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USS Falcon (MHC 59)

USS FALCON was the 9^th ship in the OSPREY - class of coastal mine hunters and the fifth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name. The ship was delivered to the Navy on October 14, 1996, and on October 26, 1997, the FALCON transfered to the Naval Reserve Force and was subsequently used as training ship for naval reservists. FALCON was subsequently laid-up at Beaumont, Tx. On August 2, 2012, the Republic of China Navy completed acceptance of the minehunter and formally incorporated her into its force. The former FALCON was recommissioned as YUNG AN (MHC 1311).

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS FALCON. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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USS FALCON History:

USS FALCON's keel was laid at Intermarine USA in Savannah, Georgia, on July 1, 1993, and she was launched on June 3, 1995. Lillian B. Darden, wife of former Georgia Representative George W. Darden III, served as sponsor. FALCON was commissioned at Port Arthur, Texas, on February 8, 1997, with Lieutenant Commander Peter J. Fanta as her first commanding officer. She subsequently operated from Naval Station Ingleside, Texas, on Corpus Christi Bay. Ingleside had become the principal concentration point for the Navy's surface mine warfare force, bringing together OSPREY-class coastal minehunters, AVENGER-class mine countermeasures ships, mine warfare staffs, maintenance and training organizations, explosive ordnance disposal units and the supporting infrastructure required for specialized mine countermeasures operations.

FALCON subsequently transferred to the Naval Reserve Force during 1997 while remaining a commissioned and operational Navy vessel. Under this arrangement, active-duty personnel were supplemented by Naval Reserve sailors and the ship served both as an operational mine warfare asset and as a training platform for reservists. The system was increasingly applied to the Navy's specialized mine warfare fleet during the late 1990s.

Lieutenant Commander Robert P. Irelan relieved Lieutenant Commander Fanta as commanding officer on March 11, 1998. From April 13 through April 24, FALCON participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 98-1 together with USS OSPREY (MHC 51), USS KINGFISHER (MHC 56) and USS HERON (MHC 52). The coastal minehunters formed the surface mine warfare component of a substantially larger exercise involving forces centered on USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) and USS ESSEX (LHD 2). Their assignments included clearing designated Q-routes, amphibious staging areas and boat lanes in support of the exercise's amphibious warfare scenario.

The Q-route concept was particularly relevant to the mine countermeasures mission. Rather than attempting to clear an entire body of water, mine warfare units could survey and maintain a comparatively narrow designated route through which larger naval formations could subsequently pass. During Joint Task Force Exercise 98-1, mine warfare data from the Texas-based ships were incorporated into the larger tactical scenario through the Joint Maritime Command Information System and geographic translation procedures, allowing the coastal minehunters to contribute to a major fleet exercise even though much of the principal carrier and amphibious activity was occurring in a different operating area.

From May 6 through May 15, 1998, FALCON again operated with USS OSPREY, USS KINGFISHER and USS HERON during a squadron exercise. Explosive ordnance disposal detachments from EOD Mobile Units 3, 6 and 11 participated, allowing the surface ships to integrate sonar search and classification with diver-based investigation and mine neutralization. The exercise was part of the continuing effort to ensure that minehunting ships and explosive ordnance disposal personnel could operate as elements of one coordinated force rather than as separate capabilities.

A considerably larger mine warfare event followed from July 7 through July 17, 1998. FALCON participated in Gulf of Mexico Exercise 98-2, conducted concurrently with Mercury 98-2, together with USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS KINGFISHER, USS PELICAN (MHC 53), USS CORMORANT (MHC 57), USS CHIEF (MCM 14) and USS GLADIATOR (MCM 11). Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 provided the airborne mine warfare component, while detachments from EOD Mobile Units 3, 6 and 11 supported underwater mine investigation and neutralization.

The exercise was broader than a conventional search for exercise mines. Scenarios included simulated small-boat attacks, small-unit amphibious activity and terrorist threats against ships and installations in the Corpus Christi area, reflecting the Navy's effort to expose mine warfare crews to force-protection problems in addition to their specialized technical mission. Representatives of the Royal Australian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy observed portions of the training.

On September 28, 1998, FALCON joined USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS PELICAN, USS KINGFISHER and USS CORMORANT for Fleet Exercise 99-1. The larger exercise involved the carrier force centered on USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65). Once again, mine warfare information was geographically translated so that the OSPREY-class ships operating in the Gulf of Mexico could contribute to the tactical problem being exercised by the larger fleet formation.

Only a few days after completion of the fleet exercise, the six coastal minehunters departed the Ingleside area on October 7 for an approximately six-week Caribbean deployment. USS OSPREY served as the task group commander. The ships first proceeded up the Texas coast to Beaumont and participated in Navy Days activities from October 8 through October 11. The formation subsequently continued into the western Caribbean. The group conducted Mexican port visits from October 17 through October 19; surviving group documentation identifies Cozumel among the ports used during this phase. The group reached Montego Bay, Jamaica, on October 23.

The voyage coincided with the rapid development of Hurricane Mitch in the western Caribbean. Mitch intensified into an exceptionally powerful hurricane and created hazardous conditions across the region. The minehunter formation continued eastward to avoid the storm and sought protection at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. FALCON was among the coastal minehunters present there while the hurricane affected the Caribbean during the closing days of October.

After the weather threat diminished, the ships proceeded to Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, in early November and later returned westward through Key West, Florida. FALCON and the other minehunters reached Naval Station Ingleside on November 19, concluding the deployment. The cruise provided sustained experience in operating a relatively large group of OSPREY-class ships away from their normal support structure in Texas while simultaneously demonstrating some of the logistical limitations involved in moving coastal minehunters over considerable distances.

FALCON continued operating from Ingleside as part of the Naval Reserve Force and remained within the Atlantic Fleet mine warfare training and maintenance cycle in 1999. In early October, she joined USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS PELICAN, USS KINGFISHER and USS CORMORANT for Navy Days activities at Beaumont. Lieutenant Commander James J. Malloy relieved Lieutenant Commander Irelan as commanding officer on November 13, 1999.

FALCON entered a more intensive operational cycle in 2000. On May 8, she joined USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS PELICAN, USS CHAMPION (MCM 4) and USS PIONEER (MCM 9) for a surface mine countermeasures squadron exercise. Operations extended through the Pascagoula, Pensacola and Panama City areas and concentrated on coordinated minehunting, communications, command relationships and preparation for more complex integrated mine warfare training later in the year.

During July 2000, FALCON participated in Gulf of Mexico Exercise 00-2/Mercury 2000. The U.S. surface force included USS INCHON (MCS 12), USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS PELICAN, USS CHAMPION, USS PIONEER and FALCON, together with Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 and explosive ordnance disposal detachments. The exercise included bilateral mine warfare activity with the Republic of Singapore.

The tactical scenario required the mine countermeasures force to support preparations for an amphibious operation. Search and clearance areas included Q-routes, an inner transport area, landing-craft air-cushion lanes and conventional boat lanes. The exercise therefore reproduced one of the central operational requirements for mine warfare forces: opening sufficiently safe access for larger amphibious and support vessels before those ships entered waters where mines could have been laid.

Later in the year, FALCON joined Mine Warfare Readiness Group 2 for an extended deployment to the U.S. East Coast. The group consisted of USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS PELICAN, FALCON, USS CHAMPION and USS PIONEER. The ships assembled after Navy Days activities at Beaumont and began their eastward movement as a readiness group on September 18, 2000.

The readiness group subsequently participated in Unified Spirit 2000 and Joint Task Force Exercise 01-1. These large joint and multinational exercises were conducted along the U.S. East Coast and in the western Atlantic and formed part of the predeployment training cycle of the carrier force centered on USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75). United States, Canadian and other allied forces participated. The mine warfare units operated within the broader fleet scenario rather than as an isolated specialist force, demonstrating how the detection and clearance of mine threats could affect carrier, amphibious and logistics operations.

Following the principal exercise phase, the mine warfare group was divided into smaller task units for additional movements and port visits. USS OSPREY, USS PIONEER and FALCON formed one of these groups. FALCON's presence in the Washington-area portion of the deployment is documented by contemporary Navy photography. On November 4, 2000, she was photographed moored at Robinson Marine Terminal South in Alexandria, Virginia. On November 6 she was photographed underway on the Potomac River. The East Coast deployment provided both operational training and public exposure for the relatively unfamiliar coastal minehunter force. FALCON subsequently returned toward the Gulf of Mexico with the readiness group and was back in the Ingleside operating cycle before the end of the year.

FALCON began 2001 with Gulf of Mexico Exercise 01-1. She departed Ingleside for the exercise on January 12 and remained involved until engineering difficulties forced her early return. The overall exercise was one of the largest mine warfare events conducted from Ingleside and involved USS INCHON, USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS PELICAN, FALCON, USS AVENGER (MCM 1), USS CHAMPION, USS DEVASTATOR (MCM 6), USS SCOUT (MCM 8), USS PIONEER, USS WARRIOR (MCM 10), USS GLADIATOR and USS CHIEF. USNS SATURN (T-AFS 10) provided logistics support, while airborne mine countermeasures helicopters and explosive ordnance disposal detachments formed additional parts of the exercise force.

During the exercise, FALCON exercised command responsibility over three surface mine countermeasures assets and an explosive ordnance disposal detachment and located three target mines. Her participation was interrupted by several engineering problems. A fuel-oil leak developed on the number-one main propulsion diesel engine but was contained. Eight turbo-ring gaskets required replacement. More seriously, a replacement high-pressure pump in the reverse-osmosis system failed to produce the required potable water. Because the ship could not sustain the necessary freshwater supply, FALCON had to leave the exercise early and returned to Ingleside on January 18.

The engineering problems contributed to a prolonged period alongside. FALCON remained at Ingleside through the end of May while maintenance, inspections and training continued. Naval Reserve Force training weekends took place on January 20 and January 21, February 24 and February 25, March 17 and March 18, April 14 and April 15 and May 19 and May 20. Communications readiness certification was conducted on February 21. A shipboard safety survey followed on May 11, and a Supply Management Inspection took place from May 14 through May 18.

On June 1, 2001, FALCON entered a Phased Maintenance Availability at Gulf Copper Shipyard in Corpus Christi. The yard period continued through August 2 and included both scheduled maintenance and technical modifications. The ship was used to evaluate a digital wind-indicator system capable of displaying relative and true wind information together with barometric pressure, air temperature and humidity. A self-contained air-conditioning modification was installed to reduce heat-related loads and casualties affecting uninterruptible power supply equipment. The reverse-osmosis system whose failure had curtailed FALCON's participation in GoMEx earlier in the year also received a flushing modification intended to improve its reliability.

Lieutenant Commander Dermot P. Cashman relieved Lieutenant Commander Malloy as commanding officer on June 29, 2001, while FALCON remained at Gulf Copper. Pre-Light-Off Training phase II was conducted from July 9 through July 12, followed by phase III from July 30 through August 2. The maintenance availability concluded on August 2. FALCON conducted sea trials on August 3 and returned to Ingleside the same day. A Light-Off Assessment followed on August 13.

FALCON was at Ingleside when the terrorist attacks against the United States occurred on September 11, 2001. Force Protection Condition Delta, the Navy's highest antiterrorism security condition, was imposed from September 11 through September 13. The attacks produced immediate changes in security procedures and force-protection practices at naval installations throughout the United States, including the mine warfare base at Ingleside.

FALCON resumed local operations on September 18 in the Corpus Christi area. Further underway periods followed on September 20 and from September 25 through September 28. She returned to sea on October 2 and October 3, October 5 and from October 16 through October 19. The latter period included a swim call on October 17.

The pattern of short local readiness periods continued in November. FALCON operated from November 8 through November 9 and again from November 13 through November 15, completing navigation certification on November 15. She remained alongside from November 16 through November 25 before Command Assessment of Readiness and Training phase II began on November 26. The assessment continued through December 7 and included a search-and-rescue evaluation on November 27. Communications readiness certification followed on December 10 and a further search-and-rescue evaluation on December 12. Holiday stand-down began on December 13. FALCON received the Logistics Management Excellence "E" for 2001.

FALCON began the year 2002 in holiday leave and upkeep status at Ingleside through January 13. A fast cruise, during which the crew rehearsed underway procedures without actually leaving the pier, was conducted on January 14. She operated at sea on January 15 and January 16 for engineering limited-team training. From January 21 through February 1, FALCON entered a Fleet Maintenance Availability. A Naval Reserve Force training weekend took place on January 26 and January 27, while a maintenance and material-management assessment ran from January 28 through February 1 together with further engineering training.

FALCON returned to sea from February 4 through February 6 for additional engineering limited-team training. Ammunition was loaded on February 7, and small-arms qualifications were conducted on February 7 and February 8. February 8 marked the fifth anniversary of the ship's commissioning. Combat Systems Operational Sequencing System validation was carried out from February 8 through February 13. Preparations for electromagnetic signature testing began on February 11. Magnetic equipment was removed or repositioned as necessary before FALCON operated on the electromagnetic range from February 13 through February 15. A fly-away explosive ordnance disposal detachment embarked so that the Navy could evaluate the magnetic effect of the EOD fly-away dive locker and associated equipment on an OSPREY-class hull. Because the ship's survivability in a mine threat area depended heavily upon maintaining a low magnetic signature, even temporary equipment embarked for operational missions had to be evaluated for its effect on that signature.

Additional engineering training followed from February 19 through February 22, and an Engineering Initial Assessment was conducted on February 27 and February 28.

March 2002 consisted of an intensive sequence of training events. Deck, aviation, seamanship, mine warfare and navigation limited-team training was conducted from March 4 through March 6, overlapping dedicated mine warfare training on March 5 and March 6. FALCON was underway for engineering training on March 7 and March 8, conducted another mine warfare session on March 11 and returned to sea for engineering work on March 13 and March 14. A Naval Reserve Force training weekend followed on March 16 and March 17.

Further deck, seamanship, mine warfare and navigation training took place from March 19 through March 21. FALCON conducted an underway demonstration on March 21 and March 22. From March 25 through March 29, she carried out Combat Systems Operational Sequencing System implementation and radar-navigation certification while integrated training-team work was conducted concurrently from March 26 through March 28.

Mine warfare training continued from April 1 through April 4 while FALCON underwent a Technical Availability lasting through April 5. Oil in the cycloidal propulsion system was changed during the availability. Afloat Training Group Ingleside conducted a medical exercise aboard on April 3. Rehearsal for the Final Evaluation Period followed from April 8 through April 12, while planning conferences for the approaching squadron and Gulf of Mexico exercises were held on April 9. Another medical exercise was conducted on April 17, followed by a safety survey on April 19 and Naval Reserve Force training on April 20 and April 21. FALCON's formal Final Evaluation Period ran from April 22 through April 26. On April 29 and April 30, she joined other Ingleside units in Hurricane Exercise 2002, rehearsing procedures for securing, moving and protecting the mine warfare force if a tropical cyclone threatened the Texas coast.

FALCON departed Ingleside on May 1, 2002, for Squadron Exercise 02-2 in the Florida Panhandle. She reached the Panama City operating area on May 4 and served as Commander Task Unit during the exercise. The participating surface ships included USS PELICAN, USS OSPREY, USS CHAMPION and USS PIONEER. Operations took place in waters between Pascagoula, Mississippi, Pensacola and Panama City, Florida, and concentrated on coordinated surface mine countermeasures tactics.

FALCON entered Pascagoula on May 5. She returned to sea from May 7 through May 10, after which an immediate after-action review was conducted. The ship proceeded to Panama City on May 11 and departed again on May 13 for the return passage to Texas, arriving at Ingleside on May 16. Naval Reserve Force training followed on May 18 and May 19. From May 20 through May 31, FALCON simultaneously underwent a diesel-engine inspection, Shipboard Integrated System Calibration and a combat systems, command, control, communications and computer readiness assessment. Calibration work continued through June 7 while the ship was in Fleet Maintenance Availability from June 1 through June 7. Another Naval Reserve Force training weekend took place on June 8 and June 9. The underwater hull was cleaned on June 18.

The Board of Inspection and Survey conducted a major material inspection from June 24 through June 28. The inspection examined the physical condition of the ship and her ability to perform the assigned mission. FALCON received above-average evaluations in several engineering areas and successfully completed an underway detect-to-engage mine warfare sequence during the inspection. A further diesel-engine inspection ran from July 1 through July 12. In-port preparations for Gulf of Mexico Exercise 02-2 were carried out from July 8 through July 12. FALCON ran the electromagnetic range again on July 15 and then went to sea for GoMEx 02-2, remaining involved through July 26.

FALCON formed part of Mine Warfare Readiness Group 2 during the exercise, operating with USS CHAMPION, USS PIONEER, USS OSPREY and USS PELICAN. Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 supplied airborne mine warfare assets, and detachments from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 6 provided underwater mine-neutralization capability. Inshore Boat Unit 15 and Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 108 contributed harbor security and force-protection functions, while Mine Warfare Command's Mobile Integrated Command Facility provided shore-based command and control.

The exercise represented Mine Warfare Readiness Group 2's progression toward deployable readiness. FALCON accumulated the greatest on-station time among the participating OSPREY-class minehunters. She returned to port by July 26. Another Naval Reserve Force training weekend followed on July 27 and July 28.

FALCON remained at Ingleside throughout August. Predeployment leave and upkeep ran from August 1 through August 14, followed by a Fleet Maintenance Availability from August 19 through August 30. Deployment preparations occupied September 1 through September 10. A fast cruise was conducted from September 10 through September 12, and Mine Warfare Readiness Group 2 held its presail conference on September 13.

On September 17, 2002, FALCON departed Ingleside at the beginning of Westlant 2002. She reached Beaumont on September 18 and participated in Navy Days activities from September 19 through September 22. FALCON hosted more than 75 visitors aboard, took part in community-relations projects and held a formal dinner honoring the mayor of Beaumont. She departed Beaumont on September 27 and returned briefly to Ingleside on September 28. The principal operational phase of Westlant began when FALCON left Ingleside again on October 4. She reached Key West on October 8 while preparing for Joint Task Force Exercise 03-1. The mine warfare component included FALCON, USS PELICAN and USS OSPREY, supported by Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14, explosive ordnance disposal personnel and USNS PREVAIL (T-AGOS 8). FALCON served as Commander Task Unit for the surface mine countermeasures ships, coordinating navigation, force protection, scheduling and logistics.

The larger Joint Task Force Exercise was centered on USS HARRY S. TRUMAN and formed part of the final integrated training required before the carrier force's subsequent overseas deployment.

FALCON remained at Key West until October 12 and then proceeded to Mayport, Florida, arriving on October 13. She was underway for Joint Task Force Exercise operations on October 21 and October 22 and made a brief fuel stop at Morehead City, North Carolina, on October 23. She returned to the exercise area from October 24 through October 26, made another fuel stop at Morehead City on October 27 and resumed exercise operations from October 28 through October 31.

FALCON was again at Morehead City from November 1 through November 3. On November 4, she sailed toward Little Creek, Virginia, arriving on November 5. She remained there through November 19. On November 20, the ship operated in the Virginia Capes area on the Forward Area Combined Degaussing Acoustic Range, where her magnetic and acoustic characteristics could be measured under controlled conditions. She returned to Little Creek from November 21 through November 23. FALCON departed on November 24 for New York City and arrived there on November 26. She remained in New York through December 1. On December 2, she began the southbound passage toward Mayport. Command Assessment of Readiness and Training phase I was conducted during the transit and continued through December 6. FALCON remained at Mayport from December 6 through December 8.

She sailed on December 9 for Key West and reached the port on December 12. FALCON remained there through December 14 and departed on December 15 for Texas. She arrived at Naval Station Ingleside on December 20, completing Westlant 2002, and entered holiday leave and stand-down for the remainder of the year.

FALCON's 2002 command report recorded a substantial increase in the use of the AN/SLQ-48 Mine Neutralization Vehicle compared with the previous year and noted that the ship had participated in every major exercise available to an OSPREY-class minehunter during the year. She received the Maritime Warfare Excellence Award, Command, Control, Communications and Information Warfare Excellence Award, Engineering and Survivability Excellence Award and Supply Management Excellence Award, as well as the type commander's Surface Ship Safety Award.

On February 21, 2003, Lieutenant Commander David T. Glenister relieved Lieutenant Commander Cashman as commanding officer. FALCON remained based at Ingleside and continued to operate within the Navy's mine warfare readiness and maintenance structure.

In 2004, the Navy began changing the crewing system used for the OSPREY-class ships. Instead of permanently associating one crew with one hull, named MHC crews could rotate between different coastal minehunters. The system was particularly relevant to the ships forward deployed in Bahrain because crews could be exchanged without repeatedly moving the relatively slow coastal minehunters between the Persian Gulf and the United States.

Lieutenant Commander Robert S. Smith Jr. assumed command associated with FALCON on October 7, 2004, during the implementation of this crew-swap system. MHC Crew Inflict subsequently operated FALCON at Ingleside, while MHC Crew Prestige served aboard USS RAVEN (MHC 61), which was forward deployed at Manama, Bahrain. The distinction between hull and crew is important: FALCON herself remained in the United States. References to a FALCON-associated crew preparing for or completing duty in the Arabian Gulf refer to personnel rotations and not to a deployment of the FALCON hull to the Middle East.

FALCON began 2005 at Ingleside with Crew Inflict embarked. The crew completed holiday leave and pre-overseas-movement preparations from January 1 through January 10. Diesel-engine inspections aboard FALCON began on January 10 and continued through February 6, while Crew Inflict simultaneously conducted sustainment training during much of January and February. A Supply Management Inspection was held from February 7 through February 11.

Crew Inflict progressively left FALCON from February 21 through February 23 in preparation for movement to Bahrain, where it would relieve Crew Prestige aboard USS RAVEN. The FALCON hull remained at Ingleside under the temporary custody of Mine Countermeasures Squadron Two from February 23 through March 9.

Crew Prestige completed its approximately six-month period aboard USS RAVEN in Bahrain and returned to Texas. On March 9, 2005, Lieutenant Commander James R. Midkiff assumed command aboard FALCON with Crew Prestige. The returning crew entered a postdeployment stand-down from March 10 through April 10.

FALCON resumed underway operations on April 18, 2005, and conducted mine warfare training in the Corpus Christi operating area through April 21. She then remained at Ingleside until May 9, when she departed Texas for Panama City, Florida. Minehunting and damage-control training were conducted during the passage, including repeated firefighting drills. FALCON arrived at Panama City on May 13 and remained there through May 17. She departed Panama City on May 17 for the return passage to Texas and reached Ingleside on May 22. A testing and monitoring systems readiness visit followed on May 22 and May 23. FALCON remained alongside until June 10, when she conducted a Family Day cruise. Family members were able to observe shipboard operations and weapons demonstrations, and a steel-beach picnic was held while underway. FALCON returned to Ingleside later that day.

A Continuous Maintenance Availability ran from June 13 through June 27. FALCON subsequently operated in the Corpus Christi area from July 6 through July 8. Another local training period took place from August 8 through August 12, followed by additional underway operations from August 22 through August 24.

Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the northern Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, and caused extensive damage to ports, navigation aids, shipping channels, coastal infrastructure and offshore energy facilities in Louisiana and Mississippi. The Navy's mine warfare force was able to apply equipment normally intended for the detection of mines to the urgent requirement to identify submerged debris, wreckage and other hazards that threatened maritime traffic. FALCON received orders to depart Ingleside on September 4 and remained away from her home port through September 14 in support of the Katrina response. Her assignment included platform surveys in waters affected by the hurricane. The crew visually examined offshore structures and employed the ship's sensors, including the AN/SQQ-32 minehunting sonar, to investigate areas where platforms or associated structures could have sunk or become navigational hazards.

The wider surface mine countermeasures response included USS DEFENDER (MCM 2), USS GLADIATOR, USS SCOUT and FALCON, supported by Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15. Beginning on September 10, the mine countermeasures ships surveyed approximately 938 nautical miles along the Louisiana coast. Their work included areas associated with the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port and other maritime infrastructure important to restoring commercial access and energy operations after the hurricane.

The Katrina assignment was unusual in FALCON's career because mine warfare equipment was being used for a domestic disaster-response mission rather than against an actual or simulated mine threat. The ship returned to Ingleside on September 14 after completing her assigned survey work. After returning to Texas, FALCON spent the remainder of September in port before gradually resuming her normal training schedule. She operated in the Corpus Christi area from October 17 through October 20. Maintenance-management and supply assistance work was also conducted during the month.

FALCON returned to sea from November 1 through November 4. Another local underway period began on November 29 and continued through December 2. She then remained at Ingleside for the remainder of the year. Holiday leave began in two periods on December 16 and December 27, with the latter extending into January 2006.

By 2006, the Navy had begun accelerating the retirement of the OSPREY-class. The coastal minehunters had been designed around a specialized requirement for littoral mine warfare, but future Navy planning increasingly emphasized replacement mine countermeasures capabilities associated with new systems and the Littoral Combat Ship program. The OSPREY-class ships were therefore withdrawn progressively rather than all at once. USS OSPREY and USS ROBIN (MHC 54) were decommissioned at Naval Station Ingleside on June 15, 2006. FALCON and USS ORIOLE (MHC 55) followed two weeks later.

On June 30, 2006, FALCON was decommissioned at Naval Station Ingleside during a ceremony scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. The decommissioning ceremony for USS ORIOLE followed at noon. FALCON was also struck from the Naval Vessel Register on June 30. Her commissioned U.S. Navy career had lasted nine years, four months and twenty-two days.

Following decommissioning, FALCON was placed in inactive Navy custody and ultimately stored with the Beaumont Reserve Fleet in Texas. The United States subsequently considered disposal of the former coastal minehunter through transfer to Taiwan, which maintained an established mine countermeasures force and sought additional modern minehunting capability. FALCON remained in U.S. custody at Beaumont for several years while arrangements for her eventual disposition developed. The Navy ultimately recorded the former FALCON as disposed of by Navy sale on May 23, 2010. She was subsequently prepared for transfer to Taiwan together with the former USS ORIOLE.

The two former U.S. ships began a second naval career with the Republic of China Navy. On August 2, 2012, the Republic of China Navy completed acceptance of the two minehunters and formally incorporated them into its force. The former USS ORIOLE became YUNG JIN (MHC 1310), while the former FALCON became YUNG AN (MHC 1311).

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