From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

A company of travellers.

(AM-157: dp. 630; l. 184'6"; b. 33'; dr. 10'; s. 15k.; cpl. 104; a. 1 3"; cl. Admirable)

Caravan (AM-157) was launched 27 October 1942 by Willamette Iron and Steel Corp., Portland, Oreg., and commissioned 21 January 1944, Lieutenant C. E. Walden USNR, in command.

Caravan stood out of San Francisco 25 March 1944, bound for Pearl Harbor, Majuro, and Eniwetok. The minesweeper arrived at Eniwetok 25 April to operate on patrol, lifeguard for aviators downed in carrier strikes, and convoy escort. Her escort duties took her throughout the Marianas, and in September she was based at Guam. Riding out a severe typhoon en route, Caravan sailed to Ulithi in October, to begin operations in the Palaus as well as the Marianas.

Caravan's effective support of fleet operations ended in May 1945, when she reported at Portland, Oreg., for overhaul. In July she arrived at Cold Bay, Alaska, to train a Russian crew, and on 16 August 1945, she was decommissioned and transferred to the Soviet Union under lend-lease. She remains in Russian hands. On 7 February 1955 she was reclassified MSF-157. [Transcriber's Note: Caravan was laid down as AMc-134 but redesignated AM-157 before launching. She operated as T-597 while in Soviet service and was scrapped in 1956.]