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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AVP-30 / AGS-30 San Pablo

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Uniform - Kilo

San Pablo (AVP-30) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right top to bottom
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal


San Pablo (AGS-30) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (6-Cuba) - National Defense Service Medal


Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 2 July 1941, at Associated Ship Building Inc., Seattle, WA.
  • Launched, 31 March 1942
  • Commissioned, USS San Pablo (AVP-30), 15 March 1943
  • Decommissioned, 13 January 1947, CDR. R. R. Darron in command
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Reactivated and converted to a Survey Ship
  • Designated (AGS-30), 25 August 1949
  • Recommissioned, USS San Pablo (AGS-30), 17 September 1948, San Francisco, CA., CDR. T. E. Chambers in command
  • Decommissioned, 29 May 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1969
  • Loaned to Ocean Science Center of the Atlantic Commission, Savannah GA., 14 September 1971
  • Final Disposition, sold to Margo Zahardis, Vancouver, WA., fate unknown
  • San Pablo (AVP-30) earned four battle stars for World War II service
    AVP Specifications:
    Displacement 1,766 t.(lt) 2,750 t.(fl)
    Length 311' 8"
    Beam 41' 1"
    Draft 13' 6"
    Speed 18.6 kts.
    Complement 215
    Armament
    four single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    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 Source
    USS San Pablo (AVP-30) AVP-30
    San Pablo 98k San Pablo (AVP-30) near Seattle, Washington, 9 March 1943, a few days before her commissioning, builder's photo
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-42493, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval Historical Center
    San Pablo 103k San Pablo (AVP-30) near Seattle, Washington, 9 March 1943, a few days before her commissioning, builder's photo
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-42494, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval Historical Center
    San Pablo 102k San Pablo (AVP-30) and Rehoboth (AVP-50) moored at Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island, Azores, 22 February 1949. Both had been reactivated as surveying ships in 1948 although they retained their AVP classifications until August 1949.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-413565, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval Historical Center
    USS San Pablo (AGS-30)
    San Pablo 47k San Pablo (AGS-30) underway, date and location unknown. Haze Gray & Underway Web Site
    San Pablo 90k San Pablo (AGS-30) moored outboard of Rehoboth (AGS-50) at Monoco, date unknown
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1959
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    San Pablo 41k San Pablo (AGS-30) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from DANFS.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    San Pablo 108k San Pablo (AGS-30) at sea off Bermuda, 16 January 1962.
    US Navy photo # NH 97534 by PH2 Warren, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    Robert Hurst
    San Pablo 137k San Pablo (AGS-30) underway, circa 1967, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 97535-KN from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    Robert Hurst

    View the San Pablo (AVP-30)
    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
    Navy Survey Ships (AGS)

    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Small Seaplane Tender (AVP) Photo Index Back To The Survey Ship (AGS) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 21 December 2007