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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AVP-23 Absecon
WAVP-374 / WHEC-374 Absecon

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign: November - Bravo - November - Papa

USS Absecon (AVP-23) was transferred to the US Coast Guard after World War II

USCGC Absecon (WHEC-374) was transferred to South Vietnam and renamed RVNS Tham Ngu Lao (HQ-15), captured by North Vietnam and renamed PRVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-1)

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

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 Tham Ngu Lao (HQ-15)

Captured by North Vietnam in May 1975, renamed PRVSN 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)
	118k	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
	96k	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
	92k	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
	94k	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
	130k	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)
	75k	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
	108k	Absecon (WAVP-374) moored pierside, close up view of port side bridge area, date and place unknown. US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian	Mike Green
	106k	Absecon (WAVP-374) moored pierside, close up view amidships port side, date and place unknown. US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian	Mike Green
	129k	Absecon (WAVP-374) moored pierside, close up view stern area, date and place unknown. US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian	Mike Green
	29k	Absecon (WAVP-374) underway, date and place unknown. USCG photo	Ken Laesser, CG History Page
	59k	Absecon (WHEC-374) underway, date and place unknown.	Haze Gray & Underway web site
	47k	Absecon (WHEC-374) underway, 27 December 1969, place unknown. US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian	Mike Green
RVNS Tran Quong Khai (HQ-15)
	57k	ex Absecon (AVP-23), in South Vietnamese service as Tran Quong Khai (HQ-15) underway, date and place unknown.	William Toohey