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USS George E. Badger (DD-196/AVP-16/AVD-3/APD-33)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS George E. Badger (DD-196/AVP-16/AVD-3/APD-33)

USS George E. Badger (DD-196) was laid down 24 September 1918 by the Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.; launched 6 March 1920; sponsored by Miss Mary B. Wilson, the namesake's granddaughter; and commissioned 28 July 1920, Lt. Comdr. Albert Gleaves Berry, Jr., in command.

After shakedown, USS George E. Badger (DD-196) based at Charleston, S.C., while operating in Caribbean waters and along the eastern seaboard from Jacksonville, Fla, to Boston. Returning to Philadelphia 6 June 1922, she decommissioned there 11 August 1922 and was subsequently transferred to the Treasury Department 1 October 1930 for use by the Coast Guard. She was reacquired by the Navy 21 May 1934 and redesignated (AVP-16) on 1 October 1939. USS George E. Badger (AVP-16) recommissioned at Philadelphia 8 January 1940, Lt. Comdr. Frank Akers in command. During the next year she engaged in training operations in the Caribbean. Redesignated AVD-3 on 2 August 1940, she returned to Norfolk 12 January 1941 and subsequently tended planes while based at Argentia, Newfoundland, and Reykjavik, Iceland, until the spring of 1942.

After touching Casablanca, USS George E. Badger (AVD-3) returned to New York 23 August. During the next 2 months she made another escort voyage from New York to Casablanca, then returned to New York 21 October. After escorting another convoy from Norfolk to North Africa and back USS George E. Badger (AVD-3) underwent conversion to high speed transport at Charleston and was redesignated APD-33 on 19 May 1944. Sailing for duty in the Pacific, she steamed via the West Coast and Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal where she arrived 12 August.

Until the spring of 1945 the veteran warship was overhauled at Ulithi; patrolled off Iwo Jima while the fighting raged; and escorted ships from Guam to Guadalcanal, Noumea, and Manus. USS George E. Badger (AVD-3) sailed from Ulithi 2 April 1945 for Okinawa with carriers delivering replacement aircraft, and subsequently escorted convoys from Saipan to Okinawa. USS George E. Badger (AVD-3) sailed from Eniwetok 24 June for Pearl Harbor. Ordered thence to San Francisco for reconversion, she reverted to DD-196 on 20 July 1945 and later decommissioned at that port 3 October 1945. USS George E. Badger (AVD-3) was scrapped 3 June 1946.

For complete history of USS George E. Badger (DD-196/AVP-16/AVD-3/APD-33) please see its DANFS page.