USS Gardiners Bay

USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39) off Houghton, Washington, on 18 February 1945, a week after commissioning.
History
United States
Name	USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39)
Namesake	Gardiners Bay, on Block Island Sound, Long Island, New York
Builder	Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, Washington
Laid down	14 March 1944
Launched	2 December 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. George L. Richard
Commissioned	11 February 1945
Decommissioned	1 February 1958
Honors and awards	Two battle stars for World War II service Four battle stars for Korean War service
Fate	Transferred to Norway 17 May 1958
Norway
Name	HNoMS Haakon VII (A537)
Namesake	King Haakon VII of Norway
Acquired	17 May 1958
Stricken	1974
Fate	Discarded 1974
General characteristics (seaplane tender)
Class and type	Barnegat-class seaplane tender
Displacement	1,766 tons (2,592 tons trial)
Length	310 ft 9 in (94.72 m)
Beam	41 ft 2 in (12.55 m)
Draft	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) (lim.)
Installed power	6,000 horsepower (4.48 megawatts)
Propulsion	Diesel engines, two shafts
Speed	18.2 knots (33.7 km/h)s
Complement	215 (ship's company) 367 (with aviation unit)
Sensors and processing systems	Radar; sonar
Armament	3 × 5 in (130 mm) guns[note 1] 8 × 40 mm guns 8 × 20 mm guns 2 × depth charge tracks
Aviation facilities	Supplies, spare parts, repairs, and berthing for one seaplane squadron; 80,000 US gallons (300,000 L)
General characteristics (training ship)
Type	Training ship
Displacement	1,766 tons (standard) 2,800 tons (full load)
Length	310 ft 9 in (94.72 m) overall; 300 ft 0 in (91.44 m) waterline
Beam	41 ft 2 in (12.55 m)
Draft	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) (maximum)
Installed power	6,080 brake horsepower (4.54 megawatts)
Propulsion	Two Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, two shafts
Speed	18.2 knots (33.7 km/h)
Complement	215 ship's company plus 86 officer cadets and petty officer apprentices 367 total accommodation
Sensors and processing systems	Radar
Armament	1 × 127 mm (5-inch) 38-caliber gun mount 10 × 40 mm antiaircraft guns 2 × 20 mm antiaircraft guns

USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39) was a United States Navy seaplane tender in commission from 1945 to 1958 that saw service in the latter stages of World War II and in the Korean War. After her decommissioning, she was transferred to Norway, and she served in the Royal Norwegian Navy as the training ship HNoMS Haakon VII (A537) from 1958 to 1974.
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