AV-7 Photos

Many Thanks and a Big Hand to Steve Eakin for documenting these photos
and getting them all together, and to all who submitted photos..Thank You!
Note that some pics may be sideways. Due to the large number of pics,
I have not taken the time to search thru them and rotate them.
Please refrain from gettin' a crick in yer neck....Nathan.

By the way..I really encourage All Hands to get Steve's CD, containing the photos mentioned to
be on the CD, and many, many more. The quality is much better than if you download these..
SeeThe All Hands Page for info..

If anyone has any personal and interesting photos of life and activity aboard ship, they will be welcome here. You can send them to me at

Please include date and a brief description, if known.
Also, please advise if any photos do not open so that I may correct the problem, Thanks..

USS CURRITUCK (AV-7) - Photographs - Captions
this page updated 30 April, 2008

From Ed Webster. A PSB (personel service boat) in 1961. That's Ed in the cool shades. PSB Thanks Ed..

These from A. R. "Fitz" Fitzpatrick showing a few of the crew on liberty and at work enjoyng the sea breezes. Fitz is second from the left in each photo...Thanks for sharing these Fitz.

Charles Groves sent this photo. This is a picture of Me and Arnold Huff on the Seaplane deck in Dutch Harbor, Cold Bay Alaska circa 1961 or there abouts. BTW we threw it back, it was a just a baby Halibut.

John Dupre' sent this photo of the Currituck and crew, taken 17 August, 1956 in Norfolk, VA.
Capt. P. D. Buie was the CO and Cdr. R. A. Robinson was the XO.
This is from the collection of Edmund Cokely who was Electrical officer at the time.
This photo is very large and is about 900 KB in file size. A much smaller copy is here.
John says, "The photo is from my father-in-law Ed Cokely, he is
third from the right in the first row of officers. Ed was the Electrical officer
on the Currituck from Sept 1953 until decommissioning in 1958.
Ed enlisted in the reserves from Boston in 1935 and retired in 1960 as a Chief Warrant Officer 2."

This photo shows one of VP44 Squadron's P5M-1 seaplanes on the aft deck.
The ship is shown at anchor off of Milford Haven, Wales in the summer of 1954.
Submitted by Bill Stupka, AT2, USN 1952-56, VP-44 1953-56.
Click here to see a PDF file with lots more photos by Bill from that era.
The PDF file will open in a separate page.

Three photos submitted by John Gould, cook, 1960-1962 here.

A scan of two Currituck Christmas Cards submitted by Robert Knoll, AMS3. circa 1960.
On the back of the card is printed, Art Gravure Studios, Middletown, Conn. Greeting inside the cards.

Here are several photos, post-war period, sent to Russ Padden by Hugh Paz. Visit the AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS website.

Here also are photos of the 1960 Recommissioning Phamplet.

These 27 pics sent by Eugen Dickerson showing several phamplets and news clippings, a liberty pass and a chart of Cam Ranh Bay.

Here are 21 more pics that are of interest.

Steve Diano submitted this scan from a March 1966 issue of
Naval Aviation News which was sent to him by a friend of the USS America Museum Foundation.
Note article in center of spread.

These pics sent by John Lipot

Here also are photos from 1960-1961, on board and at liberty by John Lipot

Photos sent in by Lynn Robinson for Donald Carl Hoener

Ed Webster, V3 Div, 1960-1962, sent the following pics.
Thanks, Ed..
Entering the Panama Canal Nov 1960
Going through the locks of the Panama Canal Nov 1960
Relatives on board the Currituck San Diego Dec 1960
Starting Far East Cruise June 27 1961
Crowd greeting the first American warship Currituck to make pier Cebu City Philippines
Capt C.A. Bolam 1960
Who was aware? Captain Bolam's wife drove out to Point Loma and waved goodbye every time we left San Diego.
She was also at Point Loma each time we came back to San Diego Bay. Of course, Captain Bolam would wave back
and after a time there were others of us waving goodbye and hello.
Far East Cruise Patch, 1961
Ed Webster May 1961

Kent Reinhart and Chuck Meridieth having a good time in Bangkok in 1965. Submitted by Chuck Meridieth.

Here are 20 photos sent to me by D. Hardison, 22 Jan 2005. Thanks Durham..

The following description and photo was recieved 4 Jan 2005. If anyone knows anything of the info requested, please notify me at
kc5vlf at leaco dot net

This Army Signal Corps photo of the guerrillas (two sergeants and the major in the center) was taken from the nearest ship to shore, the Currituck, late in the afternoon of the second day of the shelling of the shore at Lingayen, Luzon, Philippines (January 1945.)

The Flying Column Writing Project and the family of the guerrilla Major in the photo below, are seeking assistance in locating the officer who traded with this Filipino guerrilla major, a nice, good fitting pair of his shoes for the sandals made of old tires that the major wore, to be his souvenir. Thank you for your assistance.
Best regards, Sue Trout, the flying column writing project.
Photo taken from the Currituck, at Lingayen, Luzon, Philippines (January 1945.)

The following four photos are of items purchased on e-bay by Ron Curtis and scanned by Steve Eakin.
a Currituck match book cover [circa 1952]
a Currituck shoulder patch
an envelope commemorating the launching of the Currituck.
NOTE: the USS CURRITUCK was launched on 9-11 1943
the contents of the envelope

Submitted by Steve Eakin.
The 'Tuck at Pier "Kilo", NAS North Island, San Diego, CA. 12 July, 1962.

Submitted by Ginny Crowe Freda.
Photo of Captain Jack Crowe, West-Pac, 1964.

Submitted by Durham Hardison, AN, July 1960-Sept 1961.
Photo of recommisioning ceremony in Philly, late 1960.

Submitted by Durham Hardison, AN, July 1960-Sept 1961.
This is salt water washdown on shakedown cruise.

Submitted by Durham Hardison, AN, July 1960-Sept 1961.
This was taken off Santa Catalina Island in late 1960 or early 1961.

Submitted by Bill Koonts, AT2 VP56 1953-1956.
This is my 8 X 10 that I had made from a 35 mm slide. Picture taken at San Juan. You can see a little of the wing of EH-9 in upper right. .

Submitted by Robert Knoll, AMS3.
Photo of the Light House at Currituck Sound, the Sound the Currituck is named after.

Submitted by John Matras, son of John Matras, ADC. On back is written "Property of John Matras ADC. V-2 Div. 3/28/55"
Apparent aerial shot looking aft.
Beer Party in San Juan, mid 50's.

Submitted by John Kravat
Sick Bay Gang, 1952
Southerland, Kravat and unknown

Submitted by Lee Anderson AX2
from the Starboard aft hatch of SF-1, VP-48, sometime in 1965, Buckner Bay, Okinawa
VP-48 Patch, circa 1965

The following from Joe Peake
Spinning Screw in dry dock, 1960.
Underwater prop repair, 1962.
Bunks and Lockers in berthing compartment, 1960. (Do you remember these ?)

Submitted by Nathan Good.
Deck view, heading for Far East, 1962.

Photos of Interest.
When The Wildgoose was a Model.
The Currituck of long ago, 1862.

Photos below are on the CD.

Squadron Patches may also be seen here in a sort of slideshow format..

VPB-17 Squadron Patch AV7PC1A
VPB-17 Squadron Patch AV7PC1B
VPB-34 Squadron Patch [Black Cats - Southwest Pacific] AV7PC1C
VPB-34 Squadron Patch AV7PC1D
VP-40 Squadron Patch AV7PC1E
VP-40 Squadron Patch [RAIN MAKERS] AV7PC1F
VP-40 Squadron Patch AV7PC1G
VP-42 Squadron Patch AV7PC2A
VP-42 Squadron Patch [CREW 10 -VP42] AV7PC2B
VP-44 Squadron Patch AV7PC2C
VP-44 Squadron Patch [GOLDEN PELICANS] AV7PC2D
VP-44 Squadron Patch AV7PC2E
VP-44 Squadron Patch AV7PC2F
VP-44 Squadron Patch AV7PC2G
VP-45 Squadron Patch AV7PC2H
VP-45 Squadron Patch AV7PC2I
VP-45Squadron Patch Squadron Patch AV7PC2J
VP-47 Squadron Patch [PATROL SQUADRON 47] AV7PC3A
VP-48 Squadron Patch [PATROL SQUADRON 48] AV7PC3B
VP-48 Squadron Patch [THE BOOMERS] AV7PC3C
VP-49 Squadron Patch AV7PC3D
VP-49 Squadron Patch [PATROL SQUADRON 49] AV7PC3E
VP-49 Squadron Patch [PATROL SQUADRON 49] AV7PC3F
VP-49 Squadron Patch [PATROL SQUADRON 49] AV7PC3G
VP-50 Squadron Patch [PATROL SQUADRON 50 - U.S. PACIFIC FLEET] AV7PC4A
VP-50 Squadron Patch AV7PC4B
VP-50 Squadron Patch AV7PC4C
VP-50 Squadron Patch [BLUE DRAGONS] AV7PC4D
VP-56 Squadron Patch AV7PC4E
VP-56Squadron PatchVP-56 Squadron Patch AV7PC4F
VP-56 Squadron Patch DRAGONS AV7PC4G
VP-661 Squadron Patch AV7PC5A
VP-661 Squadron Patch AV7PC5B

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kc5vlf at leaco dot net