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Photo #  NH 97640:  USS Greenwich Bay tending a P5M seaplane on 24 May 1955.

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41), 1945-1967

USS Greenwich Bay, a 1,766-ton Barnegat class small seaplane tender, was built at Houghton, Washington, and was commissioned in May 1945. She departed San Diego in August 1945 shortly after the cease fire in the Pacific. Arriving on the China Coast in October, she tended seaplanes at Taku, Tsingtao, and Shanghai. In 1946, she operated in Japanese waters and in the Philippines befor sailing for the United States in May. Transiting via the Mediterranean, she reached Norfolk in July.

Between February 1947 and June 1948 Greenwich Bay served as escort to the Presidential yacht Williamsburg (AGC-369, ex PG-56). She then made a round-the-world goodwill cruise, visiting ports in the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and south Pacific before returning to Norfolk in October 1948.

In April 1949 Greenwich Bay commenced the duty that was to dominate the rest of her career, service as a flagship for Commander, U. S. Navy Middle East Force. During this and some 14 subsequent annual deployments, she sailed through the Mediterranean, and operated as flagship in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indian Ocean for periods of 4 to 6 months. She supported U. S. diplomacy in the region, operated with allied and friendly naval forces, and did extensive humanitarian work in the People-to-People program. 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.

This page features, or provides links to, all our views of USS Greenwich Bay.

For additional views relating to USS Greenwich Bay, see:

  • USS Greenwich Bay -- Mediterranean Transit, 1961.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: 19-N-87294

    USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41)


    Underway near her builder's yard at Houghton, Washington, on 16 May 1945.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 620 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-87295

    USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41)


    Underway near her builder's yard at Houghton, Washington, on 16 May 1945.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 620 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 81168

    USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41)


    Moored in the harbor of Alexandria, Egypt, in June 1946.

    Courtesy of LCDR W. H. Cressman, USN (Ret.).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97640

    USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41)


    Refueling a P5M seaplane of VP-44 on 24 May 1955.
    She is wearing the white paint of a Middle East Force flagship.
    Photographed by PH3 R. P. Champine, USN.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98797

    USS Greenwich Bay
    (AVP-41)

    Photographed circa 1958 from a Martin P5M, whose port side wing float is visible at the top of the photo.
    Other P5M aircraft are parked at the seaplane base below. The small cargo ship with the heavy lift booms amidships may be USNS Col. William J. O'Brien (T-AK-246) or USNS Short Splice (T-AK-249). Note also the small unidentified structure on Greenwich Bay's after deck.
    The original print carried the rubber stamped date 22 May 1958 on its reverse side.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 71KB; 595 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98799

    USS Greenwich Bay
    (AVP-41)

    Shown with awnings rigged in a photograph released in September 1965.
    She now has a tripod mast and a tall whip antenna right aft.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 81169

    Suez Canal


    Seen from USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41) during her canal transit in June 1946.
    View looks forward on the ship's forecastle deck, with chief petty officers taking in the sun at right.

    Courtesy of LCDR W. H. Cressman, USN (Ret.).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 81170

    Alexandria, Egypt


    Harbor seen from USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41) in June 1946.
    The ship moored on the left is HMS Stevenstone, a British Type 3 Hunt-class escort destroyer.

    Courtesy of LCDR W. H. Cressman, USN (Ret.).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 83954

    Lieutenant Wilmer H. Cressman, USN
    (at right)

    In a rickshaw, at the Tsingtao Aquarium, Tsingtao, China, November 1945. At that time he was Executive Officer of USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41).
    The officer in the other rickshaw is not identified.

    Courtesy of LCDR W. H. Cressman, USN (Ret.).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 102KB; 580 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 65343-KN (Color)

    Insignia: USS Greenwich Bay (AVP-41)

    This emblem was on file at the Naval Historical Center in 1967, and had probably been received about a decade earlier.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 125KB; 650 x 675 pixels

     

    For additional views relating to USS Greenwich Bay, see:

  • USS Greenwich Bay -- Mediterranean Transit, 1961.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 23 July 2001
    New images added 31 December 2003