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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Humboldt (AVP-21) (AG-121)
USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372) (WHEC-372)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Lima - Sierra


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal

Humboldt (AVP-21) was transferred to the US Coast Guard and commissioned, USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372)
Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 6 September 1940 at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Launched, 17 March 1941
  • Commissioned USS Humboldt (AVP-21), 7 October 1941, CDR. W. G. Tomkinson in command
  • Redesignated Miscellaneous Auxiliary (press ship), (AG-121), 30 July 1945
  • Conversion canceled, 25 August 1945
  • Reverted to (AVP-21)
  • Decommissioned, 17 March 1947
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Loaned to the US Coast Guard, 24 January 1949
  • Commissioned USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372), 29 March 1949
  • Redesignated High Endurance Cutter (WHEC-372), 1 May 1966
  • Decommissioned 30 September 1969 and returned to US Naval custody
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1970
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in Italy
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,766 t.(lt) 2,750 t.(fl)
    Length 311' 8"
    Beam 41' 1"
    Draft 13' 6"
    Speed 18.6kts.
    Complement 215
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    two dual 40mm AA gun mounts
    four dual 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion diesel, two shafts, 6,000hp.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By/Source
    USS Humboldt (AVP-21)
    Humboldt 113k Humboldt (AVP-21) being launched at the Boston Navy Yard, 17 March 1941. Her sister, Matagorda (AVP-22), on the adjoining slipway, was launched a day later.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-30381, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 102k Humboldt (AVP-21) being launched at the Boston Navy Yard, 17 March 1941. Her sister, Matagorda (AVP-22), on the adjoining slipway, to the right, was launched a day later.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-30389, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 82k Humboldt (AVP-21) shown here, 23 August 1943 upon completion of modifications at the Boston Navy Yard. During this upkeep period she received a third 5"/38 gun aft along with one quadruple and two twin 40-mm mounts.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-49686, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 74k Humboldt (AVP-21) starboard quarter view, 23 August 1943. The ship had just completed an upkeep period at the Boston Navy Yard.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-49687, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 66k
    Humboldt (AVP-21), painted camouflage scheme 32/5D, underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Haze Gray & Underway web site
    Humboldt 65k Humboldt (AVP-21), painted camouflage scheme 32/5D, circa. April 1944 in Hampton Roads, from San Jacinto (CVL-30)
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-265680, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 86k Humboldt (AVP-21), painted camouflage scheme 32/5D, off Norfolk, Virginia, 17 November 1944 by an aircraft from the Norfolk Naval Air Station.
    US Navy photo # NH 46913, for the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 68k Humboldt (AVP-21), painted camouflage scheme 32/5D, off the Norfolk Navy Yard, 17 November 1944. Her 5"/38 armament has been reduced to a single mount and her quadruple 40mm mount has been moved forward.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-78020, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 88k Humboldt (AVP-21), painted camouflage scheme 32/5D, tending a PBM seaplane of Fleet Air Wing 16 at Bahia, Brazil, April 1945.
    US Navy photo # NH 78793, from the Collection of Capt. Roy C Smith III, now at the US Naval Historical Center         		US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 152k Humboldt (AVP-21) during an inclining experiment at the Norfolk Navy Yard, 13 November 1945.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-110805, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 112k Humboldt (AVP-21) during an inclining experiment at the Norfolk Navy Yard, 13 November 1945. Idaho (BB-42) is in the background.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-110806, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 128k Humboldt (AVP-21) during an inclining experiment at the Norfolk Navy Yard, 13 November 1945.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-110810, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Humboldt 78k Humboldt (AVP-21), painted camouflage scheme 32/5D, underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Bill Koonts AT2 VP56 1953-56
    USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372) (WHEC-372)
    Humboldt 58k ex Humboldt (AVP-21) in US Coast Guard service as USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372) underway in 1963, place unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Humboldt 123k ex Humboldt (AVP-21) in US Coast Guard service as USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372), Boston, September 1963 ©Richard Leonhardt
    Humboldt 71k ex Humboldt (AVP-21) in US Coast Guard service as USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Humboldt 53k ex Humboldt (AVP-21) in US Coast Guard service as USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    View the Humboldt (AVP-21)
    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
    Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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