Valcour (AVP 55) - Naval Cruise Book

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SHIP'S HISTORY The United States Ship VALCOUR QAVP-555 was named for an island in Lake Champlain, New York. The island figured in an important naval engagement in the Revolutionary War. A small seaplane tender, she is 310 feet 4 inches in length and is 41 feet 3 in- ches across the beam with a displacement of 2880 gross tons. The VALCOUR was built in the Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, Wash- ington: the keel beinglaid on 21 December 1942, and the ship launched on 5 June 1943. She was commissioned on 5 July 1942 and assigned to duty with the U. S. Pacific Fleet. Transferred to the U. S. Atlantic Fleet in 1947, she tended seaplanes of Fleet Air Wing Three at Coco Solo, Canal Zone, Panama. She remained in the Canal Zone until late in 1948, though on occasion during this period she acted as advance base for the operational training of Fleet Air Wings, Atlantic aircraft in San Juan, Puerto Rico and in Jamaica, British West Indies. The VALC OUR participatedin the Atlantic Fleet exercises at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Bermuda during 1949. In the later part of that year she became flagship for Commander, Middle East Force, operatingin the Persian Gulf-Middle East area. While undergoing extensive repairs in the later part of 1951, as a result of a collision, she was painted white and completely air-conditioned to better combat the heat of the Mid-East. Witha compliment of 12 officers and 175 men, the VALCOUR rotates 4 months duty serving the Flag with her two sister ships, spending an average of 7 months a year away from her home port of Norfolk, Virginia.

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...qi LH -- f. . . - N,. . 4.. - - -M. C n fu? E E 5 g I Rear Admiral H. M. Briggs, USN COMIDEASTFOR 20 June 1958 i li It is a great pleasure for me to launch this cruise book of the U. S. S. VALCOIIRQ for, throughout your tour you have done an outstanding job - one that I am pleased with and proud of - thoroughly and enthusiastically. Operations in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Indian Ocean areas have never been up easy. The area is large, the heat excessive, and the hours long. But, you accepted these challenges and turned their disadvantages into advantages. Your conduct and actions made the people of the Middle East Welcome your visits. You accoml911Shed your assigned tasks with maximum efficiency, and above all else, made the Staff feel f, n a part of your ship. 5 . It has been a privilege to have you as shipmates. Good Luck and smooth sailing. 1 H. M. BRIGGS Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy . 5+ Qghcaetlessvrygzv .. . . .-.- - -, . I ,A I ' . .. ,. , ,.f. - ',.,, ,,.- ,',-', K . Q.. A.-,W'7:3g5,Q,5'5 ,'r: 3 '..,g -no-5:1-yi A.,. ,. 23.3-.fipwg.--up-pg--,vr'f':f-w.1,:'qv?ff:l'E ,,