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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Half Moon (WHEC-378)
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USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378) (1948 - 1966)
USS Half Moon (AVP-26) (1943 - 1948)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Quebec - Romeo NBQR

USS Half Moon (AVP-26) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
USCGC Half Moon (WHEC-378) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Vietnam Service Medal (6) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (1) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Half Moon (AVP-26) was transferred to the US Coast Guard after World War II

Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender:

Laid down, 10 March 1942, at Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, WA.

Launched, 12 July 1942

Commissioned USS Half Moon (AVP-26), 15 June 1943, CDR. W. O. Gallery in command

During WWII USS Half Moon (AVP-26) was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Western New Guinea operations Cape Sansapor operation, 21 to 26 August 1944	Leyte operation Leyte landings, 20 October to 29 November 1944 Battle of Surigao Strait, 24 to 26 October 1944
Western New Guinea operations Morotai Landings, 15 September 1944

Following World War II USS Half Moon was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September to 2 October 1945

Decommissioned, 4 September 1946, at San Diego

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Loaned to the Coast Guard and commissioned, USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378), 30 July 1948

Redesignated High Endurance Cutter (WMEC-378) in 1966

During the Vietnam War USCGC Half Moon (WMEC-378) participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 24 April to 31 May 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 2 April to 30 June 1958
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 1 July to 1 November 1968
Tet Counteroffensive 30 January to 1 April 1968	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 November to 18 December 1968

Decommissioned, 15 July 1969

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Final Disposition, sold for scrap

USS Half Moon received two battle stars for World War II service and USCGC Half Moon earned six campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement 1,766 t.(lt) 2,800 t.(fl)
Length 310' 9"
Beam 41' 2"
Draft 13' 6" (lim)
Speed 18.2 kts (trial)
Complement

Officers 14

Enlisted 201
Aviation Units Attached Accommodations

Officers 59

Enlisted 93
Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

one quad 40mm AA gun mount

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA
Fuel Capacities

Diesel 2,000 Bbls

Gasoline 82,650 Gals
Fuel Capacities

Diesel 2,055 Bbls

Gasoline 84,000 Gals
Propulsion

two Fairbanks Morse 38D8 1/8 Diesel engines

single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gears

Ship's Service Generators

two Diesel-drive 200Kw 450V A.C.

two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.

two propellers, 6,400shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS Half Moon (AVP-26)
	86k	*USS Half Moon* (AVP-26)** off Houghton, WA., 15 June 1943, the day of her first commissioning. She was completed with a main battery of four 5"/38 guns.< US National Archives photo # 19-N-47445, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives	US Naval Historical Center
	84k	*USS Half Moon* (AVP-26)** off Houghton, WA., 15 June 1943. US National Archives photo # 19-N-47450, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives	US Naval Historical Center
	129k	*USS Half Moon* (AVP-26)** at her builder's yard at Houghton, WA., 15 June 1943 US National Archives photo # 19-N-47451, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives	US Naval Historical Center
	161k	*USS Half Moon* (AVP-26)** at her builder's yard at Houghton, WA., 15 June 1943 US National Archives photo # 19-N-47452, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives	US Naval Historical Center
	261k	Distant view of *USS Half Moon* (AVP-26)** conducting 360 degree turning trials, 10 February 1944, probably near Brisbane, Australia. US National Archives photo # 80-G-223139, a US Navy photo now in collections of the US National Archives.	Carl Musselman
80-G-1021245	544k	*USS Half Moon* (AVP-26)** coming alongside USS Tangier (AV-8) on 8 October 1944, probably near Morotai Island, for transfer of flag personnel. US National Archives photo #'s 80-G-1021245 and 80-G-1021244, US Navy photos now in collections of the US National Archives.	Carl Musselman
80-G-1021244	488k		Carl Musselman
USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378) (WHEC-378)
	40k	ExUSS Half Moon (AVP-26) in US Coast Guard service as *USCGC Half Moon* (WAVC-378) underway, date and location unknown.**	Ken Laesser
	55k	*USCGC Half Moon* (WAVP-378)** underway, date and location unknown. US Coast Guard photo	Ken Laesser
	35k	*USCGC Half Moon* (WAVP-378)** underway, circa 1952, location unknown. US Coast Guard photo.	Robert Hurst
	44k	*USCGC Half Moon* (WHEC-378)** underway during UNREP off the coast of Vietnam, date unknown. US Coast Guard photo from the Office of the US Coast Guard Historian	Mike Green
	116k	*USCGC Half Moon* (WHEC-378)** fires her five-inch gun at a Vietcong stronghold in the Song Ong Doc area of South Vietnam while on Market Time patrol. US Coast Guard photo # 6218.	Robert Hurst