During World War II, minesweeping--the removal of naval mines--was carried out by specially built minesweepers and destroyer-minesweepers as well as an array of converted civilian craft, including trawlers and even paddle steamers. Some of the specialized vessels had wooden hulls, so that they would not detonate magnetic mines. But most World War II-era minesweepers were conventional steel-hulled ships, of which the U.S. Navy YMS Class was typical. The YMS ships displaced 270 tons, were 136 feet in length, and were crewed by 32 men. They carried a single three-inch antiaircraft gun and a pair of 20 mm antiaircraft guns. Driven by a pair of diesels making about 2,000 horsepower, the YMS-class ships had a top speed of 15 knots.

Most commonly, Allied minesweepers were equipped with Oropesa sweeps (named after the first ship to use this equipment in 1919). Designed to sweep contact mines, the Oropesa sweep was towed behind the minesweeper. It severed the mine's mooring cable by means of a weighted wire equipped with sharp cutters and a small explosive charge. When the released mine bobbed to the surface, it was detonated by gunfire.

Magnetic mines were swept using the LL, or magnetic sweep. This consisted of two long buoyant electrical cables towed behind a wooden-hulled sweeper. An electric current was passed through the cables, creating a magnetic field that detonated the mines. Magnetic mines could also be swept using coils mounted on wooden barges and towed by a tug. Low-altitude aircraft fitted with magnetic coils could also be employed to clear magnetic mines. The Allies experimented less successfully with ships that had massive electromagnets installed in their bows. The sweeping of magnetic mines became less important after degaussing technology advanced, by which the magnetic field of a steel hull could be effectively neutralized.

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