Naval History and Heritage Command

USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) was launched 2 October 1944 by Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, Wash.; sponsored by Mrs. R. E. Torkelson; and commissioned 31 December 1944, Commander F. N. Howe in command:

USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) sailed from San Diego 12 March 1945, called at Pearl Harbor, and tended planes at Eniwetok and Ulithi before arriving at Kerama Retto off Okinawa, 29 April. USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) had two more tours of duty in the Far East, from 25 February to 8 September 1947 and from 2 February to 27 July 1948. Sailing from Long Beach, Calif., 17 March 1949, USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) headed west on the first leg of a round-the-world cruise.

Between 4 January 1950 and 31 December 1960, USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) served 10 tours of duty in the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean as flagship for Commander, Middle East Force. Her service was highlighted by a number of important diplomatic missions in this critical area.

USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) sailed from Norfolk 3 October 1956 headed for her regular assignment when the Suez Crisis broke out. With the canal blocked, she was stationed on patrol off the eastern end of Crete assisting in the operation of Suda Bay airfield for aircraft of the United Nations Emergency Force. USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) also carried underwater demolition teams to Saros Bay, Turkey, for survey operations in February 1957 before returning to Norfolk 11 March 1957. During her next cruise, in January 1958 she joined in flood relief at Ceylon.

USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) paid a special call to Karachi in December 1959 on the occasion of the visit of President D. D. Eisenhower to India and Pakistan.

For a complete history of USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) please see its DANFS page.