USCGC HALF MOON

WAVP/WHEC-378

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Call Sign - N B Q R

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(Last Updated 05/07/09)

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It is with deepest regret that we pass along the following message received from our former skipper, Emmett G McCarthy's daughter:

I�m trying to inform dad�s crew that he passed away on Friday, May 1, 2009. Dad was Captain from May 19, 1966 through July 26, 1968. He took the ship to Southeast Asia.

Those of you who attended the 1997 reunion will remember how much his presence added to the event. He served two tours aboard Half Moon, first as XO and later as her CO. He was a fine officer and an excellent leader who was admired by all of us who had the honor of serving with him.

We have been notified by our site provider that they will be ceasing operations some time this summer. If anyone from the crew would like to find a new home for the site and take over its administration, please let me know at [email protected] If no one volunteers the site will meet the same fate as the ship - cut up for scrap!

List of the 1997 Reunion attendees Plan-of-the-Day from the Reunion Pictures from the 1997 Reunion

Half Moon Crew Lists

A list of the crew that was onboard at Christmas, 1952

An unofficial compilation of the crew that served aboard the Half Moon during the period 1964 - 1966

The 'official' list of the crew that was aboard the Half Moon when she returned from Viet Nam in January, 1968 Also some statistics on her activities in Operation Market Time.

An unofficial compilation of the crew that served aboard the Half Moon during the period 1957 - 1959

Half Moon's Deployments

The Half Moon's deployment schedule for the years 1948 thru 1955.

The Half Moon's deployment schedule for the years 1956 thru 1961.

The Half Moon's deployment schedule for the years 1962 thru 1969.

The Half Moon's encounter with a strange visitor while on Ocean Station Bravo in 1952.

The Half Moon's adventure during the Cuban Missle Crisis in 1962.

The Half Moon's dramatic rescue of a critically ill patient in a major Atlantic storm in 1964 is recounted in this flashback.

The Half Moon's role in the 1967 Bahama's Lobster Wars.

Narratives of the following years are online or in progress:
         1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969
All other years will be published at some time in the future.

A combined brief history of the USS/USCGC HALF MOON

The Half Moon's return from Viet Nam, as released to the media

The last months of the the Half Moon's career leading up to her decommissioning on July 15, 1969 are detailed in this poignant message. Her final fate after she was decommissioned is also described.

The Half Moon's Skippers

Rank	Commanding Officer	Date Assumed Command	Date Relieved
Commander	W. O. Gallery, USN	June 15, 1943	June 16, 1944
Commander	J. I. Bandy, USN	June 16, 1944	October, 1945
Commander	C.H.B. Morrison, USN	October, 1945	September 4, 1946
Commander	Gilbert I. Lynch	September 14, 1948	August 1, 1950
Commander	John Forney	August 1, 1950	January 3, 1952
Lt.Comdr.	Raphael T. A. McKenzie	January 3, 1952	September 6, 1952
LCDR/CDR	George Downing	September 6, 1952	November 24, 1953
Commander	Samuel G. Guill	November 24, 1953	June 1, 1955
Lt.Comdr.	Daniel J. Scalabrini	June 1, 1955	August 25, 1955
Commander	Clifford S. Gerde	August 25, 1955	August 3, 1956
Commander	Henry P. Kniskern, Jr.	August 3, 1956	July 10, 1958
Commander	Joe L. Horne	July 10, 1958	September 27, 1960
Commander	William J. Zinck	September 27, 1960	August 23, 1962
Commander	Jay P. Dayton	August 23, 1962	June 25, 1964
Commander	Donby J. Mathieu	June 25, 1964	May 19, 1966
Commander	Emmett G. McCarthy	May 19, 1966	July 26, 1968
Commander	Samuel M. Moore III	July 26, 1968	July 15, 1969

Milestones in the Career of the Half Moon

June 14, 1940 - Construction authorized as AGP-6 (motor torpedo boat tender)

March 10, 1942 - Keel laid at Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, Washington

July 12, 1942 - Launched; Mrs. T. A. Gray, Sponsor

May 1, 1943 - Redesignated AVP-26 - small seaplane tender

June 15, 1943 - Commissioned USS Half Moon; CDR. W. O. Gallery commanding

1943 through 1945 - Action in the Pacific during World War 2; Two Battle Stars on the Asiatic Theater Service Ribbon (New Guinea and Leyte operations)

April 12, 1946 - Placed in Reserve; San Diego, California

September 4, 1946 - Decommissioned; San Diego, California

July 8, 1948 - Loaned to U. S. Coast Guard

September 14, 1948 - Accepted by U. S. Coast Guard. New York City assigned as home port.

December 9, 1948 - Commissioned USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378).

January 15, 1949 - Ready for sea; left San Fransisco for New York City.

February 22, 1949 Began service as Ocean Weather Station Vessel and Search and Rescue Ship in the Atlantic Ocean

May 1, 1966 - Redesignated WHEC-378

September 26, 1966 Struck from Naval Register; transferred permanently to Coast Guard

April 1,1967 through January 22, 1968 - Action in the waters off Viet Nam as a member of Squadron-3

April 23, 1968 - Resumed duties as Ocean Weather Station Vessel

July 15, 1969 - Decommissioned; New York, New York

April 20, 1970 - Sold to Cantieri Navali Santa Maria, Italy

Half Moon's Photo Album and Scrap Book

The Half Moon's baby pictures

SN Charles Wise and FN Robert Williams conversing under the ship's bell on Ocean Station Bravo in 1954.

A blizzard fills the Half Moon's lifeboats with snow and ice

George, the ship's mascot in 1954, waiting for his turn at Captain's Mast

The Half Moon, off New York, returning from patrol on Ocean Station Bravo in 1954.

Half Moon at anchor in St. Georges harbor, Bermuda in 1963.

There's more Salt in this bunch than there is in some of the world's oceans. The Chiefs aboard the Half Moon at the Change-of-Command ceremony in June, 1964

All spruced up with a new coat of paint, Half Moon poses for this portrait in Curtis Bay, Maryland in the Fall of 1964. How many of you remember Commander Mathieu's VW on the fantail?

Chief Packy and his gang arranged this feast for the Officers and Crew of Half Moon on Thanksgiving Day, 1964 while on Search and Rescue Standby in St Georges, Bermuda.

The Half Moon arrives on Ocean Station Delta - April 1, 1965

The legend of Captain Crunch stems from the same incident that smashed in the side of this 26 foot monomoy surf boat. One of the dangers of the C.O. breaking in less experienced officers in the complex manuevering associated with trying to dock a ship the size of Half Moon in a small, confined space.

Five smiling faces eagerly look forward to returning to New York after a patrol on Ocean Station Delta in November 1965. That's SO3 Jeff Sederberg, QM3 Fred Keyes, ET3 Pat Dungan (now deceased), one of the weathermen (or weather-birds as they were referred to) and SO2 Bill Hawley.

Radio Central was one of the busiest locations on the ship. Here Radiomen Bob Loreng, Bobby Boff and Willie Williams pause for a quick picture.

The highlight of an Atlantic weather patrol was always the celebration of Hump Day. This festive occasion marked the mid-point of the trip and was observed by holiday routine, a party in the crew's mess (featuring a ration of 2 cans per man of a mysterious brewed beverage that tasted just like beer - which we know it couldn't have been as beer was prohibited aboard Coast Guard ships), snacks and a talent show put on by the crew. The most popular of the musical acts to ever perform on Ocean Station had to be the still legendary electric guitar duet of Bob Premo and Bill Juneau. Even the Captain and Executive Officer enjoyed the entertainment.

COMEASTAREA presents a plaque listing the Ship's Awards to Half Moon's CO, CDR. Donby J. Mathieu while her XO, LCDR. Edwin H. Daniels looks on.

The Half Moon leaving New York harbor in the mid 60s, enroute her assigned patrol.

Seaman Apprentice, later Commissaryman Second Class, Bob Pirrone seated on a donkey in Cap Haitien, Haiti.

Quartermaster Dick Brooks shows off the mascot that was adopted on a visit to Barranquilla, Colombia in March, 1966. The little fellow (the iguana, not Dick) was later donated to the Baltimore Zoo.

Lady, the ship's mascot during 1967.
(Picture courtesy of Russ Worthington.)

The five cutters that made up the original Squadron Three
(Picture courtesy of Russ Worthington.)

An eighty-two footer comes alongside for replenishment in Operation Market Time.
(Picture courtesy of Russ Worthington.)

The Half Moon's Squadron Three Patch
(Courtesy of John LeClair)

A real rare one, the Half Moon wearing a racing stripe.
(Picture courtesy of Russ Worthington.)

A scene on the fantail with Snoopy on the Coast Guard's anniversary 8/1967 off the coast of Vietnam
(Picture courtesy of Russ Worthington.)

Take a photographic tour of the Half Moon in 1964/66 as seen by shipmate and former FT3 John Marcy with this great series of 39 snapshots

This fabulous series of photographs were taken by former Radioman First Class H. R. Russ Worthington who served on board from June 1965 until September 1968. The photos are broken down by Year, with special pages for deployments to Bermuda, Vietnam, and various Ocean Stations. The Approximate dates are included. Russ will be adding to this collection on a regular basis so we recommend that you check back from time to time.

This great group of photos were taken by shipmate Bill Rigby in 1964. They show some interesting shots of the Half Moon in drydock in the CG Yard in Curtis Bay and some memorable photos of the Half Moon's Bermuda SAR trip in the fall that included the Medevac from the USS Investigator during a tropical storm.

The following excellent group of snapshots were taken during the mid-to-late 1950s and have been provided through the courtesy of shipmate Les Walter

Enroute home port after a long patrol, Captain Kniskern would ask the Engineers for all they had. This earned him the nickname Flank Hank

A boat drill on O.S. Bravo in 1957

The ritual of Hump Day was celebrated even back in '57 on O.S. Bravo

Another shot of Hump Day on Ocean Station

Still more from Hump Day

And even more from, you guessed it, Hump Day. This was almost always the high point of any Ocean Station trip.

Gitmo, 1957 - that's Richard Head on the left and Les Walter (aged 18) on the right

Thanksgiving at sea in 1957. Skipper Henry Kniskern, in accordance with Half Moon tradition, ate dinner with the crew

Thanksgiving at sea, 1957

Another snapshot of Thanksgiving at sea, 1957

1957 Christmas Party for the orphans from Mt. Laredo. Mr. Biller can be seen on the left and Chief Quartermaster Davis is on the right.

1957 Christmas Party

More from the 1957 Christmas Party

Three of the ship's officers - (left-to-right) the X.O., the C.O. and the Commissary Officer

Half Moon Stories

• Harry Pfister's saga of Sail-378

Miscellaneous

• If you were stationed aboard the Half Moon, know someone who was stationed aboard the Half Moon or have any information or questions about her, please send e-mail to the Web-Master of the watch

• We held a reunion in 1997 open to all who ever served aboard Half Moon.
  We would like to hold another reunion in the future, but we need people to volunteer to organize and run it.
  Contact the Web-Master of the watch for additional information

• If you served aboard the USCGC Half Moon and have not yet been in contact with the committee, please register here

• Read the last issue of the Half Moon Reunion Newsletter

Semper Paratus

Please sign USCGC Half Moon's Log Book

This site has been visited more than times since 2/1/97