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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Pine Island (AV-12)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Tango - November
NATN
Voice Call Sign "Ledger Gold"

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 (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (1) - Korean Service Medal - Antarctic Service Medal
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Taiwan Straits, 1-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (1)- Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Currituck Class Seaplane Tender:

Laid down, 16 November 1942, at Todd Shipyard Corp., San Pedro, CA.

Launched, 26 February 1944

Commissioned USS Pine Island (AV-12), 26 April 1945, Naval Supply Depot, San Pedro, CA., CDR. Henry Titus Hodgskin Jr. in command

During WWII USS Pine Island was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates
Okinawa Gunto operation 3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 10 to 25 July 1945

Following World War II USS Pine Island was assigned to Occupation and China service for the following periods;

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
2 September to 9 May 1946	2 September to 9 May 1946
4 September to 15 October 1947	18 October 1947 to 18 January 1948
1 to 6 November 1948	9 to 31 October 1948
15 to 19 April 1949	7 November 1948 to 14 April 1949
	31 March to 22 April 1951
	12 May to 6 July 1952
	13 July to 1 August 1952
	6 April to 12 May 1953
	31 May to 8 July 1953
	7 to 13 August 1953
	28 February to 5 March 1954
	11 to 19 April 1954
	5 to 28 May 1954
	9 to 23 June 1954
	10 to 11 July 1954
	5 to 9 August 1954
	24 to 27 August 1954
	30 August to 1 September 1954
	14 to 24 March 1955
	28 April 1955
	2 to 19 May 1955
	28 June to 10 July 1955

Decommissioned, 1 May 1950

Recommissioned, 7 October 1950, at Alameda, CA.

During the Korean War USS Pine Island tended seaplanes that flew missions over enemy-held territory in Korea

During the Vietnam War USS Pine Island participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam Defense 10 October to 4 November 1965 28 November to 12 December 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive 15 January to 14 February 1966 2 to 11 April 1966

Decommissioned, 16 June 1967

Laid up in the Reserve Fleet

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 February 1971

Title transfer to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 7 March 1972, to Zidell Explorations, Portland, OR.

USS Pine Island earned one battle star 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 Allis Chalmers steam turbines

four Babcock and Wilcox Express boilers, 400psi 690°

double Falk Main Reduction Gears

four 500Kw 450V A.C. Ships Service Generators

two propellers, 12,000shp

Size	Image Description	Source
101k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** photographed by her builder, the Todd Shipyards Corp., San Pedro, California, probably on 17 April 1945 a few days before her commissioning. US National Archives Photo # 19-N-85291, RG-19 LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.(Note the photo appears to be misdated across the top banner.)	Robert Hurst
85k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** commissioning ceremony at the Naval Supply Depot, San Pedro, CA., 26 April 1945. The Chaplain gives the ship the Eternal Blessing."	Tom Watson for his father Howard Watson, EM3/c USNR USS Pine Island
114k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** "Church Call." Devine services being held on the hanger deck, 30 September 1945, at Sasebo, Japan. Photo was taken in the hanger looking aft at to the sea plane deck.	Tom Watson for his father Howard Watson, EM3/c USNR USS Pine Island
119k	One of *USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** PBMs along with one of her boats, at Sasebo, Japan, September 1945.	Tom Watson for his father Howard Watson, EM3/c USNR USS Pine Island
137k	One of *USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** PBMs at Sasebo, Japan, September 1945.	Tom Watson for his father Howard Watson, EM3/c USNR USS Pine Island
465k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway with two PBMs on deck, date and location unknown.	Ron Reeves
736k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from the collections of the National Naval Aviation Museum.	Bill Gonyo
50k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** at anchor off Okinawa, October 1945	Tom Watson for his father Howard Watson, EM3/c USNR USS Pine Island
62k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Haze Gray & Underway
57k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** lowering a P5M seaplane into the water. circa 1950s. US Navy photo	Haze Gray & Underway
191k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway in San Diego Bay, circa early 1950s. US Navy photo	David Buell and Chris Howell
93k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway off San Diego, CA., circa early 1950s. US Navy photo	David Buell
41k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway, date and location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
72k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway, circa 1954, location unknown.	Robert Hurst
96k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** lowering a seaplane to her flight deck off the Pescadores Islands, date unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine March 1953.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
63k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12) underway off San Diego in 1954 approaching USS Electra (AKA-4)** in preparation for a transfer at sea exercise.	Photo by Donald Ravey USS Electra (AKA-4)
72k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12) underway off San Diego in 1954 approaching USS Electra (AKA-4)** in preparation for a transfer at sea exercise.	Photo by Donald Ravey USS Electra (AKA-4)
94k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)**, 250 miles NW off Hilo, HI., attempting to hoisting a Marlin P5M onto her deck. The aircraft had ran out of fuel and was forced down short of the islands on a flight from the U.S. mainland. The man standing on the aircraft is Ted Paige. Jim Wingo is seen hanging from the crane hook, after unsuccessfully trying to engage the hook in the aircraft hoisting sling. The pitching of the ship in heavy ground swells made the block of the crane swing with unstoppable force. US Navy photo.	Jim Wingo AB-3, V-1 Division USS Pine Island 1955-56
64k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Bill Koonts AT2 VP56 1953-56
103k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** and one of her seaplanes, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine April 1960.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
80k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** lifting a seaplane onto her flight deck, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine September 1961.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
139k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** fantail crane lifting a small boat onto her flight deck. At right are two Bowser (or refueling) boats. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine September 1961.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
872k	*USS Pine Island* (AV-12)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Jim Karr
149k	*USS Currituck* (AV-7), turning over duties as forward deployed tender to USS Pine Island (AV-12)** at Okinawa, February 1962. US Navy photos from the collection of CDR. R.F. Dresel USN, USS Currituck	Suzanne D. Simpson
177k		Suzanne D. Simpson
885k	Mare Island Reserve Fleet, June 1967. Recognizable ships include *USS Pine Island* (AV-12) in the background, USS Pelias (AS-14), USS Vanderburgh (APB-48) and APL-3 (inboard of Vanderburgh*). Photo # MINSY 79270-9-67 TH APB 48* from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.	Darry Baker

For more photos and information about USS Pine Island, see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Miscellaneous and Memorabilia
Commanding Officers

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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Last Updated 5 April 2013