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| USS Duxbury Bay | |
|---|---|
| Shipname | USS Duxbury Bay |
| Caption | USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) underway |
| Namesake | Duxbury Bay, Massachusetts |
| Builder | Lake Washington Shipyard |
| Laid down | 15 April 1943 |
| Launched | 18 December 1943 |
| Sponsored | Mrs. George D. Bryan |
| Commissioned | 11 December 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 14 June 1956 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping 1966 |
| Shipyard | Seattle, Washington |
| Displacement | 1,766 long tons (light); 2,750 long tons (full load) |
| Length | 311 ft 8 in (95.0 m) |
| Beam | 41 ft 1 in (12.5 m) |
| Draft | 13 ft 6 in (4.1 m) |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric engines; 2 shafts |
| Speed | 18.6 kn |
| Complement | 215 |
| Aircraft | Seaplanes (including PBY Catalina, Martin PBM Mariner) |
| Armament | 2 × 5"/38 cal guns; 4 × 40 mm AA guns; 4 × 20 mm AA guns |
USS Duxbury Bay was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender (AVP-38) commissioned during World War II. Designed to support flying boat operations, she provided maintenance, fuel, and berthing for seaplanes while operating from remote anchorages. Duxbury Bay served in the Pacific Theater, participated in occupation and postwar operations, and later supported peacetime naval aviation until decommissioning and disposal.
The Barnegat-class design was developed to provide versatile small seaplane tenders capable of supporting patrol and reconnaissance aviation across the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and littoral waters; design work built on lessons from Pocomoke-class tenders and Skrimshaw proposals for seaplane logistic support. Construction of Duxbury Bay was contracted to Lake Washington Shipyard in Seattle, Washington, a yard with prior work for Puget Sound Navy Yard and commercial builders such as Haleiwa Shipbuilding and Todd Shipyards. Keel-laying on 15 April 1943 followed contemporary shipbuilding practices influenced by programs from the Maritime Commission and directives from Admiral Ernest King and planning offices in Bureau of Ships. The ship’s diesel-electric propulsion, electrical systems, hull form, and armament reflected operational priorities articulated by Chief of Naval Operations planners and engineers from General Engineering Laboratories. The launch on 18 December 1943 was attended by civilian and naval dignitaries including a sponsor from a family with ties to Naval Ordnance procurement.
After commissioning on 11 December 1944, Duxbury Bay completed shakedown and fitting-out evolutions under the oversight of commanders reporting to Commander, Aircraft, Pacific Fleet and worked in coordination with tenders such as USS Barataria (AVP-33), USS Oyster Bay (AVP-28), and USS San Pablo (AVP-30). Her initial operational sorties linked fleet logistics nodes at Pearl Harbor, Naval Air Station San Diego, and NAS Kaneohe Bay, integrating with squadrons from Patrol Wing Two and elements of Fleet Air Wing 2. Duxbury Bay’s systems enabled maintenance of Martin PBM Mariner and Consolidated PBY Catalina aircraft, supporting maritime patrols coordinated with commands from Vice Admiral John McCain Sr. and staff planning at Task Force 58 and Task Force 38. The vessel operated in conjunction with convoys protected under escort arrangements devised by Commander, Escort Division 17.
Assigned to the Pacific Theater campaigns, Duxbury Bay served as a mobile base enabling long-range reconnaissance over areas contested during operations such as campaigns overseen by commanders like Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. and Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. While she did not directly participate in major fleet engagements such as the Battle of Leyte Gulf or Battle of Okinawa, her support for flying boats contributed to anti-submarine warfare patrols tied to actions by Submarine Force Atlantic and Destroyer Squadron units hunting Japanese submarines and surface raiders. Duxbury Bay’s aviation maintenance and tender services supported search-and-rescue efforts linked to carrier operations from USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Saratoga (CV-3), and other carriers operating under Fifth Fleet directives. Her wartime stations included anchorages proximate to Eniwetok Atoll, Majuro Atoll, and bases established during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign.
Following Japan's surrender and the Occupation of Japan, Duxbury Bay facilitated air-sea rescue, courier, and transport missions during demobilization and occupation tasks coordinated by United States Seventh Fleet and Commander, Naval Forces Far East. She supported peacetime scientific and survey efforts that interfaced with agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration precursor programs and worked with units assigned to Fleet Air Wing 1 and Fleet Air Wing 10. During the early Cold War era, Duxbury Bay participated in operations in the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, visiting ports in Guantanamo Bay, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Norfolk, Virginia while integrating with NATO-related activities involving Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy units. She was placed in reserve and officially decommissioned on 14 June 1956, transferred to the Reserve Fleet and later struck from the Naval Vessel Register before final disposition.
For her wartime and postwar service, Duxbury Bay earned service ribbons and campaign recognitions aligned with unit awards issued under policies of the Secretary of the Navy and award systems managed by the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Crewmembers qualified for medals corresponding to service in the American Theater, Asiatic-Pacific Theater, and occupation duty entitlements tied to directives from Department of Defense and celebratory citations signed by commanders such as those from Fleet Air Wing headquarters.
After reserve status, the ship was sold for scrapping in 1966, a fate shared by several of her class including USS Tangier (AV-8)-adjacent types and other Barnegat-class units that were repurposed or transferred to foreign navies, such as vessels transferred to the British Royal Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy, and Uruguayan Navy. Her career exemplifies the evolution of seaplane tender roles as aviation technology shifted toward land-based patrol aircraft like the P-3 Orion and carrier-based helicopters, developments overseen by planners at Naval Air Systems Command and influenced by strategic assessments from institutions including Naval War College. Portions of archival material and deck logs were retained in repositories such as the National Archives and Records Administration and referenced in historical studies by scholars associated with Naval Historical Center and university programs focusing on maritime history.
Category:Barnegat-class seaplane tenders Category:Ships built in Seattle Category:World War II auxiliary ships of the United States