UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

Aircraft facilities: Aircraft fuel stowage was 303 000 l. There was 1 crane for handling seaplanes.

Ship project history: Unique American purpose-built small seaplane tenders. Intended for seaplane maintenance on distant Pacific islands and atolls with a harbour shallow depth that has predetermined occurrence in the design assignment of strong draught limitations. As in a wartime it was supposed to attract these ships as escorts of large tenders, the project provided fitting of anti-submarine armament and sonar.

Small seaplane tenders could provide basing of one seaplanes squadron. Designed armament was limited by two DP 127/38mm guns and 4 12.7mm MGs, but in 1942, when the first ships of this class were already commissioned, the new structure of armament has been approved: 4x1 127/38mm, 8x1 20mm MGs and 2 DCTs. Really ships were commissioned having from one to four 127mm guns and 6-8 20mm MGs.

In total 39 ships of this type have been ordered, the order for six of them later had canceled, four were completed as PT depot ships (AGP6-9).

Modernizations:  1943, Absecon: was converted to training ship for cruisers air groups. One catapult was fitted. - 2 x 1 -127/38, 2 DCT, 2 DCR

1943 - 1944, Barnegat, Biscayne, Casco, Mackinac, Humboldt, Matagorda: - 4 x 1 - 12.7/90; + 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon

1943 - 1944, Chincoteague, Half Moon, Rockaway, San Pablo, Unimak, Yakutat, Onslow, Orca, Renoboth, San Carlos, Barataria: - 2 x 1 - 127/38

1943 - 1944, Coos Bay: - 2 x 1 - 127/38; + 8 x 178 Mousetrap DCT

1944 - 1945, many ships: - 1 x 1 -127/38; + 1 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors

1946-1949, Casco, Mackinac, Humboldt, Matagorda, Chincoteague, Coos Bay, Half Moon, Rockaway, Unimak, Yakutat, Barataria, Bering Strait, Castle Rock, Cook Inlet received new armament consisted of 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, 4 DCT, meteorological balloon

1948, Dexter received new armament consisted of 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, 4 DCT, meteorological balloon

1948, Absecon received new armament consisted of 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 1 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, 4 DCT, meteorological baloon

1957, Dexter: diesels were replaced by new Fairbank-Morse.

mid-1960s, all survived Coast Guard cutters: - balloon; + 2 x 3 - 324 ASW TT

Naval service: Absecon was completed as TS for training of pilots of shipboard seaplanes for what she was equipped by a catapult (originally intended for one of incomplete Cleveland class cruiser). Chincoteague 17/7/1943 was damaged by Japanese aircraft. Orca 5/1/1945 was damaged by kamikaze.