USS Biscayne ( AVP - 11 ) USS " Biscayne " ( AVP - 11 ) , later AGC - 18 , was a United States Navy " Barnegat " - class seaplane tender in commission as a seaplane tender from 1941 to 1943 and as an amphibious force flagship from 1943 to 1946 . Construction and commissioning . " Biscayne " was laid down on 27 October 1939 at Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton , Washington . She was launched on 23 May 1941 , sponsored by Mrs . A . M . Charleton , and commissioned on 3 July 1941 with Lieutenant Commander C . C . Champion , Jr . , in command . World War II service . Seaplane tender operations . Following her shakedown cruise , " Biscayne " joined the Atlantic Fleet and operated out of Boston , Massachusetts , on patrol and plane guard missions from 7 December 1941 until 27 May 1942 . For the next four months she served as a seaplane tender and communications ship in Newfoundland and Greenland waters . " Biscayne " departed Norfolk , Virginia , on 17 October 1942 and , after a short stop at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , moved to Freetown , Sierra Leone , with Patrol Squadron 92 ( VP - 92 ) , arriving on 2 November 1942 . " Biscayne " moved to Casablanca , French Morocco , on 18 November 1942 and remained there until 25 April 1943 supporting patrol squadrons . Amphibious force flagship operations in the Mediterranean . " Biscayne " arrived at Mers - el - Kebir , Algeria , on 26 April 1943 and became the flagship of Rear Admiral Richard Lansing Conolly , Commander , Landing Craft and Bases , Northwest African Waters . While at Mers - el - Kebir she was fitted out as an amphibious force flagship by repair ship between 2 and 31 May 1943 , although she retained her seaplane tender classification and AVP - 11 designation for the time being . In May 1943 , " Biscayne " shifted her moorings to Bizerte , Tunisia . Departing Bizerte on 10 July 1943 , " Biscayne " served as flagship of the Joss ( Licata ) Force in Operation Husky , the Allied invasion of Sicily . She remained off Sicily until 22 July 1943 and then returned to Bizerte . Beginning on 9 September 1943 , " Biscayne " took part in Operation Avalanche , the Allied landings at Salerno , Italy , as flagship for Vice Admiral H . Kent Hewitt and Rear Admiral Conolly . While off Salerno , she escaped unscathed from frequent air and gunfire attacks . On 12 September 1943 , she sent a fire and rescue team on board the British ammunition ship " Lyminge " and saved that vessel and her cargo of ammunition from destruction . " Biscayne " also served as a temporary hospital ship while off Salerno . " Biscayne " retired to Bizerte on 11 October 1943 . On 7 November 1943 , " Biscayne " became the flagship of Rear Admiral F . J . Lowry , Commander , 8th Amphibious Force . Sailing for Italy once again , she served as flagship during Operation Shingle , the Allied landings at Anzio , from 22 January 1944 to 2 February 1944 . " Biscayne " became flagship of Rear Admiral B . J . Rodgers , Commander , Amphibious Group 2 , 8th Amphibious Force , in May 1944 . Between 15 August 1944 and 16 September 1944 , she took part in Operation Dragoon , the Allied invasion of southern France . On 10 October 1944 , " Biscayne " was officially reclassified as a miscellaneous flagship and redesignated AGC - 18 . Amphibious force flagship operations in the Pacific Theater . " Biscayne " left the Mediterranean on 12 October 1944 bound for Boston , and then steamed to the Pacific Ocean . She arrived at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , on 9 January 1945 and became flagship of Captain Frederick Moosbrugger , Commander , Destroyer Squadron 63 . " Biscayne " took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima from 19 February 1945 to 4 March 1945 as flagship of the transport screen . she carried out similar duties during Operation Iceberg , the landings on Kerama Retto on 26 March 1945 and on Okinawa on 1 April 1945 . She remained off Okinawa , supporting U . S . operations during and after the Okinawa campaign , until 1 July 1945 , during which time she served as flagship for the occupation of Iheya and Aguni Islands between 3 June 1945 and 9 June 1945 . After her tour at Okinawa , " Biscayne " retired to Leyte in the Philippine Islands , and remained in the Philippines through the end of World War II , which concluded with the cessation of hostilities with Japan on 15 August 1945 . Awards . " Biscayne " received six battle stars for her World War II service . Post - World War II U . S . Navy service . " Biscayne " departed the Philippines on 8 September 1945 to support the occupation of Korea . She remained on occupation duty in Korean and Chinese waters until 30 October 1945 , when she left for the United States . " Biscayne " arrived at San Diego , California , on 21 December 1945 and at Portland , Maine , on 7 January 1946 . She then moved to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis , Maryland , for use as quarters for the academys aviation instruction staff . Decommissioning . " Biscayne " was decommissioned on 29 June 1946 . United States Coast Guard service . The U . S . Navy transferred " Biscayne " to the United States Coast Guard at the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay in Baltimore , Maryland on 10 July 1946 . In Coast Guard service , " Biscayne " was commissioned as USCGC " Dexter " ( WAGC - 18 ) on 8 June 1949 . She was later redesignated WAVP - 385 . Based at Boston , " Dexter " served on ocean stations in the Atlantic until she was decommissioned on 17 December 1952 and laid up at Curtis Bay . On 30 June 1958 , " Dexter " was recommissioned and transferred to Alameda , California , where she served in primarily a training role . She was reclassified as a high endurance cutter and redesignated WHEC - 385 on 1 May 1966 . Decommissioned for the final time on 9 July 1968 , she was transferred to U . S . Navy , which sank as a target later in 1968 .