USS Absecon (AVP-23)

USS "Absecon" (AVP-23) was a "Barnegat"-class Seaplane Tender in the service of the United States Navy. The ship was later used by the United States Coast Guard and the South Vietnamese Navy.

She was laid down on 23 July 1941 at Houghton, Washington by the Lake Washington Shipyard, launched on 8 March 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Robert L. Moon, Jr., the daughter of Capt. G. E. Davis — who was then the chief of staff to the Commandant of the 13th Naval District — and the wife of Comdr. Robert L. Moon, Jr., and commissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Washington on 28 January 1943, Comdr. Robert S. Purvis in command.

United States Navy

"Absecon" was unique in her in that she was the only one to be fitted with an aircraft catapult and cranes. Her redesign from the standard configuration resulted from the Navy's need for pilots to gain experience needed to qualify for catapult operations in the battleship and cruiser-based aviation units. The ship was converted prior to her commissioning. "Absecon" — assigned the duty of providing training for catapulting and sled net recovery while underway — completed her fitting out period on 14 February 1943 and commenced her shakedown voyage the following day, her aircraft complement consisting of one Curtiss SO3C "Seamew" and a pair of Vought OS2U Kingfishers.

On her way from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean via the Panama Canal, "Absecon" picked up seven survivors from SS "Olancho", a freighter which had been torpedoed by a German submarine.

From March to September 1943, the seaplane tender operated out of the Naval Section Base at Mayport, Florida, coordinating observation plane pilot training and serving as a target for practice torpedo runs. On 16 April 1943, "Absecon" struck a submerged wreck that caused considerable damage to her hull. Following repairs, she resumed her duties.

In September 1943, "Absecon" was shifted to operate from Port Everglades, Florida. She carried out her training activities there into the winter. One event highlighted her service during this period. On 13 November 1943 while serving as a target ship for torpedo bombers, "Absecon" observed a small craft, SS "Franklin Baker" flying distress signals. "Absecon" initially attempted to tow "Franklin Baker" to shore. When it became apparent that "Franklin Baker" would not move even under tow and was a navigational hazard, "Absecon" took her crew on board and attempted to sink her. Two depth charges and 18 5 in (127 mm) projectiles failed to sink the freighter. The Coast Guard assisted in the effort to sink "Franklin Baker", eventually succeeding by setting demolition charges.

During 1944, "Absecon" conducted 1,394 catapult launchings and a corresponding number of recoveries and qualified 211 pilots, thus averaging approximately 116 launches per month with 18 pilots a month qualifying for the operation of cruiser and battleship-based floatplanes such as the SO3C, the OS2U, the SOC Seagull and the SC Seahawk. Her peak month of operations was November, when she conducted 279 launchings and qualified 58 aviators.

In addition to this duty, she also served as a mobile target for torpedo planes. Shallow-running exercise torpedoes struck the ship four times during 1944: the first time on 30 January, the second on 24 June, the third on 19 August, and the last on 31 October 1944. The first flooded two compartments, the third hit caused flooding in the forward engine room, the last caused a small rupture in the shell plating.

Between 17 October and 20 October, "Absecon" was caught in a hurricane while moored in Mayport. After sending her aircraft inland, she rode out the storm, experiencing winds of up to 100 knots (190 km/h).

As she had attempted to do with "Franklin Baker", "Absecon" again lent a helping hand to the fishing boat "Chip" on 6 February 1945. "Absecon" was again hit by an exercise torpedo on 19 February 1945. She was forced to enter dry dock at the Charleston Navy Yard to repair her starboard propellor. On five occasions during 1945, aircraft capsized during recovery operations. All except the last, on 4 August 1945, resulting in the salvage of the aircraft involved. On that occasion, the plane, apparently damaged beyond repair, was shelled and sunk.

"Absecon" based at Port Everglades until mid-July 1945 when she shifted to Pensacola, Florida for duty involving training and logistical support of the observation aircraft operations there. "Absecon" carried out this training through Victory over Japan Day (15 August 1945) and into September 1945. During those nine months, she conducted 1,839 catapult launchings, an average of 204 per month, and qualified 274 pilots. Her peak production of pilots occurred in March 1945 when she qualified 45, and her peak number of launchings occurred during August when she conducted 340.

As the helicopter began to supplant cruiser- and battleship-based seaplanes, the need for qualifying pilots of the latter diminished accordingly. After a period as a training ship out of Pensacola, "Absecon" was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 19 March 1947, and laid up with the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in Orange, Texas.

United States Coast Guard

Transferred to the United States Coast Guard on 5 January 1949, "Absecon" became USCGC "Absecon" (WAVP-374) and operated as such through the 1960s. Operating primarily in the Atlantic out of Norfolk, Virginia, the erstwhile seaplane tender served as a weather ship on ocean stations, before the advent of improved storm-tracking radars obviated such operations. During the 1950s, she frequently visited NS Argentia, Newfoundland and Bermuda, between stints on patrol on the high seas in the north and central Atlantic and periods of regular upkeep at Norfolk.

On 21 September 1957, "Absecon", on her ocean station in the central Atlantic, picked up a distress call from the West German four-masted steel bark "Pamir". The square-rigger, homeward bound from NS Argentia with a cargo of barley and with 86 men (52 teen-aged cadets among them) on board, had run into Hurricane Carrie and been battered severely by the vicious storm, ultimately sinking in the tempest. "Absecon" altered course immediately and stood toward "Pamir's" last position. Arriving on the scene the following day, the Coast Guard cutter immediately began sweeping the stormy sea for signs of life, aided by Portuguese and American Air Force planes from the Azores and Navy planes from Bermuda. About 50 ships, representing 13 nations, searched for one week. Ultimately, SS "Saxon" rescued five men, three days after "Pamir" had sunk; "Absecon" found the square-rigger's last survivor, 22-year-old Gunter Hasselbach, the following day. Seventy-two men had perished.

In 1958, the ship visited Hamburg, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Lisbon before returning, via Bermuda, to the east coast of the United States.

outh Vietnam

Subsequently classed as a high endurance cutter, WHEC-374, "Absecon" was transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy on 15 July 1972 and was simultaneously renamed "Tham Ngu Lao" (HQ.15). She was apparently unable to escape from South Vietnamese waters when that country fell to communist domination in the spring of 1975 and, according to some sources, was still operational as of 1995. She was renamed PRVNS "Pham Ngu Lao" (HQ-01).

Current naval publications such as "Jane's All the World's Fighting Ships" still list the ship as part of the Vietnam People's Navy, except now only as the unnamed HQ.01.

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