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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Currituck (AV-7)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Foxtrot - Delta
 NAFD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Antarctic Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Quemoy-Matsu & Vietnam)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Currituck Class Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 14 December 1942, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Launched, 11 September 1943
  • Commissioned USS Currituck (AV-7), 26 June 1944, CAPT. W. A. Evans in command
  • During WWII USS Currituck was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 6 November 1944 to 6 January 1945     		Manila Bay-Bicol operation
    6 to 10 June 1945
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 January to 5 February 1945
    Cabalitan Bay and Mindoro     		.

  • Decommissioned, 7 August 1947, at Philadelphia Navy Yard
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Recommissioned, 1 August 1951
  • Decommissioned, 12 February 1958
  • Recommissioned, 20 August 1960
  • During the Vietnam War USS Currituck (AV-7) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    4 July to 4 August 1965     		Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase II
    2 to 26 September 1966
    30 November to 18 December 1966
    17 January to 6 February 1967
    19 March to 13 April 1967

  • Decommissioned, 31 October 1967
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 April 1971
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 10 January 1973
  • USS Currituck earned three battle stars for World War II service and two campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,090 t.(lt) 15,092 t.(fl)
    Length 540' 5"
    Beam 69' 3"
    Draft 22' 3" (lim)
    Speed 19.2 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers -162
    Enlisted - 1,085
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Armament
    four single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    three quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    twenty single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO - 15,330 Bbls
    Diesel - 285 Bbls
    Gasoline - 278,030 Gals
    Propulsion
    two New York Shipbuilding Parson- type steam turbines
    Babcock and Wilcox Express boilers, 400psi 690°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    four 500Kw 450V A.C. Ships Service Generators
    two propellers, 12,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Currituck 80k USS Currituck (AV-7), near the Philadelphia Navy Yard, 19 July 1944 three days before completion.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-69352 RG-19 LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst and Joe Radigan
    Currituck 57k One of twelve recognition photos taken of USS Currituck (AV-7), 19 July 1944. Un-cropped 8x10 is titled "Abeam Port Side". Note Currituck is painted in Measure 32/15x camouflage scheme.
    Original photo is in the collections of the US Naval Institute.    		 Bill Koonts AT2 VP56 1953-56
    Tangier 184k USS Currituck (AV-7) (upper), and USS Tangier (AV-8) (lower), moored at Morotai, October 1944, while supporting seaplane operations in connection with the Leyte invasion. Note aircraft rescue boats tied up alongside Tangier, and OS2U float planes on both ships' seaplane decks. Also of note Currituck is painted in Measure 32/15x camouflage scheme.
    US National Archive photo # 80-G-1022364, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Currituck 43k USS Currituck (AV-7) anchored in the Galapagos Islands while launching "Skyhook" Balloon # 3, 11 September 1953. Original photo with the Naval History Society. Haze Gray and Underway web site
    Currituck 89k USS Currituck (AV-7) at San Juan, P.R., 1954.
    US Navy photo    		 Bill Koonts AT2 VP56 1953-56
    Currituck 17k USS Currituck (AV-7) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Currituck 38k USS Currituck (AV-7) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Currituck 149k USS Currituck (AV-7)'s crew assembled in dress whites for either a crew photo op. or a ceremony such as a change of command, circa 1954, place unknown. Note the Yard Oiler (YO) alongside. Photo by CWO2 Ed Cokely USN Ret., Electrical Officer USS Currituck 1954-58.
    Currituck 13,884k Panoramic view of USS Currituck (AV-7) and crew at NOB Norfolk, VA, in 1956. CWO-2 Ed Cokely USN Ret. (as WO-1) is third from the right in the front row. John Dupre' courtesy CWO2 Ed Cokely USN Ret., Electrical Officer USS Currituck 1954-58.
    Currituck 53k USS Currituck (AV-7) hoisting aboard Patrol Squadron 56 (VP-56) (EH 10) P5M "Marlin" at Horta, Azores, Portugal, November 1956. Photo by CWO2 Ed Cokely USN Ret., Electrical Officer USS Currituck 1954-58.
    Currituck 53k USS Currituck (AV-7) hoisting aboard Patrol Squadron 56 (VP-56) (EH 10) P5M "Marlin" at Horta, Azores, Portugal, November 1956. Photo by CWO2 Ed Cokely USN Ret., Electrical Officer USS Currituck 1954-58.
    Currituck 73k Patrol Squadron 56 (VP-56) (EH 11) P5M "Marlin" assigned to USS Currituck (AV-7), with a crew from Patrol Squadron 44 (VP-44) assigned, burns after crashing at Horta, Azores, Portugal, 11 November 1956. The VP-44 crew had been detailed to fly the aircraft back to the US. Photo by CWO2 Ed Cokely USN Ret., Electrical Officer USS Currituck 1954-58.
    Currituck 86k USS Currituck (AV-7) at anchor, location unknown, circa mid-1960s. Note: 20mm, 40mm mounts removed, antenna added to the bow and TACAN added to the top of the Boat Deck crane. Currituck was the only AV-7 class tender with a TACAN.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Currituck 46k USS Currituck (AV-7), lifting P5M-2 Marlin, location unknown, circa mid-1960s.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Currituck 283k USS Currituck (AV-7) design drawings. Bill Koonts AT2 VP56 1953-56
    Currituck 43k USS Currituck (AV-7) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Currituck 97k USS Currituck (AV-7) underway in 1961 with two Grumman S2F Trackers on her flight deck, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Currituck 55k USS Currituck (AV-7) moored pierside to Pier "Kilo" NAS North Island, San Diego, CA., 12 July 1962. Steve Eakin AE-3 USS Currituck 1962-64
    Currituck 105k USS Currituck (AV-7) at anchor while loading an SP-5B (formerly P5M) Marlin seaplane during seaplane operations off Santa Catalina Island, CA., 12 November 1964.
    US navy photo # USN 1108994 from the collections of the US Navy History and Heritage Command.    		 Robert Hurst
    Currituck 37k P5M Mariner fly-over of USS Currituck (AV-7) during operation "Minute Hand" in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, P.I. in 1964.
    US Navy photo.    		 Cropped photo from USS Currituck 1964 cruise book
    Currituck 179k USS Currituck (AV-7) ships plaque. Steve Eakin, AE3 USS Currituck, 1962-64
    View the USS Currituck (AV-7)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Currituck AV-7
    AV-7 USS Currituck
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 12 June 2009