USS Greenwich Bay (AVP 41)

- decommissioned -

USS GREENWICH BAY was a BARNEGAT - class small seaplane tender and the first ship in the Navy named after the bay off the Rhode Island coast. Decommissioned in June 1966 and stricken from the Navy list on July 1, 1966, the GREENWICH BAY was sold for scrapping in May 1967.

General Characteristics:	Keel laid: July 18, 1944
	Launched: March 17, 1945
	Commissioned: May 20, 1945
	Decommissioned: June 1966
	Builder: Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, Wash.
	Propulsion system: four Diesel engines, 6,080 shaft horsepower
	Propellers: two
	Length: 310 feet (94.5 meters)
	Beam: 41.2 feet (12.5 meters)
	Draft: 13.6 feet (4.1 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 2,800 tons full load
	Speed: 18 knots
	Armament: one 5-inch/38 caliber gun, one quad 40mm gun, two twin 40mm guns, four twin 20mm guns
	Crew: 14 officers and 201 enlisted Seaplane Squadron Accommodations: 59 officers and 93 enlisted

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS GREENWICH BAY. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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USS GREENWICH BAY Cruise Books:

Persian Gulf Cruise Book 1951

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USS GREENWICH BAY History:

USS GREENWICH BAY was launched 17 March 1945 by the Lake Washington Shipyard, Haughton, Wash.; sponsored by Mrs. Francis B. Johnson, wife of the Commander Fleet Air Wing 6; and commissioned 20 May 1945, Comdr. Peter F. Boyle in command.

Departing San Diego 26 August after an intensive shakedown, the new seaplane tender sailed for Taku, China, 5 October via Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Okinawa. GREENWICH BAY spent the rest of 1945 along the China coast, touching at Tsingtao and Shanghai as well as Taku, tending seaplanes of the 7th Fleet. She operated in Japanese waters during January 1946, and after a short stint in the Philippines, sailed for the States 1 May. Reaching Norfolk 1 July 1946 via Hong Kong, Singapore, Naples, Casablanca, and Gibraltar, GREENWICH BAY continued on to New York for overhaul.

GREENWICH BAY reported to the Potomac River Naval Command 19 February 1947 to serve as escort to WILLIAMSBURG, the Presidential Yacht. This assignment ended 21 June 1948 as she departed Norfolk for an around-the-world cruise. During her 4 month sailing, GREENWICH BAY made good-will visits to Gibraltar, Port Said, Muscat, Bahrein, Kuwait, Trincomalee (India), Fremantle, Pago Pago, Papeete (Tahiti), and Coco Solo before returning to Norfolk 14 October.

GREENWICH BAY sailed 30 April 1949 to assume duties as flagship for Commander, U.S. Navy Middle East Force. Every year since then she has repeated this duty, sailing through the Mediterranean to operate as flagship in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indian Ocean for 4 to 6 months. In addition to operating with Allied naval units in these areas, GREENWICH BAY has done extensive work in the People-to-People program, particularly in carrying drugs and other medical supplies to the Arabian and African nations and operated as an important tool of diplomacy, helping to maintain peace in this oil-rich land.

In 1950 the tender's crew distinguished itself in Bahrein, Arabia, as Air France planes crashed there on 13 and 15 June while attempting to make early-morning landings on a fog-shrouded field. GREENWICH BAY sent out a total of six search-and-rescue missions on the 2 tragic days. On 15 June one of her launches, containing both her captain and medical officer, succeeded in rescuing nine survivors of the crash. For her heroic action GREENWICH BAY received the special commendation and thanks of both the Arabian and French governments.

When the Suez Crisis flared up in 1956 and seemed to threaten war, GREENWICH BAY extended her normal cruise in the Persian Gulf to be able to evacuate American dependents and civilians if necessary. As a result of the blocking of the canal, she had to return to the States around the Cape of Good Hope. In her Middle East duties, which are punctuated by local operations and exercises out of Norfolk, GREENWICH BAY has been visited by many outstanding figures, including King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, the Shah of Iran, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, and the Shaikh of Kuwait.

Ports which she has visited as part of her official duties as flagship include virtually every major Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea city as well as several African ones. Among them are Recife, Lisbon, Malta, Bombay, Istanbul, Athens, Beirut, Mombassa (Kenya), Cannes, Karachi, and Madras. GREENWICH BAY has made 15 Mediterranean deployments to the Middle East. During most of this period, she performed these duties in rotation with two sisters, DUXBURY BAY (AVP 38) and VALCOUR (AVP 55). USS GREENWICH BAY was decommissioned in June 1966 and sold for scrapping in May 1967.

GREENWICH BAY was struck from the Navy List 1 July 1966 and sold to Boston Metals Co., Baltimore, Md.

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