USS Barataria ( AVP - 33 ) The second USS " Barataria " ( AVP - 33 ) was a United States Navy " Barnegat " - class seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946 . Construction , commissioning , and shakedown . " Barataria " was laid down on 19 April 1943 at Houghton , Washington , by the Lake Washington Shipyard . She was launched on 2 October 1943 , sponsored by Mrs . L . J . Stetcher , and commissioned at her builder ' s yard on 13 August 1944 with Commander Garrett S . Coleman in command . After having spent the remainder of August 1944 in outfitting , loading supplies , and testing and calibrating equipment , " Barataria " conducted training in tending seaplanes under the auspices of Fleet Air Wing ( FAW ) 6 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island , at Oak Harbor , Washington . Concluding that training in early September 1944 , the ship spent 10 September 1944 through 10 October 1944 in gunnery exercises , casualty drills , sonar training , a speed run , combat information center exercises , and in more seaplane tending operations . Upon completion of the shakedown , she returned to the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton , Washington , for post - shakedown availability and alterations . World War II service . Voyage to the Western Pacific . Early in November 1944 , " Barataria " stood out of Bremerton , bound for San Francisco , California , where she took on stores , aircraft maintenance spares , aviation gasoline , and supplies and embarked 39 officers as passengers . She then stood out of San Francisco Bay , bound for Hawaii . Reaching Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , on 28 November 1944 , she got underway again on 30 November 1944 and proceeded independently to Eniwetok , which she reached on 7 December 1944 . After embarking passengers , " Barataria " continued again independently to Ulithi Atoll , where she arrived on 12 December 1944 , and later fueled from the tanker " Octorance " . The Philippines campaign . Departing from Ulithi as escort and lead ship of a five - ship convoy , " Barataria " reached the Philippines on 22 December 1944 . She spent the remainder of December 1944 and the first few days of January 1945 anchored off Leyte in the San Juanico Strait tending Patrol Bomber Squadron ( VPB ) 25 , consisting of 15 Martin PBM - 3D Mariner flying boat s , whose mission was to conduct daylight searches north and east of Luzon . Shifting to San Pedro Bay , Leyte , on 5 January 1945 , " Barataria " got underway on 6 January 1945 as a screen for seaplane tender USS " Currituck " ( AV - 7 ) and rendezvoused with Task Force ( TF ) 79 carrying the San Fabian assault forces . Two aircraft rescue boat s ( ARBs ) had been assigned to " Barataria " , but one of these began taking on water and had to be abandoned and sunk on 8 January 1945 . When several " kamikaze " suicide planes attacked the convoy later that day , " Barataria " s gunners claimed a " sure assist " for downing one . On the morning of 9 January 1945 , " Barataria " , joined by " Currituck " , left the convoy and proceeded to eastern Lingayen Gulf , where " Barataria " planted seaplane moorings , anchors , and buoys in the shallow waters south of Aringay Point . That afternoon , the planes of Patrol Bomber Squadron ( VPB ) 20 arrived and moored , and " Baritaria " carried out routine fueling operations for the remainder of the day . On the morning of 10 January 1945 , " Barataria " surveyed the waters off the town of Damortis , south of Aringay Point , and found them free of swells . This information prompted her to move to that area , where she anchored shortly after noon . As the patrol bomber s of Patrol Bomber Squadron ( VPB ) 17 arrived that afternoon , one plane sank after a rough landing . " Barataria " rescued the crew and salvaged some gear . When Japan ese mortar fire began falling around the ship at 16 : 23 hours , " Barataria " slipped her anchor chain and retired out of range . Meanwhile , one of her 5 - inch ( 127 mm ) guns fired nine rounds at the Japanese positions , silencing the mortar fire . After that , " Baritaria " returned to the anchorage . For the rest of January , " Barataria " tended the Consolidated PBY - 5A Catalinas of Patrol Bomber Squadron ( VPB ) 71 as they carried out nighttime " Black Cat " strikes against shore installations and shipping along the coast of China and conducted antisubmarine patrol missions . Based first at Cabalitan Bay and then at Sual Bay in southwestern Lingayen GuIf , she shared these seaplane tender duties with " Currituck " until " Currituck " departed on 27 January 1945 . " Barataria " then spent the entire month of February 1945 and the first two weeks of March 1945 back at Cabalitan Bay , establishing a seaplane ramp on the south shore of Cabalitan Island and continuing to tend the Catalinas of VPB 71 as they carried out night reconnaissance and attack missions . The PBM - 3D Mariners of VPB 28 relieved VPB 71 on 28 February 1945 and continued the nocturnal missions begun by the PBYs . Transferring the seaplane tending duties for VPB 28 to USS " Tangier " ( AV - 8 ) on 13 March 1945 , " Barataria " stood out of Lingayen Gulf , bound via Subic Bay for Sangley Point , Luzon , and moored there on the morning of 18 March 1945 . While at Sangley Point , " Barataria " serviced the planes of VPB 25 , previously tended by USS " San Carlos " ( AVP - 51 ) . The highlight of her service there began when she got underway at 11 : 16 hours on 26 March 1945 to rescue a VPB 28 plane downed in the South China Sea about off the coast of Luzon . Guided by search planes , " Barataria " arrived on the scene at 22 : 15 hours , lowered her motor whaleboat , and brought the plane crew on board while preparing to fuel the plane for a morning take off attempt or , that failing , to rig a tow . However , neither plan came to fruition . Instead , destroyer USS " Young " ( DD - 510 ) , which ship arrived on the scene shortly after midnight to escort " Barataria " , sank the plane with gunfire after all classified gear had been removed from it . " Barataria " then returned to Sangley Point where she spent the remainder of March 1945 . Underway again on 2 April 1945 , " Barataria " headed for Mangarin Bay , Mindoro , to refuel and to replenish her supply of aviation gasoline , before proceeding to Cebu , where she anchored on 4 April 1944 . Shifting to a berth off the city of Opon at Mactan Island on 5 April 1945 , she there assumed the duties of station tender , Cebu . She surveyed Mactan Island for the establishment of a seaplane ramp and beach facilities , and laid out take off and landing areas in the waters offshore . She also established liaison with the United States Army Air Forces units ashore on both Mactan Island and Cebu . Meanwhile , the United States Army proceeded with the occupation of Cebu . With some isolated exceptions , the fighting centered on an area adjacent to Cebu City , with the “ evident strong point being a high point , about three miles ( 5 km ) north of the city ” identified as “ Hill 25 . ” Army Artillery Control contacted " Barataria " on 11 April 1945 and asked her to “ fire on any available targets . ” Directed by Army spotters , " Barataria " expended 100 5 - inch ( 127 mm ) rounds over the course of two hours early on 11 April 1945 and shelled Hill 25 again on 12 April 1945 , this time sending 75 5 - inch ( 127 mm ) rounds into the Japanese position . The Army spotters pronounced her firing “ excellent ” . However , the action was not all one - sided for , at 05 : 40 hours on 14 April 1945 , " Barataria " came under fire from Japanese 40 - and 90 - millimeter guns on Cebu Beach , directly opposite Mactan Island . Going to general quarters , she got underway and slipped her anchor cable , standing out of the north channel at 05 : 49 hours to lie to north of Mactan Island . She returned to her original anchorage later that morning , before moving to a berth in the southern part of Cebu Bay . Relieved by seaplane tender USS " Heron " ( AVP - 2 ) on 21 April 1945 , " Barataria " sailed for and anchored off Puerto Princessa , Palawan , on 22 April 1945 . She then escorted seaplane tender USS " Pocomoke " ( AV - 9 ) to Tawi Tawi on 24 April 1945 and 25 April 1945 , before proceeding on to Guiuan Harbor , Samar , late on the afternoon of 26 April 1945 . After taking on board supplies there and fueling at San Pedro Bay , " Baratari " a sailed for Mindoro and anchored in Mangarin Bay on the evening of 3 May 1945 . Pushing on toward Lingayen Gulf , " Barataria " transferred aviation supplies to USS " Tangier " on 5 May 1945 before she relieved seaplane tender USS " Orca " ( AVP - 49 ) on station at noon on 8 May 1945 . In so doing , " Barataria " assumed charge of six planes from VPB 28 engaged in Lingayen Bay - based air - sea rescue operations . For the remainder of May 1945 and all of June 1945 , she tended the PBM - 5D Mariners of VPB 28 as they carried out “ Dumbo ” missions covering the Army ' s 5th Air Force bombing strikes on Formosa . During May 1945 , she also serviced the Royal Australian Air Force 76th Wing Detachment PBY Catalinas as an “ intermediary landing point ” in their minelaying operations off the China coast . Early in June 1945 , " Barataria " provided air - sea rescue coverage for the movement of Marine Air Group 14 from Clark Field , Luzon , to Okinawa . Underway for Puerto Princessa on 8 July 1945 , " Barataria " briefly tended planes of VPB 25 , on standby for antisubmarine patrols , before she continued on via Manila . where she took on cargo bound for Puerto Princessa . She conducted tending operations at Puerto Princessa from 15 July 1944 to 23 July 1944 before proceeding via Samar to Leyte . She next provided services for VPB 28 as it flew antisubmarine patrols out of Manila Bay , covering the waters adjacent to northern Luzon , for the remainder of World War II . Honors and awards . " Barataria " earned one battle star for her World War II operations . Post - World War II Navy service . With the end of the fighting on 15 August 1945 came new orders . " Barataria " cleared Subic Bay on 30 August 1945 bound for Okinawa . and arrived in Buckner Bay , Okinawa , on 3 September 1945 after weathering a typhoon en route . After voyage repairs there , she shifted to Chimu Bay to tend the planes of VPB 17 and VPB 20 as they conducted passenger and mail flights . On 16 September 1945 , another typhoon prompted " Barataria " to get underway to ride out the storm , getting all flyable planes aloft and off the rough seas . " Baritaria " clocked winds up to and seas up to 40 feet ( 12 . 2 m ) high before she returned to port on 17 September 1945 . Underway for the coast of China on 24 September 1945 , " Barataria " reached Shanghai on 27 September 1945 and , for the remainder of September , tended the planes of VPB 17 , which were flying mail and passengers in and out of Shanghai . " Barataria " later performed seaplane tending operations out of Jinsen ( now Incheon ) , Korea . Decommissioning . After completing her duties at Jinsen , " Barataria " returned to the United States for inactivation . She reached Seattle , Washington , on 29 December 1945 . Decommissioned and placed in reserve on 24 July 1946 , " Barataria " was laid up at Alameda , California . United States Coast Guard service . After more than two years of inactivity , " Barataria " was loaned to the United States Coast Guard on 17 September 1948 . She became the Coast Guard cutter USCGC " Barataria " ( WAVP - 381 ) . Later reclassified as a high endurance cutter and redesignated WHEC - 381 , " Barataria " was based at Portland , Maine , for most of her Coast Guard career . Her primary duty was to patrol ocean stations in the North Atlantic Ocean , reporting weather data and engaging in search - and - rescue and law - enforcement operations . " Barataria " was stricken from the Navy List on 26 September 1966 and transferred outright to the Coast Guard on the same day . She served a tour in the Vietnam War in 1967 - 1968 , then served on ocean stations in the Pacific Ocean . The Coast Guard decommissioned " Barataria " in August 1969 and sold her for scrap in either September or October 1970 to N . W . Kennedy of Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada .