Tangier

U.S.S. Tangier

AV-8

1944

(Neptun 1396a)

Class: Tangier - 3 seaplane tenders of 1940
Displacement: 11,760 tons light / 14,200 tons full load
Dimensions: 492'1" x 69'6" x 23'9"
Machinery: 1-shaft geared turbines, SHP 8,500 = 18 knots
Armament: 1-5"/38 DP, 4-3"/50 AA, 8-40mm (4x2) AA, 10-20mm AA guns
Complement: 1,075

Builder: Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, CA
Laid down: 18 Mar 1939
Launched: 15 Sep 1939
Commissioned: 25 Aug 1941
Decommissioned: Jan 1947

Notes: Laid down as Sea Arrow, a type C3 standard cargo vessel, under Maritime Commission contract. Delivered to U.S.Navy 8 Jul 1940 for conversion to seaplane tender. After shakedown cruise, she was assigned as tender to PatWing 2, Hawaii, and arrived Pearl Harbor 3 Nov 1941. Present during Japanese attack, 7 Dec 1941, moored behind target ship Utah. Participated in failed Wake relief expedition. At Noumea Mar-Jun 1942, with aircraft rescuing survivors of the Coral Sea battle. Returned stateside for three month overhaul. Sailed Sep 1942 for Pearl Harbor, Suva, and ultimately Espiritu Santo in Feb 1943 for six months. After several supply runs, returned stateside for overhaul Dec 1943. Sent west in early 1944, she arrived Brisbane to become flagship of Commander, Aircraft, 7th Fleet in Mar, soon moving to Seeadler Harbor, Manus. Later moved on to Biak and Morotai. Moved to Leyte Gulf Dec 1944 to support patrols and air-sea rescue work for the Philippine campaign. Shifted to Lingayen Gulf Jan 1945, then to Subic Bay and Cabalitian Bay in Mar 1945, with her aircraft patrolling the South China Sea. Returned to Pearl and San Francisco in Jul 1945 for overhaul. Headed back to Far East for occupation duty in Sep 1945, including Yokosuka, Japan; Kowloon Bay, China; and Okinawa until Mar 1946. Returned to U.S.East Coast for inactivation. Sold for scrapping in 1961, but then resold to Sea-Land Service in 1962 and converted to car carrier/container ship Detroit. Scrapped in Spain, 1974. USS Tangier earned three battle stars for her Woeld War II service.