A BIT OF HISTORY: "...She was the tender VPB-208 was assigned to when she left Saipan and we joined up with her in late March 1945 in Kerama Rhetto in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa on April 1st of '45. She was built in the Tacoma Shipyards, Wash. and was Commissioned on June 26th 1944 in San Pedro, Cal. She was sent to the Pacific and participated at the end of the Saipan invasion,, then on to the Iwo Jima invasion and finally the Invasion of Okinawa and on to Japan at wars end. She saw a lot of action!..." Contributed by CALLEN, AMM1 Ed ecall755@aol.com [14NOV2004]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Two ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Hamlin, after Hamlin Sound near Charleston, South Carolina. The first Hamlin (CVE-15) was an escort aircraft carrier loaned to the United Kingdom in 1942 and operated as HMS Stalker until 1945, later being sold and converted to a merchant ship. The second Hamlin (AV-15) was a seaplane tender in service from 1944 to 1947..." http://www.free-definition.com/USS-Hamlin.html [14NOV2004]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AV-15 Hamlin..." http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/4115.htm [14NOV2004]

Kenneth Whiting Class Seaplane Tender: Laid down, at Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, WA; Launched, 11 January 1944; Commissioned USS Hamlin (AV-15), 26 June 1944; Decommissioned, 18 January 1947 at San Diego, CA; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego, CA; Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, September 1962 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisuin Bay, Benecia, CA; Stuck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1963; Final disposition, sold for scrapping.

Specifications: Displacement 8,510 t.(lt) 12,610 t.(fl); Length 492'; Beam 69' 5"; Draft 22'; Speed 18.7kts; Complement 1,077; Armament two single 5"/38 gun mounts, two quad 40mm gun mounts, two dual 40mm gun mounts, sixteen single 20mm gun mounts; Propulsion, steam turbine, two boilers, one shaft, 8,500hp.

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships - Hamlin - A sound on the coast of South Carolina, north of Charleston..." http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/av15.htm [14NOV2004]

Kenneth Whiting Class Seaplane Tender: Laid down, at Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, WA; Launched, 11 January 1944; Commissioned USS Hamlin (AV-15), 26 June 1944; Decommissioned, 18 January 1947 at San Diego, CA; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego, CA; Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, September 1962 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisuin Bay, Benecia, CA; Stuck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1963; Final disposition, sold for scrapping.

Specifications: Displacement 8,510 t.(lt) 12,610 t.(fl); Length 492'; Beam 69' 5"; Draft 22'; Speed 18.7kts; Complement 1,077; Armament two single 5"/38 gun mounts, two quad 40mm gun mounts, two dual 40mm gun mounts, sixteen single 20mm gun mounts; Propulsion, steam turbine, two boilers, one shaft, 8,500hp.

AV-15
Displacement 8,000
Length 492'
Beam 69'6"
Draw 23'9"
Speed 19 k
Complement 1,077
Armament 2 5"
Class Kenneth Whiting

Hamlin (AV-15) was launched by Todd Pacific Shipyards Inc., Tacoma. Wash., 11 January 1944, sponsored by Miss Constance Taffinder, daughter of Rear Admiral S. A. Taffinder; and commissioned 26 June 1944, Captain G. A. McLean in command.

Hamlin conducted shakedown drills off California until 16 August 1944 when she departed San Pedro for the Pacific. Arrived Pearl Harbor 24 August, the ship loaded aviation gasoline and supplies and got underway 29 August for Eniwetok. She unloaded cargo and passengers there and continued to recently won Saipan, arriving 11 September to take up her plane-tending duties. During this period, seaplanes tended by Hamlin were making important contributions to the Pacific fighting by engaging in reconnaissance, hunter-killer operations against submarines, and air coverage of fleet cripples. She moved to Ulithi 11 October and back to Saipan anchorage 29 December 1944, all the time continuing her vital support of plane operations. Hamlin's aircraft protected the cruisers Houston and Reno, damaged 14 October off Luzon and flew photographic missions and rescue flights as the Navy pressed home the ever-mounting attack on Japanese held territory.

The operation next on her schedule was Iwo Jima, necessary to safeguard lines of communication and provide a base from which fighters could protect B-29's in bombing missions over Japan. Hamlin proceeded 15 February to Guam for fuel oil and two days later departed for Iwo Jima. She arrived 2 days after this historic and bitterly contested landing had begun, and with two other tenders established a floating seaplane base from which search and rescue missions were performed.

Debris and off-shore gunfire prevented the establishment of the seadrome until 24 February, and Hamlin worked under the handicap of large swells and congestion of' the sea areas around Iwo Jima. The ship also experienced numerous air raids during this operation, but suffered no damage. She got underway for Saipan 8 March 1945 and after another voyage to Guam, she returned to prepare for the Okinawa operation and the largest seaplane tending job of the war.

Hamlin sailed 23 March from Saipan for Okinawa, the first step prior to the home islands in the long campaign across the Pacific. Her commander wes designated Commander, Seaplane Base Groups. The tenders arrived Kerama Retto, west of Okinawa, 28 March, the day after it had been secured and 4 days before the main landings on Okinawa. During the operation, Hamlin's planes provided long-range search, antisubmarine patrols, and airsea rescue services, even providing aviation gasoline and luboil to battleships and cruisers. Her work was performed amid nearly constant air attack by Japanese suicide planes, and, though many ships in the anchorage were damaged by repeated attacks, Hamlin fought off all attacks without injury.

The tender group shifted its base of operations to Chimu Wan Okinawa, 11 July. After the surrender of Japan, Hamlin and other tenders got underway to assist in the occupation 16 August, anchoring in Yokosuka harbor 30 August. She began tending seaplanes on patrol over Japanese home waters 2 September, and was anchored in the harbor when the historic surrender was signed on board Missouri.

Hamlin returned to California following a short period in Japan and decommissioned at San Diego 15 January 1947. She went to reserve with the San Diego Group and remained there until September 1962 when she was transferred to the Maritime Administration, under Navy ownership, and placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Calif. She was struck from the Navy List 1 July 1963.

Hamlin received three battle stars for service in World War II.

"USS Hamlin (AV-15) History Summary Page"

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