USS Leader (MSO 490),    USS Impervious (MSO 449),
USS Engage (MSO 433)    and  USS Adroit (MSO 509)
were sent to the Ship Breakers. This eMail was sent to Al Hines for his Adroit web site. The identification of the ships is more a guess than anything. It is probable that some of the labels are incorrect.
The last three photos were taken during the destruction of the Adroit. In two of them you can see into the forward crew's quarters. Each photo is approximately 2 MBs. If you wish to copy them, you can use Windows magnifying glass to see better detail.

These photos and this eMail came from Frederick Rueckert.

During the 1990's I was living in Wilmington, North Carolina and working for a local push boat and barge company, and I was looking for some side money. I applied at Wilmington Resources a new scrap yard on the river and joined a small group of guys who tackled two ships to scrap at the yard.

Those ships were the ADROIT and the other was the LEADER. We started on the ADROIT first. We were not allowed to work on the other ships, just the wooden ones. I had never scrapped a ship, and my arms were not used to cutting everything under the sun, especially when it was so thick. I don't know if this is good or bad to say but there was no real supervision, we just cut everything around us, from wood to lines in the engine room and other spaces. The sawzaw became my best friend.

The other ships at the yard seemed to go quite quickly compared to our task. The crane operator who was working on the steel ships would swing over when we had a big chunk, or section ready to lift off and place it on the ground to be reduced to rubble. After picking through, he would say ready, and the crane would tug and tug, the piece would make a crunching sound and would not break apart. We would get mad and start cutting some more and he would swing back over. Ready (with a laugh), then with a big popping noise the piece would tear free and we all would start to cheer and laugh. Everyone at the yard must have thought we were crazy!

Later an old merchant ship arrived and was tied up next to the yard, and more ships were in the river. I asked my boss if I could take some pictures of the scrapping, the yard, the river and the merchant ship etc., being it was a new experience for me. He said NO!, but I thought YES!!!!!!. After, looking at the images, I wasn't paying attention at the time, but it appears that there are more than 2 minesweepers, maybe 4. At the web site where I got your link, it mentions only two MSO's were scrapped in Wilmington, NC. Maybe they were sold off?-

(Webmaster's note - MSO 433 and MSO 449 were later moved to BMI for scrapping.)

Some of the images were taken early in the morning and it was rainy that day, so some water spots are on some of the images. It gives you a funny sad feeling. The shots later in the day are better. I have some images taken from the river, that were taken a couple weeks later and a couple of the merchant ship. I remember walking around on that rust bucket. It had a small trailer on it, like someone had been living in the trailer on the ship. Also an old broken motorcycle and parts of all kinds. The engine room was very clean though.

I enjoyed my time in Wilmington, NC. I also worked at UNCW in the theater department. After looking at the 102 MSO's site log and my photo's, there are 4 minesweepers at the yard, MSO 509 is next to MSO 490, while MSO 433 is next to MSO 449. When we finished MSO 509 the ships were moved. MSO 433 and MSO 449 never were scrapped in Wilmington, NC. The yard was closed down.

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