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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Bering Strait (WHEC-383)
ex
 USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-383) (1948 - 1966)
 USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) (1944 - 1948)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Yankee - Golf
 NBYG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (3)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (5) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (5) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USCGC Bering Strait (WHEC-382) was transferred to South Vietnam and renamed RVNS Tran Quang Khia (HQ-2), later transferred to the Philippines and renamed BRP Diego Silang (PF-9)
Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 7 June 1943, at Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, WA.
  • Launched, 15 January 1944
  • Commissioned, USS Bering Strait (AVP-34), 19 July 1944, CDR. Walter D. Innis USN, in command
  • During World War II USS Bering Strait was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 February to 16 March 1945     		3rd Fleet operations agains Japan
    10 to 25 July 1945
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 30 June 1945     		 

  • Following World War II USS Bering Strait performed Occupation duty in the Far East from 2 September to 30 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 21 June 1946, at NAS Alameda, Alameda, CA.
  • Transferred on loan to the US Coast Guard, 14 September 1948
  • Commissioned USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382), 14 September 1948
  • Redesignated High Endurance Cutter (WHEC-382), 1 May 1966
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 26 September 1966
  • During the Vietnam War USCGC Bering Strait participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    15 May to 31 May 1967     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    9 to 21 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    2 to 15 and 28 to 31 July 1970
    16 to 31 August 1970
    7 to 26 October 1970
    7 to 21 November 1970
    22 November to 1 January 1971
    Tet Counteroffensive - Phase III
    30 January to 4 February 1968     		 

  • Decommissioned by the Coast Guard, and transferred to South Vietnam, 1 January 1971, renamed RVNS Tran Quang Khia (HQ-2)
  • Custody assumed by the Republic of the Philippines
  • Sold outright to the Republic of the Philippines, 5 April 1976
  • Commissioned into the Philippine Navy in April 1976, as BRP Diego Silang (PF-9)
  • Decommissioned by Philippine Navy in June 1985
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS Bering Strait received three battle stars for her World War II service and five 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.
    Complement
    Officers 14
    Enlisted 201
    Air Squadron Accommodations
    Officers 59
    Enlisted 93
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    six .50-cal machine guns
    two depth charge tracks
    Propulsion
    four Fairbanks-Morse 38D8 1/8 Diesel engines
    single Fairbanks-Morse Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
    two Diesel-drive 200Kw 450V A.C.
    two propellers, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By /
    Source
    USS Bering Strait (AVP-34)
    Bearing Strait 79k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) being christened at Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, WA., 15 January 1944 by Mrs. George F. Cornwall.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-58235 A US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now fin the US National Archives    		 Bill Gonyo
    Bearing Strait 121k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) being launched at Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, WA., 5 January 1944.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-58204 A US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now fin the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Bearing Strait 91k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) photographed off Houghton, WA., 12 July 1944, shortly before commissioning. Bering Strait is painted in Measure 32/2Ax camouflage (light gray, ocean gray, and black).
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-72076 A US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Bearing Strait 83k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) photographed, 1 October 1944. She has a main armament of three 5"/38 guns. Bering Strait is painted in Measure 32/2Ax camouflage (light gray, ocean gray, and black).
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-73151. A US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Bearing Strait 142k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) photographed, 1 October 1944. Bering Strait is painted in Measure 32/2Ax camouflage (light gray, ocean gray, and black).
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-73152 A US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Bearing Strait 144k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) photographed, 1 October 1944. Bering Strait is painted in Measure 32/2Ax camouflage (light gray, ocean gray, and black).
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-73153 A US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Bearing Strait 97k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) photographed, 1 October 1944. Bering Strait is painted in Measure 32/2Ax camouflage (light gray, ocean gray, and black).
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-73155 A US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Bearing Strait 49k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) during WWII, date and location unknown. Bering Strait is painted in Measure 32/2Ax camouflage (light gray, ocean gray, and black).
    US Navy photo    		  
    Bearing Strait 57k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) during WWII tending seaplanes, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo         		 
    Bearing Strait 2144k USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) at Kerama Retto in the Spring of1945.
    Photo by PhoM2/c Paul D. Guttman.    		 Robert Guttman for his father Paul D. Guttman PhoM2/c
    USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) (WHEC-382)
    Bearing Strait 31k Ex-USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) in US Coast Guard service as USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) Ken Laesser
    Bearing Strait 106k USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) photographed during the 1950s.
    US National Archives photo # NH 97595. A US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center         		US Naval Historical Center
    Bearing Strait 47k USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) at anchor, date and place unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 USCG Historian's Office
    Bearing Strait 30k Starboard broadside view of USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) anchored while in Vietnam War service, date and location unknown. Photo from US Coast Guard Historian's Office. Mike Green
    Bearing Strait 555k Aerial view of USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) seen here in her gray paint scheme of 1970 during the Vietnam War, where she conducted operations in support of Operation Market Time, at anchor in December 1970 at Subic Bay, P.I. Carl Musselman, courtesy John "Jack" Forsythe USCGC Bering Strait
    Bearing Strait 164k USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) at Subic Bay Naval Base, P.I. being prepared for turnover to the South Vietnamese navy, prior to December 1970. Carl Musselman, courtesy Jerry Muller and John Reuter USCGC Bering Strait
    Bearing Strait 198k
    RVNS Tran Quang Khia (HQ-2)
    Bearing Strait 77k Ex-USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382) in South Vietnam naval service as RVNS Tran Quang Khia (HQ 02) coming along side USCGC Castle Rock (WHEC-383) while anchored in Vung Tau Harbor South Vietnam, 4 August 1971. Photos by Carl Backman QMCS USCG (Ret.)
    Bearing Strait 141k
    Bearing Strait 80k
    Bering Strait 69k Ex-USCGC Castle Rock (WHEC-383) in South Vietnamese naval service as RVNS Tran Binh Trong (HQ-5) moored outboard of ex-USCGC Cook Inlet (WHEC-384) in South Vietnamese naval service as RVNS Tran Quoc Toan (HQ-6) and ex-USCGC Bearing Strait (WHEC-382) in South Vietnamese naval service as RVNS Tran Quang Khia (HQ-2) at Saigon in May 1972. © Richard Leonhardt
    USS Bering Strait (AVP-34)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Barnegat AVP-10 Class Seaplane Tenders
    Profile and Sky Views - Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tenders -Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA.
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - Bering Strait, 1948
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Service Ship Type Index Back To The Small Seaplane Tender (AVP) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 13 January 2012