USS Pine lsland (AV-12)

• Seaplane Tender Role: USS Pine Island (AV-12) was a Currituck-class seaplane tender, commissioned in 1945, designed to provide maintenance, support, and supplies to seaplanes operating far from established bases. • World War II Service: Pine Island joined the Pacific Fleet in the final months of World War II, operating with seaplanes in the Philippines, Okinawa, and surrounding waters, supporting reconnaissance and patrol missions. • Operation Crossroads: In 1946, Pine Island participated in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, supporting aerial reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations during these historic nuclear detonations. • Antarctic Exploration: Pine Island played a major role in Operation Highjump (1946-1947), a massive U.S. Navy expedition to Antarctica, serving as a floating base for seaplanes mapping uncharted territories and conducting scientific research. • Namesake Legacy: The Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica was named after the USS Pine Island due to the ship’s significant involvement in Operation Highjump. • Korean War Operations: The ship was recommissioned for the Korean War, supporting seaplane patrols, rescue missions, and reconnaissance in the Sea of Japan and off the Korean Peninsula. • Cold War Deployments: Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Pine Island operated extensively in the Western Pacific, visiting Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and serving as a mobile base for anti-submarine and surveillance seaplanes. • Humanitarian Missions: The ship provided disaster relief after Typhoon Karen devastated Guam in 1962, supplying food, water, and medical assistance to affected civilians. • Unique Aircraft Aboard: USS Pine Island supported Martin PBM Mariner and later P5M Marlin flying boats, which were essential for long-range patrol, search and rescue, and reconnaissance missions. • Decommissioning and Legacy: USS Pine Island was decommissioned in 1967 and struck from the Navy list in 1971, but her service in war, exploration, and humanitarian missions left a lasting legacy in naval aviation history.