High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The USS Ampere (ADG-11) was a degaussing vessel of the United States Navy, named after the ampere, a unit of electric current (which takes its name from the French physicist André-Marie Ampère). Originally planned as a patrol craft escort (PCE-919), she was instead designated the USS Drake (AM-359), an Admirable-class minesweeper. Drake was laid down on 24 November 1943 at Portland, Oregon by the Willamette Iron & Steel Corporation and launched on 12 August 1944. On 20 April 1945, her name was canceled, and she was re-designated a degaussing vessel, YDG-11. The ship was placed in service on 15 August 1945, the day after the Japanese surrender.