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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AV-5 Albemarle
T-ARVH-1 Corpus Christi Bay

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Foxtrot - Kilo
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons
Albemarle (AV-5)


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service
Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1)

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Curtiss Class Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 12 June 1939, at New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.
  • Launched, 13 July 1940
  • Commissioned USS Albemarle (AV-5), 20 December 1940, CDR. Henry M. Mullinnix in command
  • During World War II Albemarle was assigned to both the European and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters
  • Decommissioned, 14 August 1950
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New York Group, Brooklyn
  • Recommissioned, 2 October 1957
  • Decommissioned, 21 October 1960
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1962
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Reinstated on the Naval Register, 27 March 1965
  • Converted to an Aircraft Repair Ship, Helicopter at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston S.C.
  • Placed in service as USNS Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) in January 1966 under the control of the Military Sealift Command (MSC)
  • During the Vietnam War Corpus Christi Bay participated in several campaigns from 1966 to 1969
  • Placed out of-service in 1973
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Corpus Christi, TX.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 December 1974
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 17 July 1975, to Brownsville Steel and Salvage Inc
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,671 t.
    Length 527' 4"
    Beam 69' 3"
    Draft 21' 11"
    Speed 20 kts.
    Complement
    (AV-5) 1,195
    (ARVH-1) 128 civilian, 308 Army Technicians
    Armament
    (AV) As Built
    four single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    four quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    (AV) Added during WWII
    two dual 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    (ARVH) none
    Propulsion geared turbines, two shafts
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Albemarle (AV-5)
    Albemarle 137k Albemarle (AV-5) underway, 30 July 1943, in what is probably Measure 22(5-N) camouflage.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-76629, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Haze Gray and Underway Web Site
    Albemarle 29k Albemarle (AV-5) at anchor, 5 April 1943, location unknown. Note Albemarle is painted in Measure 12(modified) camouflage scheme.
    US Navy photo    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Albemarle 76k Albemarle (AV-5) underway, 10 June 1943, location unknown. Note Albemarle is painted in Measure 12(modified) camouflage scheme.
    US Navy photo.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Albemarle 20k Albemarle (AV-5) at anchor, 5 May 1942, location unknown. Note Albemarle is painted in Measure 12(modified) camouflage scheme.
    US Navy photo         		.
    Albemarle 21k Albemarle (AV-5) at anchor, date and location unknown. Tom Camfield
    Albemarle 59k Albemarle (AV-5) moored at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, circa 1958-59. Albemarle was testing a new aft elevator to receive the Martin seaplane ( P6M ) program.
    US Navy photo    		 Haze Gray and Underway Web Site
    USNS Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1)
    Albemarle 74k Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Haze Gray and Underway Web Site
    Albemarle 22k Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) underway, overhead view, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Albemarle 95k Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) fires up her boilers while in drydock, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, January 1969, by C. Ferguson JOC, USN.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Albemarle 43k Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) at anchor off Vung Tau, South Vietnam, circa 1967-69. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Bob Sheasley USA
    Albemarle 44k Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) at anchor off Vung Tau, South Vietnam, circa 1967-69. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Bob Sheasley USA
    Albemarle 55k Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Albemarle 72k Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    View the Albemarle (AV-5) / Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 28 September 2007