Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 19:04:44 -0800
From: "Michael M. Barrette" 
Organization: [email protected]
To: John M Murphy 
Subject: Re: WAVP's
References: <19970106170031.AAB13841@localHost>

John - The last of I heard of the Half Moon - she was to be sent
to sea to be buried.  Her bottom was full of cement and not 
really financially feasible to repair her - since her replacement 
was already at Governors Island.  One of the new 378's 
(Morganthau) I believe.  

I originally went into the Coast Guard in June of 68 and went 
aboard the "MOON" in February of "69" and she was decommissioned 
in July "69". 

I made a "Charlie" and a "Delta" while on her.  One week from 
port she lost one engine in the forward engine room.  Five days 
out she lost the other engine in the forward engine room.  Three 
days out she lost one engine in the aft engine room and also the
ability to make water - we all smelt good by the time we got 
into port.  

Just as we tossed the monkey fist on the pier to dock - we lost 
the last engine, thank goodness we had a tug boat standing by.
I was an FN onboard her.  From there I went to Station Townsend's
Inlet, NJ and they mutualled to the CGC Boutwell (WHEC-719) in 
Boston, MA.

Seems just like yesterday that all this happened.

Well enough of yester year - glad to help.  

Mike Barrette  (YNC Retired)

The Half Moon was deemed unservicible and financially not worth repairing. She was decommissioned on July 15, 1969 and was moved to the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Md. where everything of value was removed. Her hull was offered for sale as scrap and she was purchased by Cantieri Navali Santa Maria, Italy for $66,000. She was towed out of Curtis Bay, together with the Humboldt, who met the same fate. The Half Moon was taken up the Delaware River to a small shipyard in Southern New Jersey, where she was cut up for scrap. Eyewitness accounts by shipmates Bob Cooper and Frank Moran confirmed this sad end to the career of a fine ship.