USS Oyster Bay ( AGP - 6 ) USS " Oyster Bay " ( AGP - 6 ) , originally and later AVP - 28 , was a United States Navy motor torpedo boat tender in commission from 1943 to 1946 . Construction , commissioning , and shakedown . " Oyster Bay " was laid down as a " Barnegat " - class small seaplane tender designated AVP - 28 at Lake Washington Shipyard , Houghton Washington , on 17 April 1942 , and was launched on 7 September 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . William K . Harrill . On 1 May 1943 she was reclassified as a motor torpedo tender and redesignated AGP – 6 and , accordingly , completed to a modified design to allow her to fulfill this new role . She was commissioned on 17 November 1943 , with Lieutenant Commander Walter W . Holroyd , USNR , in command . " Oyster Bay " departed Seattle , Washington , on 7 December 1943 for shakedown at San Diego , California , which lasted for the remainder of 1943 . World War II service . New Guinea campaign . " Oyster Bay " got underway from San Diego on 2 January 1944 , steaming to Brisbane , Australia , en route Milne Bay , New Guinea , for motor torpedo boat tender operations in support of the New Guinea campaign . She serviced two squadrons of motor torpedo boats beginning on 28 February 1944 and , on 9 March 1944 , got underway escorting 15 patrol torpedo boat s ( PT boats ) to Seeadler Harbor in the Admiralty Islands . The spring of 1944 was an active one for " Oyster Bay " . On 14 March 1944 , she bombarded the Japan ese shore installations on Pityilu Island in support of the United States Army . On 20 March 1944 she was underway for Langemak , New Guinea , with 42 wounded soldier s for evacuation to Base Hospital , Finschhafen , New Guinea . After returning to Seeadler Harbor on 31 March 1944 , she bombarded Ndrilo Island to the east of Seeadler Harbor preparatory to the landing there by U . S . Army ground forces . " Oyster Bay " shifted to Dreger Harbor on 19 April 1944 . Allied forces moved on Aitape on 22 April 1944 , and on 24 April 1944 , two days after the landings at Aitape , " Oyster Bay " departed for the area with 15 PT boats . Japanese planes attacked the convoy on 27 April 1944 , but , while one PT boat was hit , " Oyster Bay " escaped damage . In May 1944 , " Oyster Bay " proceeded to Hollandia , an area of heated Allied action . Air raid alerts were frequent , but no Japanese attacks ensued . " Oyster Bay " got underway to Wakde Island on 5 June 1944 with two squadrons of PT boats . After Allied forces had invaded Wakde Island on 17 May 1944 to capture a major Japanese air base there , the Japanese continued to hammer away at the newly acquired airstrip . Later in June 1944 , " Oyster Bay " bombarded shore installations on the Wicki River and at Samar Village , preparatory to U . S . Army attacks . Leaving Mios Woendi Island on 12 July 1944 , " Oyster Bay " reported to Brisbane for shipyard availability . A British Royal Air Force plane struck the top of the ship ’ s mast , carried away her antennae and damaged her navigation lights on 22 July 1944 , but hasty repairs permitted " Oyster Bay " to depart for Mios Woendi on 16 August 1944 . Philippines campaign . " Oyster Bay " then steamed on to Morotai , needed as a staging area for the Philippines campaign . As the Allies assaulted the beaches of Leyte Island in the Philippines in October 1944 , " Oyster Bay " set out for Leyte Gulf . Japanese planes counterattacked , but U . S . Navy planes and anti - aircraft fire took a heavy toll of them . In November 1944 , " Oyster Bay " went to general quarters 221 times , but was not attacked . She shifted to San Juanico Strait on 21 November 1944 and on 24 November 1944 , while taking on gasoline , she was attacked by two Nakajima B5N " Kate " torpedo bomber s that were driven off by heavy antiaircraft fire . Two Mitsubishi A6M " Zeke " fighters dived on " Oyster Bay " on the 26 November 1944 , but intense antiaicraft fire shot them both down . In January 1945 , " Oyster Bay " got underway for Hollandia , then returned to Leyte Gulf for motor torpedo boat tender operations on 8 February 1945 . Departing for the invasion of Zamboanga on 6 March 1945 , she arrived two days before the invasion and remained with the bombardment group until the landings . " Oyster Bay " next rendezvoused with PT boats in Sarangani Bay at Mindoro on 24 April 1945 and supported them during night raids against the Japanese positions in Davao Gulf . In May 1945 , " Oyster Bay " reported to Leyte Gulf , thence steaming to Samar . She departed on 18 May 1945 for Tawi Tawi , where she continued motor torpedo boat tender operations until she returned to Guinan Harbor on 6 August 1945 . Awards . " Oyster Bay " received five battle star s for World War II service . Post - World War II service . World War II ended with the cessation of hostilities with Japan on 15 August 1945 . " Oyster Bay " turned toward the United States on 10 November 1945 and steamed into San Francisco Bay , California , on 29 November 1945 . Decommissioning , reserve , and disposal . Decommissioned on 26 March 1946 , " Oyster Bay " was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 April 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission on 12 August 1946 . Transferred back to the U . S . Navy on 3 January 1949 , " Oyster Bay " was reclassified as a small seaplane tender and redesignated AVP – 28 on 16 March 1949 . She was berthed at Stockton , California , where she remained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until 1957 , seeing no active service as a seaplane tender . Italian Navy service . " Oyster Bay " was transferred to the Government of Italy on 23 October 1957 , She then served in the Italian Navy as the special forces tender " Pietro Cavezzale " ( A5301 ) . The Italian Navy decommissioned " Pietro Cavezzale " in October 1993 and she was stricken by the Italian Navy on 31 March 1994 . She was sold for scrapping in February 1996 .