USS Half Moon ( AVP - 26 ) USS " Half Moon " ( AVP - 26 ) was a seaplane tender that served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 . Construction and early deployment . " Half Moon " was laid down as a small seaplane tender ( AVP - 26 ) on 10 March 1942 by Lake Washington Shipyards , Houghton , Washington , and was launched as such on 12 July 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . T . A . Gray . In March 1943 she was selected for conversion into a motor torpedo boat tender and redesignated AGP - 6 , but she was so close to completion as a seaplane tender that it soon was decided to convert seaplane tender USS " Oyster Bay " ( AVP - 28 ) into a motor torpedo boat tender instead ; " Oyster Bay " was designated AGP - 6 and became USS " Oyster Bay " ( AGP - 6 ) . " Half Moon " , meanwhile , was again classified as a seaplane tender , again designated AVP - 26 on 1 May 1943 and commissioned as such on 15 June 1943 with Commander W . O . Gallery in command . " Half Moon " spent her first months in shakedown training off California , and was then assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet . Departing San Diego , California , on 25 August 1943 , she embarked a United States Marine Corps air group at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , and steamed into Vila Harbor , New Hebrides , on 14 September 1943 . She then sailed to Brisbane , Australia . The New Guinea campaign and the " Black Cats " . From Brisbane , " Half Moon " moved to Namoai Bay , on Sariba Island , New Guinea , arriving on 6 October 1943 . At Namoai Bay " Half Moon " began her tending duties . Her embarked squadron , flying Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat s , conducted night antishipping strikes in the New Guinea area . With the support of seaplane tenders like " Half Moon " these missions , called ' " Black Cat " strikes , achieved important results in the destruction of Japan ese transports . " Half Moon " departed for Brisbane on 21 December 1943 , remained there until 10 February 1944 , and then steamed into a succession of New Guinea ports on the way to her new operating base , Finschafen , New Guinea . There she resumed her support of seaplane operations in the New Guinea theater . After tending seaplanes on air - sea rescue missions from $ 3 , New Guinea , in May 1944 , " Half Moon " spent several months substituting for transports in the Pacific area , stopping at Brisbane , Manus Island , Milne Bay , and other ports . She took up " Black Cat " operations again on 25 August 1944 from Middelburg and later Morotai . The Philippines campaign . Steaming out of Morotai on 6 October 1944 , " Half Moon " joined a small convoy en route to Leyte Gulf to assist in the developing operations for the recapture of the Philippine Islands . The convoy arrived at Leyte Gulf on 21 October 1944 , and " Half Moon " immediately steamed down the eastern coast of Leyte in search of a proper anchorage for her seaplane operations . Anchoring in Hinamangan Bay , " Half Moon " came under air attack on 23 October 1944 , and soon realized that her anchorage was a rendezvous point for Japanese planes attacking Leyte . Late on 24 October 1944 the radar aboard " Half Moon " began to pick up two large surface units converging and it was soon clear that she was to be a witness to the last engagement between battleline s of surface ships , the Battle of Surigao Strait , one of several actions making up the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf of 23 October 1944 – 26 October 1944 . " Half Moon " cautiously slipped out from behind Oabugan Grande Island and was given permission to proceed up the coast of Leyte between , but well to the west of , the two fleets . She watched the spectacle of Rear Admiral Jesse B . Oldendorf ' s battleship s , cruiser s , and destroyer s pounding the Japanese ships , and after the battle returned to Hinamangan Bay . Another fierce air attack , however , soon convinced the captain of " Half Moon " that San Pedro Bay , further north , offered a more hospitable base for operation . " Half Moon " weathered two severe storms , on 29 October 1944 and 8 November 1944 , and operated with her seaplanes in Leyte Gulf until 27 December 1944 . She was then designated as part of the support convoy for the Mindoro landing , and departed for Mangarin Bay on 27 December 1944 . The convoy , known as " Uncle plus 15 " , encountered some of the most prolonged and determined air attacks of the World War II as the Japanese strove mightily to prevent American reinforcements from reaching Mindoro . Air cover provided by land - based aircraft stopped only some of the Japanese attackers . Suicide planes ( " kamikaze " s ) , bomb s , and strafing hit many ships . Liberty Ship SS " John Burke " , loaded with ammunition , exploded , leaving virtually no trace after a " kamikaze " hit , tanker USS " Porcupine " ( IX - 126 ) and motor torpedo boat tender USS " Orestes " ( AGP - 10 ) were severely damaged , and other ships also suffered hits . Nevertheless the convoy drove through , giving the Japanese planes a hot time with concentrated antiaircraft fire . During the convoy ' s three - day voyage , gunners on " Half Moon " and the other ships were at their stations around the clock , " Half Moon " accounting for at least two and possibly four of the attacking aircraft . The convoy arrived at Mindoro on 30 December 1944 . Air attacks continued . On 4 January 1945 during one of these a large bomb skipped over " Half Moon ' s " fantail , falling to explode . " Half Moon " remained in Mangarin Bay tending seaplanes until returning to Leyte Gulf on 17 February 1945 . Following the victorious Philippine invasion , " Half Moon " moved to Manus and Humboldt Bay . While in dry dock at Manus a sole Japanese aircraft launched a torpedo at the ship , striking the dry dock and destroying its mess hall . There was no damage to the " Half Moon " and only one injury , a crew member who fell off the top of the dock while fishing . The following day Tokyo Rose reported the " Half Moon " sunk . On 30 May 1945 , she got underway for the Philippines again , arriving at Tawi Tawi in the Sulu Archipelago on 11 June 1945 . She supported seaplane antisubmarine searches from Tawi Tawi Bay until early August 1945 , and then carried out the same mission from Mangarin Bay , Mindoro . " Half Moon " received two battle star s for her World War II service . Post - World War II career . Following Japan ' s surrender on 15 August 1945 , " Half Moon " proceeded to Subic Bay on Luzon in the Philippines , and from there got underway for Okinawa on 30 August 1945 . On the afternoon of 31 August 1945 signs of a storm were evident and by 1 September 1945 " Half Moon " was engulfed in a raging typhoon , with winds up to ( 222 kilometers per hour ) and barometer readings of 27 . 32 inches ( 925 millibar s ) . Smart seamanship allowed her to weather the storm , and she arrived safely at Okinawa on 4 September 1945 . " Half Moon " departed Okinawa for Manila on 1 October 1945 , operated in that area for about a month , and departed Manila on 7 November 1945 for deactivation . She arrived at Seattle , Washington , on 1 December 1945 , steamed to San Diego on 12 April 1946 , decommissioned there on 4 September 1946 , and was placed in reserve . United States Coast Guard career . " Half Moon " was refitted and loaned to the United States Coast Guard in September 1948 . In Coast Guard service she became the cutter USCGC " Half Moon " ( WAVP - 378 ) , later WHEC - 378 . Based at Staten Island , New York , USCGC " Half Moon " served primarily on ocean station duty in the Atlantic Ocean , serving also as a search - and - rescue ship and in law enforcement operations . She eventually was reclassified as a High Endurance Cutter and redesignated WHEC - 378 in 1966 , and was transferred permanently to the Coast Guard later that year . She served for several months on a combat tour off Vietnam in 1967 during the Vietnam War . USCGC " Half Moon " was decommissioned in July 1969 and was sold for scrap in May 1970 .