Norton Sound (AVM 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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RUSS NOQTO :WM 1 , N, s 1 ff: AT TZ: , Q I' g F Q ' fl-X Q95 0 N 1 f-Q-f A VNW Avm 1 A SHORT HISTORY OF USS NORTON SOUND CAV-11 I AVM-ll By CUO3 ROBERT F. HOVESTADT, USN 1Retlredl 27 January 1986 No other ship ln the history of the US Navy may claim the dlstlnctlon of having a hlstory as diverse, grand ln scope and depth, and rlch ln achievement as that of USS NORTON SOUND 1AV-11 I AVN-1l: She is truly unique! NORTON SOUND was launched and christened on 28 November, 1943 and She was originally commlssloned on 8 January, 1945. with the excep- tlon of the shipyard avallablllty for installation of the TYPHON weapon System C22 monthsl, USS NORTON SOUND has served on contlnuous active service since Her commissioning to the present tlme, a period of over 39 years. Named after the largest bay in Alaska. the NORTON SOUND ls 540 feet long and dlsplaces 15,000 tons when fully loaded. l 1

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uss NORTON SOUND ASSOCIATION A PART OF LIVING HISTORY XT

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55 :user ,IN T 'age l .. O : 1 Elil 1 stil l O o 1 1 Egg!! 'g g ..1.., ..., 1SFtsEIH. . T 3: -. I Y 2? . -' ' Sli v f ' .Qiifi I .. .5 1-:-5:15233 f f qifiggu: ,-.. w14kZgEgQ: 'f Ughhliifiin. - gagmi U 3211125323212 ni 3 qi l LI3i Q , a 'Q W Originally built to tend seaplanes, NORTON SOUND carried out this duty during the closing months of world Nar ll by operating in support of Her nflying Boatu squadron at Kerama Retto, Okinawa, Japan. During this time NORTON SOUND and her sister ships fought off attacking enemy aircraft llncludlng Kamikaze suicide planesl during 150 air raids. while all of this was going on, Patrol Bombing Squadron 26 CVPB-267, assigned to NORTON SOUND was conducting some 412 missions consisting of: ,anti-ship and submarine, and long range reconnaisance patrolsp mounting attacks against enemy shipping and shore facilities: and conducting alrlsea rescue missions. The final combined tally for NORTON SOUND and VPB-26 was: 16 ships sunk and 31 ships damagedg 1 aircraft destroyed and 2 damagedg 2 docks and facilities destroyed: and 3 radio stations damaged. For much of Her time at Okinawa. NORTON SOUND served as flagship for Commander, Fleet Air Ning 1 CPAN-17, who had the re- sponsibility for supporting and operating 17 squadrons of landbased and seaplanes fr0m various air stations and up to 15 seaplane tenders, which were assigned to FAN-1 for oper- ational control. FAN-1's area of responsibility extended over millions of square miles of the pacific theater of operations. lu time, her activity stretched from Pearl Harbor Iwhere Her units were badly mauled during the attackl through final victory lVJ Dayl- Unlts of FAH-1 sunk or damaged over 1,009 enemy ships and craft, destroyed or damaged well over 213 enemy aircraft, and imflicted lncalculable damage on enemy shore installations during 39,179 patrol and combat missions. - NORTON SUUNU D6FtiCiDated in the liberation of Japanese occupied cities and areas and in the occupation of Japan for several months. before being rotated back to the United States for peacetime duty on 9 April 1946. She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia on 22 May 1946. Following ww II. NORTON SOUND was selected to support the Navy's infant guided missile and rvcket development program. She was modified fer these duties an the Philadelphia Naval 5hlDyard. Provisions were made for handling, storing, fueling lliquid fuell. SEFYI' cing, launching, and operational monitoring of rockets and guided missiles. Conversion work resulted in a major change in Her external appearance. This was the first of manY times thV0U9hout Her career in scientific and weapons research, development, test and 2V61U6tl0O lRDTGEl that-her internal and external configuration would be radically dl' tered-W Suit new l155l0'l and Df'0Qram requirements. She was designated AVM-1 on 8 August. 1951-