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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Half Moon (WHEC-378)
ex
 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. William 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 (WHEC-378) in 1966
  • During the Vietnam War USCGC Half Moon (WHEC-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
  • USS Half Moon earned two battle stars for World War II service and USCGC Half Moon earned six campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrap
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,766 t.(lt) 2,800 t.(fl)
    Length 310'
    Beam 41' 2"
    Draft 13' 6" (limiting)
    Speed 18.2 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 14
    Enlisted 201
    Aviation Unit Accommodations
    Officers 59
    Enlisted 93
    Largest boom capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    USN
    four single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    USCG
    one single 5"/38 cal. Mk 12, Mod 1 dual purpose gun mount
    one Mk 52 Mod 3 director
    one Mk 26 fire control radar
    one Mk 11 A/S projector
    two Mk 32 Mod 5 torpedo tubes
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel 1,955 Bbls.
    Gasoline 84,340 Gals.
    Propulsion
    four Fairbanks Morse 38D8 1/8 Diesel engines
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gear
    Ships Service Generators
    two diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
    two diesel-drive 200Kw 450V A.C.
    two propellers, 6,080shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Half Moon (AVP-26)
    Half Moon
    09432613    		 188k
    Namesake
    Half Moon - Half Moon Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean on the coast of San Mateo County, California. The bay is approximately semi-circular, hence the name half moon, with sea access to the south. Coastal towns located there are Princeton-by-the-Sea, Miramar, El Granada, and the city of Half Moon Bay. (Wikiwand)
    Photo - Cliffs overlooking Half Moon Bay, 12 January 2019, Elena.laps
    Map - Half Moon Bay, (SF Gate)     		Tommy Trampp
    Half Moon 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 History and Heritage Command
    Half Moon 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 History and Heritage Command
    Half Moon 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 History and Heritage Command
    Half Moon 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 History and Heritage Command
    Half Moon 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
    Half Moon
    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
    Half Moon
    80-G-1021244    		 488k
    USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378) (WHEC-378)
    Half Moon 40k ExUSS Half Moon (AVP-26) in US Coast Guard service as USCGC Half Moon (WAVC-378) underway, date and location unknown. Ken Laesser
    Half Moon 55k USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 Ken Laesser
    Half Moon 35k USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378) underway, circa 1952, location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Jason
    09250813    		 118k Five white 311-foot cutters of Coast Guard Squadron Three, assigned to support Operation MARKET TIME tied up alongside Navy repair ship USS Jason (AR-8) at Naval Station Subic Bay in the Philippines, 4 August 1967. From inboard to outboard:
    USCGC Half Moon (WHEC-378);
    USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380);
    USCGC Gresham (WHEC-387);
    USCGC Barataria (WHEC-381) and
    USCGC Bering Strait (WHEC-382)
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office Coast Guard Photo Rel. No. 6201; August 4,1967
    Photo by CDR Richard Morse, USCG, Commanding Officer USCGC Barataria (WHEC-381)     		Robert Hurst and
    Bob Canchola
    Half Moon 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
    Half Moon 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
    USS Half Moon (AVP-26)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    USS Half Moon (AVP-26) Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Gallery, William Onahan, USN (USNA 1925) :RADM15 June 1943 - 16 June 1944
    02CDR. Bandy, Jack Irving16 June 1944 - October 1945
    03CDR. Morrison, Carl Hawkinsmith, USNOctober 1945 - 4 September 1946
    USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378 / WHEC-378) Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Lynch, Gilbert Irving, USCG (USCGA 1932)14 September 1948 - 1 August 1950
    02CDR. Forney, John Herman, USCG (USCGA 1933)1 August 1950 - 3 January 1952
    03CDR. McKenzie, Raphael T. A., LCDR, USCG (USNA 1942)3 January 1952 - 6 September 1952
    04CDR. Downing, George A., USCG6 September 1952 - 24 November 1953
    05CDR. Guill, Samuel Gardner, USCG (USCGA 1936)24 November 1953 - 1 June 1955
    06LCDR. Scalabrini, Daniel John, USCG (USCGA 1944)1 June 1955 - 25 August 1955
    07CDR. Gerde, Clifford Sylvester, USCG (USCGA 1936)25 August 1955 - 3 August 1956
    08CDR. Kniskern Jr., Henry Parsons, USCG (USCGA 1938)3 August 1956 - 10 July 1958
    09CDR. Horne, Joe Louis, USCG (USCGA 1941)10 July 1958 - 27 September 1960
    10CDR. Zinck, William Joseph, USCG (USCGA 1944)27 SEptember 1960 - 23 August 1962
    11CDR. Dayton, Jay P., USCG (USNA 1945)23 August 1962 - 25 June 1964
    12CDR. Mathieu, Donby J., USCG (USNA 1944)25 June 1964 - 19 May 1966
    13CDR. McCarthy, Emmett G., USCG (USNA 1949)19 May 1966 - 26 July 1968
    14CDR. Moore III, Samuel M., USCG (USCGA 1948)26 July 1968 - 15 July 1969
    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
    Profile and Sky Views - Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tenders -Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA.
    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 29 October 2021