#boat
The Project 253 was a very successful minesweeper. It and its derivatives saw operational success, relatively low loss rates, and served for nearly 60 years in a military capacity across 8 different navies. While obscure, it nonetheless played its role, even if a small one, in the course of naval military history. Even today, these vessels continue to live on in civilian service.
Launched on June 18, 1942, CRDA at Monfacone, built and commissioned on June 24, 1942, was assigned to the 2°Squadriglia, transferred to bases in the Sicilian Channel in late July 1942, in the same month specifically on the 12th and 13th participated in operations against the British convoy bound for Malta during the Battle of Mid-August, on the night of August 13, 1943,
MS 15 launched on 2 February 1942, finalised on 2 June 1942, entered service after construction in the Regia Marina's 1st Squadron, and arrived at operational bases in North Africa in July 1942; the following month it carried out, with MS 11, a mission to transport saboteurs of the San Marco Regiment in enemy waters, participated in anti-ship ambush operations, escorting coastal convoys and anti-submarine surveillance.
The MS-24, after having been built in 1942, was assigned to the units of the 2nd Squadron, destined to participate in operations in the area of the Sicilian Channel. She was deployed to Sicily on 28 April 1943, leaving Marsala with her twin MS-34, and went to rescue the crew of the torpedo boat RN Climene, torpedoed by an enemy submarine off Marettimo, managing to save 40 sailors.