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| USN Curtiss-class seaplane tender 8,671 Tons (light) 13,475 Tons (full) 527' 4" x 69' 3" x 21' 11" As Built 4 × 5" 38 caliber guns 3 x Quad 40mm AA 2 x Twin 40mm AA World War II Armament 4 × Twin 40mm guns 12 x 20mm AA guns  USN November 1, 1941  USN December 7, 1941  Schmidt 1942  USN 1950  USN 1954 |
Ship History Built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey. Laid down March 25, 1938 as the lead ship of the Curtiss-class seaplane tender. Launched on April 20, 1940 as USS Curtiss named for aviation pioneer Glenn H. Curtiss sponsored by Mrs H. S. Wheeler. Commissioned on November 15, 1940 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Commander S. P. Ginder in command. After a shakedown cruise, operated from Norfolk and the Caribbean for training and in fleet exercises until the spring of 1941. Curtiss was one of fourteen ships to receive the early RCA CXAM-1 RADAR. On May 26, 1941 departed via the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor and performed patrols and provided tender services for two patrol bomber squadrons. Between October 15, 1941 until November 9, 1941 steamed to Wake Island transporting aviators, air crews, gasoline and cargo to reinforce the garrison. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Curtiss immediately got underway firing at enemy planes. At 8:36am spotted by Type A Midget Submarine (Midget B) that opened fire with a torpedo that missed, impacting a dock at Pearl City. Simultaneously, the submarine's periscope was sighted and targeted with gunfire. Meanwhile, USS Monaghan (DD-354) ran full speed in an attempt to ram the midget submarine. As it surfaced, the destroyer struck the submarine while it fired its second torpedo, which passed harmlessly beneath the destroyer and exploded on shore bank. Damaged, Monaghan dropped two depth charges that sank the submarine. At 9:05am her gunners scored a hit on a D3A1 Val dive bomber that crashed into her no. 1 crane and burn on the deck. Three minutes later she splashed another plane then began firing a D3A1 Val dive bomber. A bomb from this plane crashed Curtiss in the vicinity of her damaged crane and exploded below decks, setting the hangar and main decks and no. 4 handling room on fire, as the plane crashed off her port beam. During the attack, Curtiss suffered 19 killed and many wounded. On December 28, 1941 departed for San Diego for permanent repairs that were completed in four days including a replacement crane and adding 20mm cannons for additional anti-aircraft defense. On January 13, 1942 returns to Pearl Harbor and departs ferrying men and supplies to Samoa, Suva. On February 21, 1942 arrives Nouméa with Patrol Squadron 14 to support seaplane operations in the South Pacific. On March 28, 1942 five floatplanes arrived from Rossel Island (Yela). These aircraft were from the USS Louisville (CA-28) and USS Astoria (CA-34) that landed ten days earlier low on fuel. One of the floatplanes hit into USS Curtiss and was abandoned overboard. During June 1942 returned to Pearl Harbor and served as flagship for Commander, Naval Air, South Pacific, at Nouméa from June 16 to August 4, then served as seaplane tender, flagship, repair and supply ship for destroyers in the Solomon Islands. Part of Task Group "Mike-Three" Comdr. Maurice E. Browder, USN, Curtiss was the flagship, ordered to proceed to Segond Channel off Espiritu Santo, escorted by USS McFarland, three days before the American attack on Tulagi and Guadalcanal. Her PBY Catalinas flew reconnaissance missions from Espiritu Santo, Nouméa and Havannah Harbor to search to the south and east of the Solomons. As part of Task Group "Mike-Four" Comdr. Joseph L. Kane, USS McFarland and USS Curtiss with attached PBY Catalinas moved to Graciosa Bay on Ndeni Island in the Santa Cruz Island Group (Santa Cruz Islands). Her PBY Catalinas searched north and east of Guadalcanal. Afterwards, returned to Espiritu Santo until July 9, 1943. Returned to San Francisco for overhaul. On November 7, 1943 departs for Funafuti with USS Mackinac AVP-13 to serve as flagship for Commander Air, Central Pacific, and remains until December 29, 1943. Next to Tarawa, based there December 31, 1943 - March 8, 1944. Afterward, to Kwajalein March 10 - June 26. On June 27, 1944 arrives Eniwetok. On August 9, 1944 departs Eniwetok and three days later arrives Saipan. On January 1, 1945 departs Eniwetok and the next day arrives Guam. On February 7, 1945 departs Guam for the west coast for San Francisco for repairs then returns to the Pacific. On May 22, 1945 arrives Okinawa as flagship for Commander, Fleet Air Wing 1 (FAW-1). On June 21, 1945 a kamikaze armed with a bomb impacted ripping two holes into her hull and exploded in the third deck. Aboard, 35 killed and 21 wounded but damage control efforts keep her afloat. On June 25, 1945 departs for the west coast for repairs and overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard until the end of the Pacific War. For her World War II service, USS Curtiss earned seven battle stars. Postwar On December 5, 1945 returned to Okinawa and embarked Commander, Fleet Air Wing 1 (also the Commander of Task Force 75) and participated in fleet exercises with patrol squadrons in the Formosa Strait, ferried men and supplies to outlying bases and made several visits to Tsingtao. On March 8, 1947 departed across the Pacific for the west coast of the United States and underwent an overhaul and was modified to store scientific equipment. In 1948, the Curtiss transported atom bombs for "Operation Sandstone" to Eniwetok and afterwards returned to the west coast. After participated in exercises in Alaska then returned to San Francisco in early 1949. Curtiss operated off the California coast on a number of fleet and training exercises until early in 1949 when she served as flagship for Commander First Fleet for three weeks of amphibious operations in Alaskan waters to evaluate cold weather equipment. She continued to serve as flagship for this command during amphibious exercises off Seattle during the summer of 1949. Shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War, Curtiss sailed from San Diego to join the 7th Fleet in July 1950 on patrol in the Korea Strait. Sailing out of Iwakuni and Kure, she tended two PBM Mariner squadrons and a squadron of British Sunderlands operating over Korean territory. She returned to San Francisco on 14 January 1951 for further alterations to fit her as a base for scientific work. From 23 February to 13 June 1951 Curtiss served as flagship for "Operation Greenhouse" and was the base for civilian and military technicians during the atomic tests at Eniwetok. She also provided meteorological information and operated a boat pool. Curtiss served at San Diego in until September 29, 1952 when she departed for Eniwetok as flagship for "Operation Ivy" atomic tests. On December 4, 1952 returns to San Diego then operates off the west coast including Acapulco, Mexico during 1953. Between January 10, 1954 until May 28, 1954 participated in "Operation Castle" the first hydrogen bomb test. During November 1954 fitted with a helicopter deck. In March 1955 participates in a large scale amphibious exercise off California. Between March 21, 1956 until August 8, 1956, participates in "Operation Redwing" atomic tests at Eniwetok and was visited by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. As flagship for the First Fleet, on September 20, 1956 visited by Vice Admiral A. H. Vdel, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Danish Navy. On December 27, 1956 departs San Diego participating in "Operation Deep Freeze II" transporting sailors of the wintering-over party and scientists as part of the program for the International Geophysical Year and visits Port Lyttelton, New Zealand, in January 1957 then enters McMurdo Sound and transferred cargo by helicopter to Glacier (AGB-4). From 21 to 28 January she put men and cargo ashore in the same manner as she lay moored to the ice shelf "Little America" between January 30, 1957 until February 6, 1957 then performs ice reconnaissance to Okuma Bay and Sulzberger Bay, then departs McMurdo Sound February 10, 1957 then returns to Port Lyttelton followed by Auckland and Sydney then back to San Diego arriving March 25, 1957. Afterwards, undergoes repairs for ice damage then resumes local operations. On September 24, 1957 placed out of commission in reserve. On July 1, 1963 struck from the Navy register. Scrapping During February 1972 sold for scrap and broken up. References USN USS Curtiss War History pages 1-10 (1946) Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - USS Curtiss (AV-4) Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Pearl Harbor: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal by Vice Admiral Homer N. Wallin pages ix, 104, 107, 168, 197-199, 322, 363, 367-368 (index Curtiss) NavSource - USS Curtiss (AV-4) (photos) USS Curtiss Damage Report December 7, 1941 [PDF] USS Curtiss Association via Wayback Machine January 14, 2018 Contribute
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