A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Chincoteague (AVP-24)..." http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/avp24.htm [03JAN2001]

Chincoteague (AVP-24)

A bay on the coast of Maryland and Virginia

AVP - 24: dp. 2,592 l. 310'9" b. 41'2"

Chincoteague (AVP-24) was launched 15 April 1942 by Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, Wash.; sponsored by Mrs. G. Rowe; commissioned 12 April 1943, Commander I. E. Hobbs in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

Chincoteague sailed from San Diego 13 June 1943 for Saboe Bay in the Santa Cruz Islands, where she arrived 6 July to support the New Guinea operations as tender for Fleet Air Wing 1. On 16 July the Japanese launched eight air attacks at Saboe Bay, killing nine of Chincoteague 's crew and damaging the ship badly through one direct hit and two near hits. Taken in tow by Thornton (AVD-11), and then by Sonoma (AT-12), Chincoteague reached Espiritu Santo 21 July for emergency repairs, and later was towed to San Francisco for thorough overhaul.

Chincoteague put out from San Diego 27 January 1944 for Pearl Harbor and operations in support of the consolidation of the northern Solomons, the occupation of the Marshalls, and air action in the Treasuries, and at Green Island. In addition, she carried freight, mail and passengers among the Solomons, Marshalls, Gilberts, Marianas, New Hebrides, and Phoenix Islands, and voyaged from Guadalcanal to Auckland, New Zealand, returning with aircraft engines. Escorting a convoy, Chincoteague sailed from Eniwetok 24 September for Pearl Harbor, and overhaul.

She returned to active operations 6 December 1944 at Kossol Roads in the Palaus, where she conducted salvage and rescue operations for the next two months. She arrived at Guam 13 February to join the assault force bound for Iwo Jima, and on 20 February, arrived off the bitterly contested island to tend seaplanes until 8 March. Similar operations at Ulithi followed until 8 June, when she sailed for a west coast overhaul.

On occupation duty, Chincoteague sailed to the Far East to care for seaplanes at Okinawa and Tsingtao, China, between 18 October 1945 and 16 March 1946. She then sailed for San Diego, New Orleans, and Beaumont, Tex. On 21 December 1946, Chincoteague was decommissioned and placed in reserve, and on 7 March 1949 was lent to the Coast Guard.

Chincoteague received six battle stars for World War II service.

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Chincoteague (AVP-24).." http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/4324.htm [05JAN2001]

Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender: Laid down, 23 July 1941 at Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA; Launched, 15 April 1942; Commissioned USS Chincoteague (AVP-24), 12 April 1943; Decommissioned, 21 December 1946 at Beaumont TX; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group; Loaned to the Coast Guard, 7 March 1949, renamed USCGC Chincoteague (WAVP-375), redesignated (WHEC-375), 1 May 1966; Returned to Naval custody, (date unknown); transferred to South Vietnam, 21 June 1972, renamed Ly Thoung Kiet (HQ-05); taken over by Philippines, April 1975, renamed Andres Bonifacto (PF-7); Formally sold to the Philippines, 5 April 1976; Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown); Decommissioned by Philippines, June 1985; Final disposition, unknown.

Specifications: Displacement 1,766 t.(lt) 2,750 t.(fl); Length 311' 8"; Beam 41' 1"; Draft 13' 6"; Speed 18.6kts; Complement 215; Armament one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, one quad 40mm gun mount, two dual 40mm gun mounts, four dual 20mm gun mounts; Propulsion, diesel, two shafts, 6,000hp.

"USS Chincoteague (AVP-24) Summary Page"

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