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USS Pioneer (MCM 9)

“PREACURSOR PRO LIBERTATE”

History of the USS PIONEER
USS PIONEER is an Avenger class Mine Countermeasure Ship of the United States Navy. She is the ninth ship of the class, and the second US Navy ship of the name. Her keel was laid down on June 5, 1989 and was commissioned on December 7, 1992 formally entering service. 
PIONEER’s first homeport was Naval Station Ingleside, Texas from 1992 to 2009, where she participated in mine warfare exercises to include Blue Harrier ’95, CART II Certification, and GOMEX2000. In 2005 MCM 9 was provided an opportunity to provide relief efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of the Southeastern United States. For this action, the ship was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal. After a long and tenured assignment to Ingleside, she was then homeport shifted to San Diego briefly to support Mine Countermeasure Squadron Three (MCMRON 3) operations in the San Diego Operations Area. At the end of 2009, she was heavy lifted with her sisters USS PATROT, USS WARRIOR, and USS CHIEF to their new homeport of Sasebo, Japan. These four ships report to Mine Countermeasure Squadron Seven (MCMRON 7) supporting mine warfare operations and exercises throughout 7th Fleet Area of Operations. She has participated in operations throughout the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, San Diego Operations Area, Korean Theater of Operations, and Japanese Theater of Operations in support of National Security and Strategy. In September of 2023, she was the first United States Navy asset to enter the port of Ishigaki, Japan in 14 years to support  public relations and national relationship building living up to her namesake of being a pioneer. USS PIONEER (MCM 9) has received the Meritorious Unit Commendation, 5x Navy Battle E Ribbons, Navy Overseas Service Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, and the Humanitarian Service Medal.		  

USS PIONEER Ship Specs

Keel Laid: June 05, 1989

Launched: August 25, 1990

Commissioned: December 07, 1992

Builder: Peterson Shipbuilders, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Propulsion: 4x Isotta Fraschini Diesel engines

Propellers: 2 Controllable Pitch Propellers

Length: 224 Feet

Beam: 39 Feet

Speed: 14 Knots

Crew: 12 Officers, 9 Chief Petty Officers, and 76 Enlisted personnel.

Systems: 

-AN/SLQ-48 (V) Mine Neutralization System

-AN/SQL-37 (V) 3 Magnetic/Acoustic Influence Minesweeping Gear

-Oropesa type 0 size 1 Mechanical Sweep Equipment

-MDG 1701 Marconi Magnetometer Degaussing System
 

USS PIONEER (MCM 7)

 

USS PIONEER (MCM 7) Logo
USS PIONEER (MCM 9)

Meaning of the Crest: 
SEAL

The coat of arms as blazoned in full color on a white ellipse pointed at the top and bottom edges. The seal is enclosed by a white designation band with black edges. On the left-hand side “USS PIONEER” is embalmed in black lettering. On the right-hand side, “MCM 9” is inscribed in black letters, and is surrounded by two WWII Battle stars on each side for operations in Anzio(1944), Southern France(1944), 3rd Fleet Operations(1945), Minesweeping Operations-Pacific(1945).


SHIELD 

 Blue represents the sea and dedication to duty. The sinister, or left handed, gauntlet grasping a cracked mine symbolizes PIONEER’s primary mission of destroying sea mines..


CREST

The sun rays allude to excellence, life, and safety. The heraldic fountain signifies peaceful seas. 


SUPPORTERS

The lightning bolts, crossed to emphasize strength, underscore PIONEER’s electronic technology. Red denotes courage, zeal, and action.


Namesake Information:

USS PIONEER (MCM 9) is the second ship of the United States Navy to bear the name. The first being the USS PIONEER (AM-105) commissioned in February 1943 to support World War Two Mine Warfare both in the European and Pacific Theaters of Operations. AM-105 was instrumental in the clearing of minefields throughout southern France and Anzio allowing allied forces to use major ports like Marseilles for the war effort. MCM 9 is named in the same convention as her sister ships in that she is named for the defense and protection of democracy around the world and on the seas. In the way that pioneers are the leaders and forgoers of expeditions for the advancement of progress and excellence, USS PIONEER is responsible for the detection and destruction of sea mines so that others may transit in safety. She is named for the embodiment of the motto “our wake, your path” that has been the cornerstone ideology of Mine Warfare in the United States Navy since its creation.
 

 

USS Pioneer (MCM 9) Logo
USS Pioneer (MCM 9)

UNIT 100151 BOX 1
FPO AP 96675-1929

 

                                  

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