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USCGC Absecon (WHEC-374)
ex
 USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) (1949 - 1966)
 USS Absecon (AVP-23) (1943 - 1949)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - November - Papa
 NBNP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal

USCGC Absecon (WHEC-374) was transferred to South Vietnam and renamed RVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-15), captured by North Vietnam and renamed PRVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-1)
Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 23 July 1941, at Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA.
  • Launched, 8 March 1942
  • Commissioned USS Absecon (AVP-23), 28 January 1943, CDR. Robert S. Purvis in command
  • Decommissioned, 19 March 1947, at Orange, TX.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange
  • Loaned to the US Coast Guard, 5 January 1949
  • Commissioned USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) in May 1949
  • Redesignated (WHEC-374), 1 May 1966
  • Decommissioned by the Coast Guard, 9 May 1972 and returned to the US Navy
  • Transferred to South Vietnam, 15 June 1972, renamed RVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-15)
  • Captured by North Vietnam in May 1975, renamed PRVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-01)
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Final Disposition, refitted with two SS-N-2 SSM and Soviet light guns. Reported still in service as late as 2000
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    USN - 1,766 t.(lt) 2,750 t.(fl)
    USCG - 2610t.(fl)
    Length 311' 7"
    Beam 41'¾"
    Draft 13' 1"
    Speed 17.3 kts.
    Complement
    USN - 215
    USGC (1964) - 10 officers, 3 warrant officers, 138 enlisted
    Armament
    USN - one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, one quad 40mm gun mount, two dual 40mm gun mounts, four dual 20mm gun mounts
    USCG - on single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, six .50 caliber machine guns, two 81 mm mortars, one MK52.3 director, one MK26-4 fire control radar, all ASW equipment removed as per SHIPALT 311-A-258 (1970)
    Electronics
    Radar: SPS-23, SPS-29A (1964)
    Sonar: SQS-1 (1964)
    Propulsion Fairbanks-Morse geared diesels, two shafts, 6,080hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Absecon (AVP-23)
    Absecon 118k USS Absecon (AVP-23) photographed, 12 July 1942, fitting out at Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA. The shields for her two partially-completed 5"/38 gun mounts are on the pier. Also visible are two other AVPs under construction and a converted yacht
    US National Archive photo # 19-N-59397, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Absecon 96k USS Absecon (AVP-23) photographed, 17 January 1943, at Houghton, WA., on a trial run shortly before commissioning. She has been specially fitted with twin cranes and a catapult to serve as a training ship for battleship and cruiser aircraft crews. The aircraft on the catapult is a Curtiss SO3C Seamew and the one on the fantail is a Vought OS2U Kingfisher.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-50264, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Absecon 92k USS Absecon (AVP-23) photographed, 17 January 1943, at Houghton, WA. trial run shortly before commissioning. She has been specially fitted with twin cranes and a catapult to serve as a training ship for battleship and cruiser aircraft crews. The aircraft on the catapult is a Curtiss SO3C Seamew.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-50263, a US Navy photo from Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Absecon 94k USS Absecon (AVP-23) photographed, 17 January 1943, at Houghton, WA. trial run shortly before commissioning. She has been specially fitted with twin cranes and a catapult to serve as a training ship for battleship and cruiser aircraft crews. The aircraft on the catapult is a Curtiss SO3C Seamew.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-50266, a US Navy photo from Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Absecon 130k USS Absecon (AVP-23) underway off Fort Lauderdale, FL, 6 January 1944. Photographed by PHOM2c J. Chefetz, USN
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-388244, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) (WHEC-374)
    Absecon 75k Ex- USS Absecon (AVP-23) in US Coast Service as USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) underway at Charleston S.C., 10 May 1949
    US Naval Shipyard Charleston photo # NSY-7-L-381 from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian    		 Mike Green
    Absecon 108k USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) moored pierside, close up view of port side bridge area, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian    		 Mike Green
    Absecon 106k USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) moored pierside, close up view amidships port side, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian    		 Mike Green
    Absecon 129k USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) moored pierside, close up view stern area, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian    		 Mike Green
    Absecon 29k USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374) underway, date and location unknown.
    USCG photo    		 Ken Laesser, CG History Page
    Absecon 59k USCGC Absecon (WHEC-374) underway, date and location unknown. Haze Gray & Underway web site
    Absecon 47k USCGC Absecon (WHEC-374) underway, 27 December 1969, location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian    		 Mike Green
    RVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-15)
    Bearing Strait 57k Ex-USCGC Absecon (WMEC-374), in South Vietnamese naval service as RVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-15) underway, date and location unknown. William Toohey
    View the USS Absecon (AVP-23)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - USCGC Absecon WHEC-374
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 30 September 2005