USS Tide (AM-125)

USS Tide (AM-125) was an oceangoing Auk class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II.

Tide served in the European Theatre of Operations and was assigned to minesweeping the beaches offshore the Normandy landing in June of 1944.

During the homeward voyage on 29 July, a sonar contact prompted Tide to drop depth charges on what she thought was an enemy submarine.

In April–May, she escorted convoys in British coastal waters and engaged in exercises with minesweepers of the Royal Navy in preparation for the invasion of Europe.

On 5 June, Tide got underway from Tor Bay with Minesweeper Squadron "A", a unit assigned to the Utah Beach area.

On the morning of 7 June, Tide swept the area inshore and between Îles Saint-Marcouf and Barfleur to clear lanes for fire-support ships.

The explosion broke her back, blasted a tremendous hole in her bottom, and tore away all bulkheads below the waterline causing immediate and irreversible flooding.

Minesweeper USS Tide (AM-125) after striking a mine off Utah Beach , 7 June 1944. Note her broken back, with smoke pouring from amidships.
USS Tide sinking off "Utah" Beach after striking a mine during the Normandy invasion, 7 June 1944. PT-509 and Pheasant are standing by. Photographed from Threat .