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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380)
ex
 USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) (1948 - 1966)
 USS Yakutat (AVP-32) (1944 - 1948)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Whiskey - Juliet
 NBWJ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Germany Zulu
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (4)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (4) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (4) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380) was transferred to South Vietnam and renamed RVNS Tran Nhat Duat (HQ-3) and later transferred to the Philippines
Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 1 April 1942, at Associated Ship Builders Inc., Seattle, WA.
  • Launched, 2 July 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Yakutat (AVP-32), 31 March 1944, CDR. George K. Fraser in command
  • During World War II USS Yakutat was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 17 July to 10 August 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 30 June 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 8 September to 14 October 1944     		3d Fleet operations against Japan, 10 to 25 July 1945

  • Following World War II USS Yakutat was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September to 20 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 17 April 1946, at NAS Alameda, Alameda, CA.
  • Transferred on loan to the US Coast Guard, 31 August 1948
  • Commissioned USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380), 23 November 1948
  • Redesignated High Endurance Cutter (WHEC-380), 1 May 1966
  • Struck from the Naval Register with permanent transfer to the US Coast Guard, 26 September 1966
  • During the Vietnam War USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380) was assigned to Coast Guard Squadron Three, Vietnam, from 17 May to 31 December 1970 and participated in the following campaigns:


    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    31 May 1967     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    10 to 30 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 July to 18 December 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    1 to 6 and 16 to 19 July 1970
    30 July to 7 August 1970
    17 to 22 and 24 to 28 August 1970
    27 October to 6 November 1970
    22 November 1970 to 1 January 1971

  • Decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1970
  • Transferred to South Vietnam, 10 January 1971, renamed RVNS Tran Nhat Duat (HQ-3)
  • Taken over by the Philippines, April 1975
  • Acquired by the Philippines, 6 April 1976
  • Final Disposition, cannibalized for parts, fate unknown
  • USS Yakutat (AVP-32) earned four battle stars for her World War II service and as USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380) earned four campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,766 t.(lt) 2,750 t.(fl), 2,800 t.(lim)
    Length 310' 9"
    Beam 41' 2"
    Draft 13' 6" (lim)
    Speed 18.2 kts. (trial)
    US Navy Complement
    Officers - 73
    Enlisted - 294
    US Coast Guard Complement Officers - 13
    Enlisted - 138
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    US Navy Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    US Coast Guard Armament
    two 81mm Mk 2
    two .50 Cal MG, Mk 2
    two Mk 32, Mod 5 torpedo launchers
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel 2,055 Bbls
    Gasoline 79,000 Gals
    Propulsion
    four Fairbanks Morse Diesel 32D81/8
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gear
    Ships Service Generators
    one Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 200Kw 450V A.C.
    two propellers, 6,080shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By /
    Source
    USS Yakutat (AVP-32)
    Yakutat 109k Yakutat (AVP-32) off Seattle, WA,, 30 March 1944, one day before she was commissioned. She has a main armament of three 5"/38 guns. Yakutat is painted camouflage scheme/measure 32/5D in this photo.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-63328, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives         		US Naval Historical Center
    USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) (WHEC-380)
    Yakutat 204k Ex- USS Yakutat (AVP-32) in US Coast Guard service as USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) moored at State Pier in Portland, Maine in March, 1949.
    Portland, Maine History, Photo No. Unknown    		 Mike Green
    Yakutat 44k USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) under way in 1960, location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Yakutat 68k USCGCYakutat (WAVP-380) at Boston in July 1961. © Richard Leonhardt
    Yakutat 62k USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) off Boston in July 1961. © Richard Leonhardt
    Yakutat 72k USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) at Boston in July 1961. © Richard Leonhardt
    Yakutat 50k USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) at Boston in August 1961. © Richard Leonhardt
    Yakutat 63k USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) underway, date and location unknown. Len Laesser
    Yakutat 662k USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380) underway, 22 June 1966, location unknown.
    Photo from the collections of the National Naval Aviation Museum.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Yakutat 79k USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380) alongside USS Ajax (AR-6) at Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippine Islands in August 1967. Photo by Larry Backus
    Yakutat 81k USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380) under way in 1969, location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Yakutat 17k USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380) under way while in Vietnamese waters, circa 1967-1971. Robert Hurst
    RVNS Tran Nhat Duat (HQ-3)
    Yakutat 76k Ex-USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380) underway in South Vietnamese naval service as RVNS Tran Nhat Duat (HQ-3), at Saigon, May 1972 © Richard Leonhardt
    Yakutat 123k RVNS Tran Nhat Duat (HQ-3) off Con Son Island, South Vietnam, 1 May 1975, loaded with refugees before heading to the Philippines.
    National Public Radio photo.         		Tommy Trampp
    USS Yakutat (AVP-32)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Fraser, George Kittrell31 March 1944 - 1945
    02LCDR. Darnell, William Irvin1945 - 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Barnegat Class Seaplane Tenders
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - Yakutat WHEC-380
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 13 October 2017