USS Mackinac, a 1,766-ton Barnegat-class small seaplane tender, was built at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, and was commissioned in January 1942. Her first duty following trials was to carry the explorer Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (retired) on an inspection tour of U.S. bases in the South Pacific in May and June 1942. In August 1942 she commenced duty in support of operations in the Solomons, during which she set up several advanced bases for seaplanes. At one of these, two enemy submarines surfaced and shelled Mackinac and Ballard (AVD-10), along with their seaplanes. The two tenders returned the fire, but neither side suffered any damage. In July 1943 Mackinac departed Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides to receive a two month overhaul at Mare Island.
Mackinac resumed seaplane tending duties in November 1943 when she arrived in the Gilberts. She then participated in a series of campaigns in the Central Pacific, culminating in operations at Okinawa in mid-1945. This service was interrupted only by two months of repairs at San Diego in early 1945. Following the Japanese surrender, Mackinac performed occupation duty in Japan through January 1946 and then proceeded to Orange, Texas, where she was decommissioned in November 1946. Mackinac was loaned to the Coast Guard in April 1949 and served out of New York as the cutter Mackinac (WAVP-371, later WHEC-371) through 1967. She was returned to the Navy and expended as a target in July 1968.
This page features all our views of USS Mackinac (AVP-13).
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-52332 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) A port bow view of the ship underway off the Mare Island Navy Yard on 16 September 1943. She had just completed an overhaul. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 55KB; 740 x 620 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-52329 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard on 16 September 1943 upon completion of an overhaul. She received a third 5"/38 gun aft and her 1.1" quadruple mount was replaced by one 40mm quadruple and two 40mm twin mounts. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 625 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-52331 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard on 16 September 1943 upon completion of an overhaul. The 5"/38 gun on the fantail and the 40mm quadruple mount just forward of it were added during this overhaul. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 580 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-52330 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) A bow view of the ship off the Mare Island Navy Yard on 16 September 1943. She had just completed an overhaul. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-52333 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) A stern view of the ship off the Mare Island Navy Yard on 16 September 1943. She had just completed an overhaul. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 625 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-52335 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) A bow view of the ship pierside at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 10 September 1943 near the conclusion of an overhaul. The cruiser Honolulu (CL-48) and destroyer MacDonough (DD-351) are in the background. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 136KB; 570 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-52334 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) Pierside at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 10 September 1943 near the conclusion of an overhaul. Modifications during the overhaul, circled on this image, included the addition of two twin 40mm mounts abreast the stack and a small radar mast on the stack's forward edge. USS Honolulu (CL-48) is in the background. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 155KB; 740 x 630 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-52336 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) A stern view of the ship pierside at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 10 September 1943 near the conclusion of an overhaul. The 5"/38 gun and the 40mm quadruple mount aft were added during this overhaul. USS Honolulu (CL-48) is at right. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 147KB; 570 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-659675 USS Mackinac (AVP-13) Tending seaplanes in the Pacific in late 1943 or in 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 670 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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The following photographs show USS Mackinac (AVP-13) distantly, while she was under construction:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 3 November 2000
New images added 11 October 2004