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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USC&GSS Pathfinder (OSS-30)
ex
 USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) (1942 - 1946)
 USC&GSS Pathfinder (1929 - 1942)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Bravo - Golf
NCBG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive- 6 May 1945) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (1 KIA, 6 May 1945)
Pathfinder Class Survey Ship:
  • Built in 1929, at Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA., as the Survey Vessel Pathfinder for the Coast and Geodetic Survey
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Acquired by the US Navy, date unknown
  • Commissioned, USS Pathfinder (AGS-1), 31 August 1942, CAPT. Bascom H. Thomas, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Pathfinder was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Consolidation of southern Solomons, 7 April 1943 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 May to 30 June 1945

  • Decommissioned, 31 January 1946
  • Transferred to the Commerce Department, 22 August 1946
  • Returned to the Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1 October 1946, redesignated USC&GSS Pathfinder (OSS-30)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 November 1946
  • USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Retired from NOAA service, 1971, fate unknown
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to General Auto Wrecking Company, Ballard, WA. in 1972
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,175 t.
    Length 229' 4"
    Beam 39'
    Draft 16'
    Speed 14.7 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 13
    Enlisted 145
    Armament
    two single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    four single 40mm gun mounts
    two depth charge tracks
    two depth charge projectors
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 2,260 Bbls
    Diesel 240 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one DeLaval steam turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 310psi 625°
    double DeLaval Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 25Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Pathfinder (AGS-1)
    Pathfinder
    10-N-34392    		 191k Pathfinder (AGS-1) in the early stages of conversion at Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA., 9 March 1942.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No.'s 19-N-343292 courtesy Mike Green, and US Navy Bureau of Ships photo, 19-N-34393 courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Pathfinder
    10-N-34392    		 84k
    Pathfinder
    19-N-34394    		 106k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) underway off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, 31 August 1942 following completion of conversion.
    US Navy photo #s 19-N-34394 & 19-N-34395, US Navy Bureau of Ships photos now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder
    19-N-34395    		 108k
    Pathfinder 108k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) under way, date and location unknown NOAA web site
    Pathfinder 189k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) at the United Engineering Co. Shipyard, Alameda, CA., 9 December 1944. Circles mark recent alterations. Note: Bridge details; navigation lights; life raft; radio direction finder loop; stack and the two Japanese flags on bridge wing which denote the two planes she shot down off Guadalcanal, 7 April 1943.
    United States National Archives, Photo No. 19-N-79510, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Mike Green
    Pathfinder 150k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) at the United Engineering Co. Shipyard, Alameda, CA., 9 December 1944. Circles mark recent alterations. Note: YO-90 alongside; and Wenatchee (ATF-118) fitting out at right.
    United States National Archives, Photo No. 19-N-79511, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Mike Green
    Pathfinder 188k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) at the United Engineering Co. Shipyard, Alameda, CA., 9 December 1944. Circles mark recent alterations. Note Wateree (ATF-117) fitting out at left.
    United States National Archives, Photo No. 19-N-79509, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Mike Green
    Pathfinder 89k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) at anchor in San Francisco Bay, 9 December 1944.
    US Navy photos # 19-N-79505, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 299k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) enroute to Okinawa where she sustained a kamikaze hit but survived to enter Tokyo Bay at the end of hostilities.
    A US Navy photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection.    		 Mike Green
    Pathfinder 48k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) at anchorage off Okinawa or Kerama Retto as seen from USS Putnam (DD-757). These two vessels crossed paths several times between 9 May and 30 August 1945.
    From the George Hansen collection.    		 Eric Hansen and John Chiquoine
    Pathfinder 102k USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) at anchor in San Francisco Bay, date unknown.
    A US Navy photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection.    		 Mike Green
    USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30)
    Pathfinder 91k USCGSS Pathfinder and USCGSS Explorer (II) moored together in 1946, location unknown. Note Pathfinder still shows her Navy designator GS-1.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID: theb0448. NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; NOAA Office of NOAA Corps Operations    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 74k USCGSS Pathfinder (AGS-1), USCGSS Explorer (II) and other survey ships leaving Union Lake, Seattle, WA. in 1951.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID: theb0448. NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; NOAA Office of NOAA Corps Operations    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 87k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) departing Seattle, WA., sometime between 1946 and 1950.
    United States Coast and Geodetic Survey photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 189k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) serving as a survey ship for the Coast and Geodetic Survey, underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from DANFS.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Pathfinder 46k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) moored pierside at the NOAA pier in Seattle, WA., date unknown.
    NOAA photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 333k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) in Unimak Pass, Alaska, circa 1956. Note Shishaldin Volcano in the background. This photo appeared in National Geographic in 1957.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID: theb0187.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 229k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) moored pierside, in an Alaskan port in 1959.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID:theb0192. C&GS Season's Report Rubottom 1959-53.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 63k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) moored pierside at Seattle, WA., 1960. Saying goodbye's for the survey season.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID: theb0359. NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; C&GS Season's Report Rubottom 1960-119.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 286k C&GSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) moored pier side at Seattle, WA., date unknown.
    NOAA photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection Image ID:theb3948.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mike Green
    Pathfinder 167k C&GSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) and C&GSS Pioneer (OSS-31) moored pierside at Kodiak, Alaska in June 1961.
    NOAA photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection.    		 Mike Green
    Pathfinder 79k C&GSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) and C&GSS Pioneer (OSS-31) moored pierside at Kodiak, Alaska, 4 July 1961.
    NOAA photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection.    		 Mike Green
    Pathfinder 474k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) crew and officers in formation at Pearl Harbor in April 1962. Moored astern of Pathfinder is the fleet oiler USS Kawishiwi (AO-146).
    NOAA Image pers0245, April 1962, by Bernard Mayo Rivera, Credit the Family of Captain David M. Whipp, C&GS.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Pathfinder 327k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) moored pierside at the NOAA Office of Operations, Seattle, WA., circa 1971.
    NOAA Image ID:the0200, NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 127k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) under way on Lake Union, Seattle, WA., date unknown.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID:theb0238. NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; NOAA Office of NOAA Corps Operations.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 249k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID:theb0246..    		 Robert Hurst
    Pathfinder 335k USCGSS Pathfinder (OSS-30) moored pierside at Seattle, WA., date unknown.
    Photo from NOAA's Fleet Then and Now - Sailing for Science Collection. Image ID: theb0381. NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; CAPT. Harry D. Reed, C&GS..    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Pathfinder (AGS-1)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 17 January 2020