Concept/Program: Obsolete, marginally seaworthy predreadnought battleship outfitted to act as a seaplane tender at Pensacola, FL, and to assist in the establishment of a permanent seaplane base at that location.
Class: First of two Mississippi class battleships.
Design: Designed as an attempt at a smaller, cheaper battleship, but rolled badly and was considered totally unsatisfactory.
Conversion: Extent of conversion/modification for seaplane duties is not known, but is not believed to have been extensive.
Classification: Retained classification "Battleship 23" throughout her service.
Operational: Served as aviation station ship at Pensacola 1/1913 to 4/1913; supported seaplanes during the Vera Cruz operation.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Sold to Greece as a coast defense ship in 1914.
Refitted and modernized 1911. To reserve (in commission) 1 Aug 1912, restored to full commission 30 Dec 1913 for service as aviation station ship at Pensacola and modified to support seaplanes; served at Pensacola 1/1914 to 4/1914 and briefly 6/1914. Deployed to Vera Cruz, Mexico 4/1914 to 6/1914 as a seaplane support ship.
Decommissioned, stricken for transfer and transferred to Greece as Kilkis 21 July 1914. Served as coastal defense vessel. Discarded 1932 and hulked as a schoolship, disarmed as accommodation ship 1937. Sunk by German aircraft 23 April 1941 at Salamis. Hulk salvaged 1951 and scrapped.
Concept/Program: Obsolete armored cruisers outfitted to carry, launch and support seaplanes.
Conversion: A large, fixed catapult was built on the quarterdeck, and a system of rails for moving and storing seaplanes was built in the former boat storage area. The catapult was built over the aft 10" turret, rendering that turret useless.
Classification: Retained armored cruiser classification s throughout service as a seaplane tenders. Operational: Operated as an aviation station ships at Pensacola, Although nominally capable of operating seaplanes while underway, most of their seaplane service was as a station ships.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Catapult and aviation facilities removed 1917.
Fitted as a seaplane tender 1915. Served as experimental aviation ship and aviation station ship at Pensacola. Seaplane equipment removed 1917.
Redesignated CA 11 17 July 1920. Postwar was used as a flagship/headquarters ship, then as a receiving ship 1927-1946. Proposed reconstruction in 1929 cancelled. Redesignated IX 39 17 February 1941. Decommissioned 28 June 1946, stricken for disposal 19 July 1946. Sold 3 Dec 1946 and subsequently scrapped.
Fitted as a seaplane tender 1915. Served as experimental aviation ship and aviation station ship at Pensacola. Seaplane equipment removed 1917.
Renamed Charlotte 7 June 1920. Redesignated CA 12 17 July 1921. Decommissioned to reserve 18 Feb 1921. Stricken for disposal 15 July 1930. Sold 29 Sept 1930 and subsequently scrapped.
Concept/Program: Obsolete armored cruiser modified to carry, launch and support seaplanes and kite balloons.
Conversion: A large, fixed catapult was built on the quarterdeck, and a system of rails for moving and storing seaplanes was built in the former boat storage area. The catapult was built over the aft 8" turret, rendering that turret useless. Balloon maintenance and support facilities were also fitted.
Classification: Retained armored cruiser classification ACR 5 throughout her service as a seaplane tender.
Operational: Operated as an aviation station ship at Pensacola, then made one WWI convoy run as a balloon support ship before resuming armored cruiser duties. Although nominally capable of operating seaplanes while underway, most of her seaplane service was as a station ship.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Catapult and aviation facilities removed 1917.
Outfitted as a seaplane tender 1917; placed in commission in this role 5 April 1917. Served as aviation station ship at Pensacola, then made one convoy run during WWI. Seaplane equipment removed 10/1917. Remainder of WWI service was as a convoy escort.
Redesignated ACR 5 17 July 1920. Decommissioned to reserve 1 September 1920. Stricken for disposal 12 March 1930. Sold 30 August 1930 and subsequently scrapped.
Design/Conversion: Oringal superstructure was stripped off and replaced by a new superstructure, large internal mine deck added. As seaplane tenders the mine rails were removed, and aircraft hoisting booms, repair and servicing facilities, etc. were added. Shawmut had equipment for servicing and support of kite balloons. Both retained some minelaying equipment.
Variations: As merchant shipps these were near-sisters, not identical sisters, so there were some variations in details.
Classification: Both ships given minelayer designations (CM) 17 July 1920 upon the creation of the designation system, and retained these designations throughout their service as aviation ships.
Operational: Both saw service in supporting early trans-Atlantic seaplane flights, then as aviation station tenders at various locations.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Both left aviation service for other duties during the late 1920's and early 1930's.
Converted for seaplane support at Mare Island Navy Yard early 1920, served as Pacific fleet aviation tender. Designated CM 3 17 July 1920.
Decommissioned to reserve 10 March 1931. Redesignated as a cargo ship (AK 44) 20 May 1941. Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 5 February 1943. Sold postwar and converted to a casino ship at Long Beach. Scrapped in 1948.
Converted for seaplane support at Boston Navy Yard early 1919, served as Atlantic Fleet aviation tender. Renamed Oglala 1 January 1928 and became flagship of Mine Division 1, with her seaplane facilities removed. Considered for use as seaplane depot ship in 1931, but rejected as unsuitable.
Moored outboard of cruiser Helena at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941; a torpedo hit the cruiser and sprang the seams of Oglala; she capsized and sank. Salvaged 1942 and repaired at Mare Island Navy Yard; redesignated ARG 1 and recommissioned 21 May 1943 as a repair ship for internal combustion engines. Armament after refit was 1 5", 4 3" AA, 4 40 mm AA and 8 20 mm AA.
Decommissioned (date uncertain), stricken for disposal 11 July 1946. Transferred to the Maritime Commission and served as a depot ship for the Suisun Bay reserve fleet. Sold and scrapped in 1965.
Concept/Program: A "flush deck" destroyer modified as a seaplane tender following WWI; had previously serveded as a guide ship for trans-Atlantic seaplane flights. She was one of the pioneer seaplane tenders, and her service was short. It is possible that additional destroyers were modified as seaplane tenders during this period, but details are unknown.
Class: Wickes class; "Bethlehem" type variant of the basic design.
Design/Conversion: Detail unknown; some torpedo tubes may have been removed.
Departure from Service/Disposal: She apparently left seaplane duties early in 1921, and was decommissioned in 1922.
Detached from seaplane duty 2/1921. Decommissioned to reserve 1 July 1922. Stricken for disposal 7 January 1936, sold 29 September 1936 and subsequently scrapped.
Class: Originally a "Hog Island" freighter.
Design/Conversion: Conversion from an airship tender included removing the "balloon well" and fitted additional aircraft hoisting booms. There were extensive shop facilities and evidently a considerable cargo capacity.
Classification: Reclassified as a seaplane tender when her balloon was removed, prior to full conversion.
Operational: From the start she was frequently used as a tender to flying boats and seaplanes, and also served as a general-purpose auxiliary in roles such as command, salvage, disaster relief and transport.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Starting October 1944 she was designated as a miscellaneous auxiliary and served as a headquarters ship for service squadrons.
Operated as a combination balloon-seaplane tender until mid-1922, when the balloon was transferred ashore. Ship then operated as a seaplane tender and participated in many fleet exercises to examine possible naval roles for aircraft.
Redesignated as seaplane tender AV 1 11 November 1923. Fully converted to a seaplane tender 7/1926 to 12/1916 at Norfolk Navy Yard. Conversion included removal of balloon well and fitting of additional aircraft hoisting booms. During the 1920's she saw extensive service along the US east coast, including the salvage of the submarine S-4, hurricane relief, troop transport, etc. Served in the Pacific during the 1930's and into WWII.
Shortly before WWII she assisted in the establishment of several advance bases in the Pacific. Early in the war she was used as a transport to supply and support various bases, especially those around Hawaii. From mid-1942 on she again served as a seaplane tender.
Reclassified as a miscellaneous auxiliary (AG 79) 1 October 1944 and served as a headquarters ship for Pacific service forces. Renamed San Clemente 3 February 1945. Immediately postwar served as an occupation headquarters ship.
Decommissioned 21 June 1946, stricken for disposal 1 July 1946. Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 21 September 1946. Sold 19 August 1948 and subsequently scrapped.
Concept/Program: Former collier employed as a support ship for US aviation operations in the Far East, and eventually reclassified as a seaplane tender. Little is known about this ship, but it is believed that she was not extensively converted to a seaplane role, and probably operated mainly as a transport and logistics ship in support of other aviation units.
Classification: Reclassified AV 2 many years after she assumed an aviation support role, probably to acknowledge that she was no longer employed as a collier.
Operational: Supported US aviation operations in the Far East from 1925 to decommissioning.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Decommissioned in 1932.
Saw extensive and varied service as a collier, military transport, and logistics support ship. Deployed to the Far East in 1925, operating in various transport, logistics and support roles. Reclassified AV 2 21 January 1930.
Decommissioned to reserve 30 June 1932. Stricken for disposal 19 May 1936. Sold 29 July 1936 and subsequently scrapped.
Concept/Program: Experimental aircraft carrier (originally a collier) converted to a seaplane tender following her replacement as first-line carrier. This was another of the early, make-do conversions pending the availability of purpose-built seaplane tenders. She retained a large carrier-like deck which made her quite useful as an aircraft ferry.
Design/Conversion: The forward 1/3 of the flight deck was removed to open up a seaplane servicing deck, and seaplane hoisting booms were installed. The remainder of the flight deck apparently served no purpose other than as an aircraft storage area when the ship served as an aircraft ferry.
Modifications: No major modifications in service as a seaplane tender.
Classification: Reclassified from carrier (CV) to seaplane tender (AV) after conversion.
Operational: Early in WWII she saw service as an aircraft transport in addition to seaplane duties.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Sunk early in WWII.
Other Notes: As collier she had been the first turbo-electric USN vessel.
Replaced as carrier by new Wasp in 1936. Converted to seaplane tender at Mare Island Navy Yard 25 Oct 1936 to 26 Feb 1937, redesignated AV 3 11 April 1937, recommissioned 21 April 1937.
Used as aircraft transport early in WWII. Attacked by Japanese bombers 27 Feb 1942 while arriving at Java with P-40s as cargo; hit multiple times and crippled, abandoned and scuttled by destroyer gunfire.
