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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

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

USS Humboldt (AVP-21), 1941-1949

USS Humboldt, a 1,766-ton Barnegat class small seaplane tender, was built at the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, and was commissioned in October 1941. Following a prolonged shakedown period, she departed Norfolk in May 1942 and commenced tending seaplanes at Recife, Brazil, in August. She served at various points along the Brazilian coast until July 1943, when she returned to the Boston Navy Yard for a short repair period

From August 1943 to early 1945, Humboldt served in the North Atlantic theater, including Newfoundland, Iceland, the United Kingdom, and French North Africa. After a repair period at Norfolk, she returned to Brazil in April 1945 for another two months of South Atlantic duty. She arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in July 1945 and commenced conversion to a press ship for the invasion of Japan. As such, she was reclassified AG-121 on 30 July 1945 but reverted to AVP-21 on 10 September 1945 after the conversion was cancelled. Humboldt was decommissioned in March 1947 and placed in reserve.

In January 1949 Humboldt was loaned to the Coast Guard and served out of Boston, Massachusetts, primarily on weather duty, as the cutter Humboldt (WAVP-372, later WHEC-372). She was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in September 1969 and sold for scrapping in May 1970.

This page features all our views of USS Humboldt, and provides links to other related images.

For additional images of USS Humboldt, see:
USS Humboldt (AVP-21) -- Construction Photographs.


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-49686

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Shown on 23 August 1943 upon completion of modifications at the Boston Navy Yard.
During this upkeep period she received a third 5"/38 gun aft along with one quadruple and two twin 40-mm mounts.

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

Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-49687

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


A starboard quarter view taken on 23 August 1943.
The ship had just completed an upkeep period at the Boston Navy Yard.

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

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 80-G-265680

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Photographed circa April 1944 in Hampton Roads, Virginia, by USS San Jacinto (CVL-30).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 59KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-78020

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Shown off the Norfolk Navy Yard on 17 November 1944.
Her 5"/38 armament has been reduced to a single mount and her quadruple 40mm mount has been moved forward.

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

Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 610 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 46913

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Photographed off Norfolk, Virginia, on 17 November 1944 by an aircraft from the Norfolk Naval Air Station.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 485 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 78793

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Tending a PBM seaplane of Fleet Air Wing 16 at Bahia, Brazil, in April 1945.

Collection of Capt. Roy C. Smith III, 1972.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-110806

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Shown during an inclining experiment at the Norfolk Navy Yard on 13 November 1945.
USS Idaho (BB-42) is in the background.

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

Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 620 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-110805

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Shown during an inclining experiment at the Norfolk Navy Yard on 13 November 1945.

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

Online Image: 141KB; 740 x 645 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-110810

USS Humboldt (AVP-21)


Shown during an inclining experiment at the Norfolk Navy Yard on 13 November 1945.

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

Online Image: 117KB; 740 x 640 pixels

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

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Humboldt (AVP-21). The following list features some of these images:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."



  • Photo #: 80-G-208042
    USS Humboldt (AVP-21) photographed off the east coast by an aircraft from the Weeksville, North Carolina, Naval Air Station on 8 December 1943.
    Weeksville was a base for blimps which patrolled off Cape Hatteras. Starboard near-surface view. Ship is painted in pattern camouflage. The same view was also filed as 80-G-171214.

  • Photo #: 80-G-289895
    USS Humboldt (AVP-21) photographed off Norfolk, Virginia on 17 November 1944 by an aircraft from the Norfolk Naval Air Station.
    Port quarter view. This is the full view from which NH 46913 (see above) was cropped.

  • Photo #: 80-G-289898
    USS Humboldt (AVP-21) photographed off Norfolk, Virginia on 17 November 1944 by an aircraft from the Norfolk Naval Air Station.
    Oblique aerial view taken from just off the port bow.

    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

  • For additional images of USS Humboldt, see:
    USS Humboldt (AVP-21) -- Construction Photographs.


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


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    Page made 26 December 2000