Changes

There she provided not only tender services but salvage and logistic support as well. Between 20 and 22 June, she recovered gear from a Consolidated PBY 5A “Catalina” which had been shot down at Kossandr Beach by “friendly fire” from ships in Convoy UR 29. After an interruption to locate and salvage a barge and its valuable cargo of gasoline, she completed the task on the 24th. While based at Skerjafjordr, Barnegat also transferred aviation gasoline from tankers to a variety of ships, from Skerjafjordr to Hvalfjordur, supplying heavy cruisers Tuscaloosa (CA 37) and Wichita (CA 45), battleship Washington (BB 56), and British carrier HMS Victorious in that fashion. She also supplied diesel fuel to the destroyer tender Melville (AD 2). Later, on 14 August, she got underway from Skerjafjordr to salvage a German Focke Wulf FW 200 reconnaissance plane that had been shot down by an Army fighter from Gaetta Light. At the scene, Barnegat recovered some flotsam before returning to her moorings. On 5 September 1942, Barnegat’s tour in Icelandic waters took on a more Allied flavor as she sailed for three weeks of duty servicing Northrop N 3PB twin float seaplane patrol bombers of the Royal Norwegian Naval Air Force’s No. 330 Squadron based at Akureyi, support evolutions aided by a Norwegian-speaking member of the ship’s company who served as interpreter.

There she provided not only tender services but salvage and logistic support as well. Between 20 and 22 June, she recovered gear from a Consolidated PBY 5A “Catalina” which had been shot down at Kossandr Beach by “friendly fire” from ships in Convoy UR 29. After an interruption to locate and salvage a barge and its valuable cargo of gasoline, she completed the task on the 24th. While based at Skerjafjordr, Barnegat also transferred aviation gasoline from tankers to a variety of ships, from Skerjafjordr to Hvalfjordur, supplying heavy cruisers Tuscaloosa (CA 37) and Wichita (CA 45), battleship Washington (BB 56), and British carrier HMS Victorious in that fashion. She also supplied diesel fuel to the destroyer tender Melville (AD 2). Later, on 14 August, she got underway from Skerjafjordr to salvage a [[German]] Focke Wulf FW 200 reconnaissance plane that had been shot down by an Army fighter from Gaetta Light. At the scene, Barnegat recovered some flotsam before returning to her moorings. On 5 September 1942, Barnegat’s tour in Icelandic waters took on a more Allied flavor as she sailed for three weeks of duty servicing Northrop N 3PB twin float seaplane patrol bombers of the Royal Norwegian Naval Air Force’s No. 330 Squadron based at Akureyi, support evolutions aided by a Norwegian-speaking member of the ship’s company who served as interpreter.

On the 9th, Barnegat received orders to ascend the Wadi Sebou to establish an air base at Port Lyautey. The next day, Dallas (DD 199) led SS Contessa up the Wadi Sebou to Port Lyautey, where Army troops landed and took the nearby airstrip. Barnegat followed on the 11th after she secured a French pilot and reached her destination by late afternoon. The next day, she unloaded VP 73's equipment, setting up Port Lyautey air station on the southeastern corner of the airfield. She also established a port directorate and a shipping control office. On the 12th, Barnegat radioed VP 73 that the field was ready, and the first plane arrived from Lyeness, England, at 0800 the next day. Within hours, most of VP 73 was “in business” there, flying their first patrols. Barnegat housed and fed VP 73 until the squadron managed to set up a mess ashore, but VP 73 was self sufficient by 24 November. On 10 December, Barnegat got underway to transport a detachment of French native troops to Casablanca. She reached her destination early on the 11th and disembarked the troops. Barnegat then received orders to proceed to the United States with Convoy GUF 2A, and she headed homeward the next day.

On the 9th, Barnegat received orders to ascend the Wadi Sebou to establish an air base at Port Lyautey. The next day, Dallas (DD 199) led SS Contessa up the Wadi Sebou to Port Lyautey, where Army troops landed and took the nearby airstrip. Barnegat followed on the 11th after she secured a French pilot and reached her destination by late afternoon. The next day, she unloaded VP 73's equipment, setting up Port Lyautey air station on the southeastern corner of the airfield. She also established a port directorate and a shipping control office. On the 12th, Barnegat radioed VP 73 that the field was ready, and the first plane arrived from Lyeness, England, at 0800 the next day. Within hours, most of VP 73 was “in business” there, flying their first patrols. Barnegat housed and fed VP 73 until the squadron managed to set up a mess ashore, but VP 73 was self sufficient by 24 November. On 10 December, Barnegat got underway to transport a detachment of French native troops to [[Casablanca]]. She reached her destination early on the 11th and disembarked the troops. Barnegat then received orders to proceed to the United States with Convoy GUF 2A, and she headed homeward the next day.

Releasing Examiner and Santa Maria to a local escort at 2300 on the 23d, Barnegat then made for the Boston Navy Yard, arriving on Christmas Eve. She spent the rest of 1942 receiving voyage repairs at South Boston. After trials and antisubmarine exercises near Casco Bay, Barnegat sailed on 5 February 1943 for Iceland. Diverted briefly to Argentia on the 8th, she resumed her voyage to Iceland the next morning. Despite cautious steaming through pack ice, she reached Reykjavik on the 13th.

Releasing Examiner and Santa Maria to a local escort at 2300 on the 23d, Barnegat then made for the Boston Navy Yard, arriving on Christmas Eve. She spent the rest of 1942 receiving voyage repairs at South Boston. After trials and antisubmarine exercises near Casco Bay, Barnegat sailed on 5 February 1943 for [[Iceland]]. Diverted briefly to Argentia on the 8th, she resumed her voyage to Iceland the next morning. Despite cautious steaming through pack ice, she reached Reykjavik on the 13th.

Operations commenced the next morning. At 0702, the PBM 3c flown by Lt.(jg.) Roy S. Whitcomb, 74 P 5, took off from San Miguel Bay, Florianapolis, on an antisubmarine sweep. The patrol proceeded uneventfully until the radar operator reported a contact at 1355. As Whitcomb looked at the "sharp blip" on his own radarscope, the second pilot called his attention to something to starboard. Whitcomb recognized the object as a surfaced U boat and sent his crew to battle stations. Soon, their quarry, U-513, saw the attacking plane and began to take evasive action. Whitcomb's PBM 3c dropped six depth bombs and caught the U boat in a starboard turn. The U boat absorbed the full impact of at least two direct hits--two bombs straddled the submarine; two others struck the deck. Within moments, observers in the "Mariner" saw "rising boils and [a] brown stain on [the] water...." U 513 was no more.

Operations commenced the next morning. At 0702, the PBM 3c flown by Lt.(jg.) Roy S. Whitcomb, 74 P 5, took off from San Miguel Bay, Florianapolis, on an antisubmarine sweep. The patrol proceeded uneventfully until the radar operator reported a contact at 1355. As Whitcomb looked at the "sharp blip" on his own radarscope, the second pilot called his attention to something to starboard. Whitcomb recognized the object as a surfaced [[U-boat]] and sent his crew to battle stations. Soon, their quarry, U-513, saw the attacking plane and began to take evasive action. Whitcomb's PBM 3c dropped six depth bombs and caught the U boat in a starboard turn. The U boat absorbed the full impact of at least two direct hits--two bombs straddled the submarine; two others struck the deck. Within moments, observers in the "Mariner" saw "rising boils and [a] brown stain on [the] water...." U 513 was no more.

Seeing 15 to 20 men struggling in the oily water, Whitcomb circled his late opponent's watery gravesite and dropped two life rafts and life belts to the displaced U boaters, while informing Barnegat of the kill. The ship proceeded swiftly to the scene, arrived there in less than four hours, and began a search. At 1915, Barnegat sighted a life raft with seven men on board and closed to pick them up. The first man came on board at 1930 and the last boarded 20 minutes later. Among them, she counted the U boat's 28 year old commanding officer, Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Guggenberger, the ace awarded the Knight's Cross for sinking the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal off Gibraltar in November 1941 as commander of U 81.

Seeing 15 to 20 men struggling in the oily water, Whitcomb circled his late opponent's watery gravesite and dropped two life rafts and life belts to the displaced U boaters, while informing Barnegat of the kill. The ship proceeded swiftly to the scene, arrived there in less than four hours, and began a search. At 1915, Barnegat sighted a life raft with seven men on board and closed to pick them up. The first man came on board at 1930 and the last boarded 20 minutes later. Among them, she counted the U boat's 28 year old commanding officer, Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Guggenberger, the ace awarded the Knight's Cross for sinking the British [[aircraft carrier]] HMS Ark Royal off Gibraltar in November 1941 as commander of U 81.

Barnegat remained in Brazilian waters into the spring of 1944, operating at Bahia, Recife, Natal, Fortaleza, Fernando Noronha, Sao Luiz, and Florianapolis. As before, she hauled freight, transported men and gear, and tended patrol planes of FAW 16. Her only time out of Brazilian waters came when she briefly conducted tending operations at Montevideo, Uruguay, from 13 to 16 March 1944. Another break in her routine came on 29 and 30 November 1943, when she patrolled off the entrance to the harbor at Bahia to cover the arrival of a task group formed around Iowa (BB 61) during the battleship's return at the conclusion of her part in transporting President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the [[Teheran conference]].

Barnegat remained in Brazilian waters into the spring of 1944, operating at Bahia, Recife, Natal, Fortaleza, Fernando Noronha, Sao Luiz, and Florianapolis. As before, she hauled freight, transported men and gear, and tended patrol planes of FAW 16. Her only time out of Brazilian waters came when she briefly conducted tending operations at [[Montevideo]], [[Uruguay]], from 13 to 16 March 1944. Another break in her routine came on 29 and 30 November 1943, when she patrolled off the entrance to the harbor at Bahia to cover the arrival of a task group formed around Iowa (BB 61) during the battleship's return at the conclusion of her part in transporting President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] to the [[Teheran conference]].

Relieved by sistership San Carlos (AVP 51), Barnegat set course for the United States on 11 December 1945 and reached the Naval Repair Base, Algiers, La., on the 15th. Shifting on the 17th to a berth alongside the destroyer escort Reuben James (DE 153), Barnegat spent the remainder of the year there. In January 1946, she moved on to Orange, Tex., arriving there on the 14th. Decommissioned on 17 May 1946, Barnegat saw no more active service. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 23 May 1958. Subsequently sold to Kavounides Shipping Co., Ltd., she operated out of Piraeus, Greece, as Kentavros.

Relieved by sistership San Carlos (AVP 51), Barnegat set course for the United States on 11 December 1945 and reached the Naval Repair Base, Algiers, La., on the 15th. Shifting on the 17th to a berth alongside the destroyer escort Reuben James (DE 153), Barnegat spent the remainder of the year there. In January 1946, she moved on to Orange, Tex., arriving there on the 14th. Decommissioned on 17 May 1946, Barnegat saw no more active service. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 23 May 1958. Subsequently sold to Kavounides Shipping Co., Ltd., she operated out of Piraeus, [[Greece]], as Kentavros.

[[Category:Ships]]

[[Category:Ships]]