT (MSO 509) (minesweeper)
• USS LEADER (MSO 490) (minesweeper)
• USS GUARDIAN (MCM 5) (minesweeper)
• JMSDS TOKIWA (AOE 423) (fleet oiler)
• USS MERRILL (DD 976) (destroyer)
• JMSDS HIKOSHIMA (MSC 669) (minesweeper)
• JMSDS YURISHIMA (MSC 668) (minesweeper)
• JMSDS AWASHIMA (MSC 670) (minesweeper)
• JMSDS SAKUSHIMA (MSC 671) (minesweeper)
• Kuwaiti missile boat (Lurssen TNC-45, probably P4505 JALBOOT)
• M/V VIVI (civilian diving support vessel)

The U.S. MSOs, like the MERRILL, have been decommissioned.

(Thanks to Mark Hosea at FTSCLANT for correcting the identity of the MCM.)