| In 1938, the United States Navy saw a need for fast seaplane tenders to serve as mobile bases for squadrons of PBY patrol bombers. On 1 July, it reclassified two Clemson-class flush-deckers, Childs and Williamson, and took them in hand for conversion, removing their two EX-CLEMSON CLASS
USS Childs (AVD 1, ex-DD 241, ex-AVP 14).
USS Williamson (AVD 2, ex-DD 244, ex-AVP 15).
USS George E Badger (AVD 3, ex-DD 196, ex-AVP 16, later APD 33).
USS Clemson (AVD 4, ex-DD 186, ex-AVP 17, later APD 31).
USS Goldsborough (AVD 5, ex-DD 188, ex-AVP 18, later APD 32).
USS Hulbert (AVD 6. ex-DD 342, ex-AVP 19).
USS William B Preston (AVD 7, ex-DD 344, ex-AVP 20).
USS Belknap (AVD 8, ex-DD 251, later APD 34).
USS Osmond Ingram (AVD 9, ex-DD 255, later APD 35).
USS Ballard (AVD 10. ex-DD 267).
USS Thornton (AVD 11, ex-DD 270).
USS Gillis (AVD 12, ex-DD 260).
USS Greene (AVD 13, ex-DD 266, later APD 36).
USS McFarland (AVD 14, ex-DD 237). |
forward stacks and replacing their two forward boilers with fuel tanks which, together with voids, gave them a capacity approximately 50,000 gallons of fuel. Their torpedo tubes, waist guns and the 3-inch anti-aircraft AA gun were also removed and the bridge superstructure was extended aft to where the forward stacks had been to provide quarters for the squadron. A light crane was stepped amidships and aircraft servicing boats were carried in davits.
Their conversion was regarded as a success, leading to five more conversions authorized in 1939 and seven more in 1940.
Concurrently, on 26 October 1939, the name ship of the 1,766-ton Barnegat (AVP 10) class was laid down. Initially, the first seven flush-deckers were also designated AVP, with hull numbers 14–20 in sequence after the first four Barnegats. The designation was later changed to AVD, encompassing all fourteen ships.DECORATIONS
McFarland received a Presidential Unit Citation for service in the Southwest Pacific, 20 June–16 October 1942.
Five other ships received ten Presidential Unit Citations while attached to the USS Bogue (CVE 9) hunter-killer task group in the Atlantic in 1943: Belknap, Clemson (two awards), George E. Badger (three awards), Greene and Osmond Ingram (three awards). FOLLOW-ON CONVERSIONS
Six AVDs were converted again as high-speed transports (APDs): George E. Badger, Clemson, Goldsborough, Belknap, Osmond Ingram and Greene. LOSSES
Two ex-AVDs were lost during or immediately after World War II:
• Belknap was damaged beyond repair by Japanese suicide aircraft at Lingayen Gulf, 11 January 1945.
• Greene was grounded during a typhoon off Okinawa, 9 October 1945. | |
