USS Currituck (AV-7)

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Career	Image:US Naval Jack.svg
Image:Currituck.jpg
Ordered:
Laid down:	14 December 1942
Launched:	11 September 1943
Commissioned:	26 June 1944
Decommissioned:	31 October 1967
Struck:	1 April 1971
Fate:	sold for scrapping, 10 January 1973
General Characteristics
Displacement:	14,000 ton
Length:	540 ft 5 in
Beam:	69 ft 3 in
Draft:	22 ft 3 in
Propulsion:
Speed:	19 knots
Range:
Complement:	1247
Armament:	4 × 5/38

USS Currituck (AV-7) was the first of four Currituck class seaplane tenders, and was nicknamed the Wild Goose. She was built during World War II and served during the Cold War.

The second US ship to be named for the Currituck Sound<ref name="wildgoose">USS Currituck History. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.</ref>, the Currituck (AV-7), was launched 11 September 1943 by Philadelphia Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. M. F. Draemel; and commissioned 26 June 1944, Captain W. A. Evans in command.<ref name="DANFS">Currituck II. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.</ref>

Currituck put to sea from Philadelphia 31 August 1944 bound for duty with the Pacific Fleet. At Balboa, Panama, she embarked passengers for transportation to Manus, then continued on to Mios Woendi to unload cargo. She carried men and airplane spare parts and supplies for Tangier (AV-8) from Manus to Morotai, then returned to Mios Woendi briefly before arriving in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, 6 November to begin tending seaplanes flying missions in the Leyte operations.

Currituck sailed from Leyte 6 January 1945 for the initial landings at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, three days later, and remained there, at Cabalitan Bay, and at Mindoro tending seaplanes and directing seaplane search operations. She returned to Leyte 5 February, then sailed for Manila on 3 March. Upon her arrival three days later she sent boarding parties to inspect abandoned Japanese vessels in the harbor. Her tender duties at this port included maintenance of the 76th Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force from 27 April to 6 May.

Departing Manila 10 June 1945 Currituck maintained a base for seaplanes conducting night searches from Lingayen Gulf between 11 June and 20 August, then returned to Manila 24 August. She sailed for Okinawa on 30 August.

Currituck remained in the Far East in support of the reoccupation of the Chinese mainland, tending seaplanes at Jinsen (Inchon), Korea, and Shanghai, Tsingtao, and Taku, China, returning to Okinawa 28 October. She got underway for the United States on 9 December and arrived at San Francisco 30 December.

In 1946, the Currituck and the USS Pine Island served in the Antarctic expedition Operation Highjump.<ref name="south-pole2">Operation Highjump:USS CURRITUCK: VH-4 SQUADRON Activities & Discoveries. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.</ref>

After operations from this port and San Diego, she sailed 2 December 1946, touched at the Marquesas Islands and visited Sydney, Australia, from 13 to 20 March 1947. She returned by way of the Panama Canal to Norfolk, Va., arriving 18 April.<ref name="south-pole1">Operation Highjump: USS Currituck. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.</ref> Currituck was placed out of commission in reserve 7 August 1947, berthed at Philadelphia.

Recommissioned 1 August 1951, Currituck got underway 17 December for Norfolk. From this port she operated locally and in the Caribbean, primarily on training duty. She departed Norfolk 23 August 1952 for a cruise which included visits to Thoneim, Norway, and Leith, Scotland, returning to her home port 17 October. After local operations and a brief voyage to Bermuda, she sailed again from Norfolk 24 August 1953, passing through the Panama Canal for operations around the Galápagos Islands, and returning to Norfolk 25 September. On 6 July 1954 she cleared for a European cruise, calling at Milford Haven, England, continuing to Taranto, Italy, and touching again at Milford Haven and Portsmouth before returning to Norfolk 18 September.

Between 26 August and 13 December 1956 Currituck served with the US 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, returning to training cruises to the Caribbean and local operations at Norfolk until 9 January 1958 when she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. She was decommissioned there 12 February 1958 for thorough modernization and was recommissioned 20 August 1960. After shakedown and training on the east coast and in the Caribbean, Currituck arrived at her new home port of San Diego on 3 December 1960, and remained there for the duration of the year.

In 1964, the Currituck was attached to the US 7th Fleet in Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay. On June 23rd 1965, she launched a bombing mission in the Mekong Delta region.

In March 1967, the Currituck participated in the last combat-mission for any Tender, supporting VP-40, and returned to California on May 24th after completing her 10-month tour. She was decommissioned on October 31, 1967, laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in Philadelphia, struck from the Naval Register on April 1, 1971 and sold to Union Minerals<ref name="milnet">Navy: Decommissioned Ships. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.</ref> for scrapping. She was dismantled at the Learner Shipyard, Oakland, CA in June 1972.