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HistoryVP-9F HistoryHistory

Circa 1934

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...21 Apr 1934: VP-3F conducted massed flights in exercises with VP-2F, VP-3F, VP-5F, VP-7F and VP-9F during Fleet Problem XV held off the coast of Panama. The squadron's participation in the problem lasted through 28 May 1934...." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/chap4-3.pdf [13JAN2007]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Avocet (Minesweeper No. 19)..." http://www.multied.com/Navy/Minelayer/Avocet.html [26MAR2005]

The ship then sailed for a plane guard station for the flight of VP-8F to Midway, arriving at Laysan Island on 14 February, thence to station "affirm" 35 miles south-southwest of Nihoa Island, in the Hawaiian chain, Having completed her duties there, Avocet returned to Pearl Harbor on 19 February, remaining there a month before sailing for San Diego on 19 March. She arrived at that west coast port on 28 March.

Underway for Corinto, Nicaragua, on 3 April, Avocet tended the Martin PM-1 flying boats from VP-7F and VP-9F from 13 to 15 and briefly served as the flagship for Rear Admiral Alfred Johnson, Commander, Aircraft, Base Force, while at Corinto. She accompanied the fleet's patrol planes as they migrated across the Gulf of Dulce, and, after transiting the Panama Canal on 24 April 1934, met them at Coco Solo, whence she followed them to the Bay of Caldera, off the coast of the Dominican Republic.

One highlight Of this period came on 10 May when Avocet received word that one of VP-9F's planes had been forced down, and was under tow of a merchant ship, SS Prospector. Underway from the Bay of Caldera at 1304 on 10 May, the ship rendezvoused with Prospector at 2238, and at 0040 on the 11th, first took the Martin PM-1 under tow and then hoisted it on board for re later that day. Avocet later operated out of St. Louis Solo, Bay, Haiti, before returning to Coco So Solo, Pacific-bound, on 16 May, and hoisting out the repaired PM-1 en route. After transiting the Panama Canal on 19 May, she reached San Diego on the 30th.

Following a brief period of voyage repairs at the Mare Island Navy Yard, Avocet sailed for San Francisco, and thence to Juneau, Alaska, for her first deployment to Alaskan waters. She stood watch on plane-guard station off Cape Scott, British Columbia, from 26 to 28 July, before she reached Juneau on 28 July, and over the weeks that followed operated at Yakutat Bay, Seward, Cordova and Ketchikan. Again she served briefly as Rear Admiral Johnson's flagship in August, 1934, and provided VP-9F with berthing and messing facilities while at Cordova.

Winding up her first stint in Alaskan waters when she sailed from Ketchikan on 20 August, Avocet called at Astoria, Oreg., en route to Mare Island, and after spending the period from 7 September to 1 October at San Diego, returned to Pearl Harbor on 9 October. She conducted local operations out of the Fleet Air Base at Pearl Harbor for the remainder of the year 1934. During that nod she took part in Hawaiian Tactical Exercise No. 3 with VP-10F at Nawiliwili, Kauai, in late October.


Circa 1933

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...26 July 1933 - Assignment of Aircraft and Naval Aeronautic Organization, Fiscal Year 1934 - Modification of: Op-38-E-EMW VZ/A3-1 (330617) of 20 July 1933 - VP-1F, VP-2F, VP-3F, VP-5F, VP-6F, VP-7F, VP-8F, VP-9F and VP-10F..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/a-record/nao23-52/fy-1934.pdf [18MAR2007]

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Circa 1932

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...9 May 1932 - Proposed Naval Aeronautical Organization - Fiscal Year 1934 - VP-1B, VP-4B, VP-6B, VP-7F, VP-9F, VP-3S, VP-5S, VP-8S and VP-10S..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/a-record/nao23-52/fy-1934.pdf [18MAR2007]

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Circa 1931 - 1937

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Historical Center, Department Of The Navy, Washington, D. C http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/dictvol2.htm [28APR2001]
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