USS Pine Island ( AV - 12 ) USS " Pine Island " ( AV - 12 ) , a " Currituck " - class seaplane tender , is the only ship of the United States Navy to hold this name . The ship was named after Pine Island Sound ( off the coast of Lee County , Florida ) . " Pine Island " was laid down on 16 November 1942 at the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation , in San Pedro , California ; launched on 26 February 1944 , sponsored by Mrs . Knefler McGinnis ; and commissioned on 26 April 1945 , Commander Henry Titus Hodgskin in command . World War II . Departing California on 16 June 1945 , " Pine Island " steamed to Okinawa . There she tended seaplanes engaged in air - sea rescue operations during the final phases of World War II . At the end of the war , she entered Tokyo Bay and contributed seaplane flight operations to the occupation of Japan in 1945 . Following occupation duty in Japan , she conducted seaplane flight operations in the Whangpoo River near Shanghai , China . She left the Pacific in 1946 , and steamed via the Suez Canal to Norfolk , Virginia . Operation Highjump . Departing Norfolk on 4 December , she crossed the Antarctic Circle on 25 December 1946 . Carrying one Sikorsky HO3S - 1 helicopter , one Curtiss SOC Seagull amphibian , and tending three Martin PBM - 5 Mariner flying boats ; she contributed to the aerial exploration of Antarctica in Operation Highjump , and saved several downed aviators from the hostile climate . In addition a bay in Antarctica , Pine Island Bay , was named in honor of the ship . A glacier on Thurston Island was also named after the ship . Departing the Antarctic in March , she traveled from Rio de Janeiro via the Panama Canal to San Diego , California , arriving there in April 1947 . Leaving California for the Far East in August 1947 , she spent the winter at Tsingtao , China and the summer of 1948 in the Northern Pacific Ocean . Stored awaiting a major overhaul in 1949 , she was decommissioned on 1 May 1950 . Korean War . Recommissioned on 7 October 1950 at Alameda , California , in response to the Korean War , she departed for the Western Pacific in December . She tended seaplanes that flew missions over enemy - held territory in Korea , before returning to San Diego in September 1951 . She was away from California on WestPac deployments January to September 1952 , February to September 1953 , January to August 1954 , and February to August 1955 . Deployed to WestPac in June 1956 , she visited Brunei , Borneo , in August , before returning to San Diego in December . From April to December 1957 she operated again in WestPac . Sailing for WestPac in May 1958 , she visited Bangkok , Thailand , and was at Kaohsiung , Taiwan , during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis . She returned to San Diego in December , and departed for WestPac in June 1959 . During 1960 and 1961 she continued her Pacific duties . Deployed to WestPac from January to June 1962 , she embarked news media personnel from several countries in March in connection with the SEATO exercise " Tulungan . " Steaming for WestPac in March 1963 , she operated out of Okinawa , received visitors at Chinhae , Korea , in June , and delivered fresh water to Hong Kong in August , before returning to San Diego in September . In January 1964 she departed San Diego for the Galapagos Islands , where she provided assistance to scientists before returning to San Diego in February . Vietnam War . Deployed to WestPac in June 1964 , she served at Da Nang , South Vietnam , in August . In September 1965 , she returned to WestPac , conducted seaplane operations in Cam Ranh Bay , South Vietnam , and participated in the 1966 Coral Sea anniversary festivities in Australia and New Zealand before returning to San Diego in June . It also took place in Operation Market Time . Decommissioned in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 16 June 1967 , " Pine Island " entered the Maritime Administration ' s National Defense Reserve Fleet , at Suisun Bay , CA , where she remained until stricken on 1 February 1971 , and was later sold to Zidell Exploration of Portland , Oregon on 7 March 1972 . " Pine Island " received one battle star for World War II service , and service medal s for Korea and Vietnam .