USS San Carlos ( AVP - 51 ) USS " San Carlos " ( AVP - 51 ) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II . " San Carlos " , named after San Carlos Bay , Florida , was in commissioned from 1944 to 1947 and earned three battle star s for service in the Pacific during World War II . After eleven years in reserve , " San Carlos " was converted to oceanographic research ship USNS " Josiah Willard Gibbs " ( T - AGOR - 1 ) — named after American scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs — and placed in service as a non - commissioned ship of the Military Sea Transportation Service from 1958 to 1971 . In December 1971 , the ship was transferred to the Hellenic Navy as " Hephaistas " ( A413 ) , a motor torpedo boat tender . " Hephaistas " was struck from the rolls of the Hellenic Navy in April 1976 . World War II : Seaplane tender . " San Carlos " was laid down on 17 September 1942 by Lake Washington Shipyard at Houghton , Washington . She was launched on 20 December 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . Henry D . Batterton , and commissioned on 21 March 1944 with Lieutenant Commander De Long Mills in command . After shakedown , " San Carlos " departed Southern California on 1 June 1944 . Arriving at Green Island on 25 June 1944 , she engaged in air - sea rescue operations in the northern Solomon Islands from 26 June 1944 to 3 September 1944 , and at Morotai Island , shortly after its capture from the Japan ese , from 18 September 1944 to 30 September 1944 . Arriving off Leyte in the Philippine Islands on 18 October 1944 at the beginning of the Philippines campaign , " San Carlos " fueled battleship and cruiser observation floatplane s . She shot down one Japanese plane on 21 October 1944 . Arriving at San Pedro Bay , Leyte , on 24 October 1944 , she tended seaplane s there and downed another Japanese plane on 27 October 1944 . Departing on 4 November 1944 , she made a cargo trip to $ 3 , New Guinea , returning to San Pedro Bay on 18 November 1944 . Arriving at San Juanico Strait on 22 November 1944 , she shot down another Japanese plane on 26 November 1944 and tended seaplanes there until 22 January 1945 . After duty at Mindoro Island in February 1945 , she tended seaplanes near Cavite , on Luzon , from March 1945 until 11 August 1945 . " San Carlos " arrived at Bremerton , Washington , on 3 September 1945 . After overhaul there , she operated out of Coco Solo , Panama Canal Zone , from December 1945 through May 1946 , and out of San Juan , Puerto Rico , from July 1946 to March 1947 . Decommissioned on 30 June 1947 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , " San Carlos " was laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet . " San Carlos " received three battle star s for her World War II service . Oceanographic research ship . After eleven years of inactivity , " San Carlos " was taken out of reserve on 11 July 1958 and assigned to the U . S . Navys Military Sea Transportation Service for conversion to an oceanographic research ship by Mobile Ship Repair Company of Mobile , Alabama . Alterations to her original design included the installation of six laboratories , a machine shop , a darkroom , a superstructure deck locker for experimental stowage or work , and a deep - sea winch capable of handling up to 40 , 000 feet ( 12 , 192 meters ) of wire rope and 20 long tons ( 22 . 4 short tons ; 20 . 3 metric tons ) of equipment . In her modified form , she required a crew of 48 and could accommodate a scientific staff of 24 . On 15 December 1958 , the ship was renamed USNS " Josiah Willard Gibbs " , in honor of American scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs and re - designated as an oceanographic research ship , T - AGOR - 1 . On 18 December 1958 , she was placed in non - commissioned service as a United States Naval Ship under control of the Military Sea Transportation Service . " Josiah Willard Gibbs " became the principal research vessel of the Hudson Laboratories of Columbia University , under contract to the Office of Naval Research . For thirteen years she provided transportation , accommodations , and working spaces for American scientists and technicians investigating physical , chemical , and biological properties of the ocean . She was dedicated primarily to research in the physics of the ocean , particularly the propagation of sound , as part of efforts by the Office of Naval Research to improve the U . S . Navy ' s submarine and anti - submarine warfare capabilities . Her relatively large size allowed her to handle heavier weights at greater depths and provide greater stability for delicate scientific measurements than any other oceanographic research vessel then in use . Her large deep - sea winch and auxiliary propeller gave her the capability to investigate even the deep ocean trench es scattered throughout the world . In July 1968 , " Josiah Willard Gibbs " surveyed a large fracture zone crossing the Mid - Atlantic Ridge at . This fracture zone was known at the time as Charlie Fracture Zone , after the United States Coast Guard s Ocean Weather Station Charlie at . It was proposed that the fracture zone be renamed Gibbs Fracture Zone after the ship , since fracture zones are generally named for research vessels . Currently this fracture zone is referred to as Charlie - Gibbs Fracture Zone . At in the Caribbean there is a seamount named Gibbs Seamount after the ship . " Josiah Willard Gibbs " was taken out of service on 7 December 1971 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day . Hellenic Navy career . " Josiah Willard Gibbs " was transferred to the Greek Navy on 15 December 1971 . She then became the Greek motor torpedo boat tender " Hephaistas " ( A413 ) . She was stricken by the Greek Navy in April 1976 .