USS Mobjack ( AGP - 7 ) USS " Mobjack " ( AVP - 27 / AGP - 7 ) was a motor torpedo boat tender that served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 . Construction and early deployment . " Mobjack " was laid down as a seaplane tender , AVP ‑ 27 , by Lake Washington Shipyard , Houghton Washington , on 25 February 1942 and launched on 2 August 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . H . R . Peck . She was reclassified as a motor torpedo boat tender and redesignated AGP ‑ 7 on 11 March 1943 and commissioned on 17 October 1943 with Commander D . B . Coleman in command . Following shakedown off southern California , " Mobjack " departed San Diego , California , for the Southwest Pacific on 14 December 1943 . Steaming via New Caledonia and the New Hebrides , she arrived at Rendova , British Solomon Islands , on 14 January 1944 to begin duty with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons , South Pacific ( SOPAC ) . She trained and supplied patrol torpedo boats ( PT boats ) in the New Georgia area until 6 March 1944 , when she steamed to the Treasury Islands and thence to the motor torpedo boat base , Emirau , arriving on 23 March 1944 . In mid ‑ May 1944 she returned to the Treasury Islands , where she overhauled PT boats and repaired and tended the motor gunboat s ( PGMs ) and landing craft infantry gunboats ( LCI ( G ) s ) of Task Group 30 . 3 into July 1944 . Employed briefly in transporting spares and other materiel , she departed for British New Guinea on 23 July 1944 , arriving at Dreger Harbor on 27 July 1944 to begin service under Commander , Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons , 7th Fleet . During the greater part of August 1944 she operated at Aitape Harbor , tending Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron ( MTBRBon ) 33 and providing assistance in salvage work . On 28 August 1944 , she got underway for Mios Woendi , Netherlands New Guinea , in company with MTBRBon 33 . Arriving there on 31 August 1944 , she was engaged in fueling , provisioning and making final repairs to the PT boats of the squadron preparatory to sailing for Morotai as a unit of Task Group 70 . 1 . Morotai . Arriving at Morotai on 16 September 1944 , the day after the American landings there , she commenced tending the boats of her squadron and Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat s assigned to air - sea rescue of pilots downed en route to and from raids on Truk . For the first three days she went about her duties unscathed in spite of Japan ese air resistance . At sunrise on 19 September 1944 , however , a smoking Japanese fighter emerged from a heavy overcast and dove for " Mobjack " . Unable to crash into the ship , the pilot dropped two bomb s which exploded close alongside , holing the deck and wounding one of her crew . Making temporary repairs , she remained at Morotai , tending PT boats of Task Unit 70 . 1 . 2 and PBYs now ranging over the Netherlands East Indies on relief and intelligence and reconnaissance missions , until February 1945 . The Philippines . During February and March 1945 , " Mobjack " transported materiel , spares , and advanced base personnel as she accompanied motor torpedo boat squadrons to forward areas . At Mios Woendi on 1 April 1945 , she took on base force personnel of MTBRons 9 and 10 and on 2 April 1945 got underway for Samar in the Philippine Islands . Arriving on 11 April 1945 , she disembarked her passengers and steamed on to Palawan , where she relieved motor torpedo boat tender USS " Willoughby " ( AGP - 9 ) as the repair unit for MTBRons 20 and 23 . She moved on to Mangarin Bay , Mindoro , in mid ‑ May 1945 to overhaul and repair motor torpedo boats for use in the Philippines and in the upcoming Borneo operations . The Borneo campaign . On 8 June 1945 , " Mobjack " steamed to Samar to stage for the landings at Balikpapan on Borneo . Departing on 21 June 1945 , she moved , with MTBRons 10 and 27 , to Basilan Island , thence , on 26 June 1945 , further down the Sulu Archipelago and into Makassar Strait . On 27 June 1945 , she joined the minesweepers , at work since 1 June 1945 , and the ships of the bombardment group , which had been pounding the Japanese - held oil center since 17 June 1945 , in preparing the way for the Australian assault force . For four days " Mobjack " fueled and sustained the motor torpedo boats assigned to night patrol off the coast to prevent the Japanese from replacing naval mine s , restoring obstacles blown by underwater demolition teams , or disturbing channel markers planted by the minesweepers . On 1 July 1945 , these extensive preparations and precautions proved to have been well executed as wave after wave of personnel of the Australian 7th Division of the Australian I Corps went ashore without a casualty . " Mobjack " , harassed by Japanese night air attacks until Royal Australian Air Force night fighter s stopped them , remained outside the harbor for the next nine days . On 11 July 1945 she stood into the harbor , where , on 15 August 1945 , she received a dispatch directing the cessation of all offensive action against the Japanese . World War II was over . " Mobjack " received three battle stars for World War II service . Post - World War II Navy career . On 12 September 1945 , " Mobjack " returned to the Philippines and for the next two months engaged in decommissioning motor torpedo boats under Commander , Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons , Philippine Sea Frontier . On 10 November 1945 she headed eastward , arriving at San Francisco , California , on 29 November 1945 . In December 1945 , stripping of " Mobjack " began , and on 21 August 1946 she decommissioned . She was transferred the same day to the custody of the U . S . Department of Commerce . U . S . Coast and Geodetic Survey career . " Mobjack " joined the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey later in 1946 as the survey ship USC & GS " Pioneer " ( OSS 31 ) . " Pioneer " operated in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean and made important discoveries related to the theory of plate tectonics . She was sold for scrap on 4 May 1966 to National Metal and Steel Corporation , Terminal Island , California .