USS Humboldt ( AVP - 21 ) USS " Humboldt " ( AVP - 21 ) was a United States Navy " Barnegat " - class small seaplane tender in commission from 1941 to 1947 . She was briefly reclassified as a miscellaneous auxiliary and redesignated AG - 121 during 1945 . Construction and commissioning . " Humboldt " ( AVP - 21 ) was laid down at the Boston Navy Yard in Boston , Massachusetts , on 6 September 1940 . She was launched on 17 March 1941 , sponsored by Mrs . William T . Tarrant , and commissioned on 7 October 1941 with Commander W . G . Tomkinson in command . World War II service . South Atlantic operations . Following rigorous shakedown training off the United States East Coast , " Humboldt " sailed from Norfolk , Virginia , on 13 May 1942 to join Rear Admiral Jonas H . Ingrain ' s South Atlantic Force on the coast of Brazil . After stops at San Juan , Puerto Rico , and Trinidad , she arrived at Recife , Brazil , on 5 August 1942 and began tending the seaplane s of Patrol Squadron 83 ( VP - 83 ) . During the months that followed , these patrol aircraft , operating with ships of the Brazilian Navy and U . S . Navy , patrolled the South Atlantic Ocean sea lanes and hunted Axis submarine s . " Humboldt " supplied and repaired seaplanes and , in addition , carried aviation gasoline to outlying air bases along the Brazilian coast while engaging in antisubmarine patrols herself . President Roosevelt arrives on board . While at Natal , Brazil , on 28 January 1943 , " Humboldt " was the site of a conference between President Franklin D . Roosevelt , who was returning from the Casablanca Conference , and President Getúlio Vargas of Brazil . This meeting helped to achieve even closer cooperation between the naval units of the two countries . Continued South Atlantic operations . After the meeting of the two presidents , " Humboldt " continued to visit isolated ports on the Brazilian coast with supplies and established a new seaplane base at Aratú , Bahia , Brazil , in May 1943 . North Atlantic operations . " Humboldt " headed north on 1 July 1943 , arriving at Boston , Massachusetts , on 17 July 1943 to take up new duties in the North Atlantic Ocean . Departing on 23 August 1943 , she carried supplies and parts to U . S . Navy fleet air wings in Newfoundland , Iceland , and the United Kingdom . She continued this dangerous duty , often sailing unescorted , into the early months of 1944 , occasionally sailing to Casablanca , French Morocco as well . " Humboldt " was at Casablanca in late May 1944 when she heard that a German submarine had torpedo ed escort aircraft carrier and destroyer escort in the Atlantic , sinking " Block Island " and damaging " Barr " . " Humboldt " steamed out to help with survivors and to escort " Barr " to safety . " Humboldt " was soon underway again , this time to bring an experienced U . S . Navy submarine officer to rendezvous with escort aircraft carrier hunter - killer group , which had just captured the in an epic encounter on 4 June 1944 . " Humboldt " continued to bring supplies to aviation squadrons in the Azores and North Africa until 22 March 1945 . Return to South Atlantic service . On 22 March 1945 , " Humboldt " departed Norfolk , Virginia , for Brazil . Returning to her original seaplane tending duties in the South Atlantic , " Humboldt " arrived at Recife , Brazil , on 5 April 1945 and remained on duty until the surrender of Germany in early May 1945 , after which she departed Brazil for Norfolk on 10 June 1945 . Conversion to press information ship . " Humboldt " moved to the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , on 16 July 1945 , for conversion to a press information ship . Reclassified as a miscellaneous auxiliary and redesignated AG - 121 on 30 July 1945 , " Humboldt " was to serve as a broadcast and teletype center for correspondents during the planned invasion of Japan in 1945 – 1946 . However , hostilities with Japan ended on 15 August 1945 , making the invasion unnecessary before her conversion was completed . Post - World War II decommissioning . " Humboldt " was converted back into a seaplane tender and was again designated AVP - 21 . She arrived at Orange , Texas , on 22 November 1945 , for inactivation . She was decommissioned on 19 March 1947 and laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Orange . United States Coast Guard service . Loaned to the United States Coast Guard on 24 January 1949 , " Humboldt " was commissioned as the cutter USCGC " Humboldt " ( WAVP - 372 ) on 29 March 1949 . Based at Boston , Massachusetts , and reclassified as a high endurance cutter and redesignated ' WHEC - 372 on 1 May 1966 , her primary duty was to patrol ocean stations in the North Atlantic , providing weather reporting services and engaging in search - and - rescue and law - enforcement operations . She was transferred permanently to the Coast Guard on 26 September 1966 . Final disposition . On 30 September 1969 , the Coast Guard decommissioned her and transferred her to the U . S . Navy . Stricken from the Navy List in 1970 , she was sold for scrapping in May 1970 and scrapped in Italy .