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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
USAV FS-280
Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
USAV FS-280 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
Freight-Supply Vessel
Laid down, circa 1944, as the Design 330 Freight-Supply Vessel FS-280 for the US Army at Wheeler Shipbuilding, Whitestone, N.Y.
Launched in 1944
Delivered to the US Army Quartermaster Corps February 1945
Assigned to the US Army Transportation Corps
Commission USAV FS-280, 9 December 944, at Wheeler Shipyard, Whitestone, New York, LTjg. David, USCG in command
LTjg david, was succeeded in command by, 8 October 1945, by LT John A. Waldron, USCGR
USAV FS-280 departed New York, 2 January 1945 for the Southwest Pacific where she operated during the war
Shortly after 2200 on 10 July 1945, the sky at Zamboanga, Philippines was illuminated by a column of flame that climbed 200 feet in the air. The entire fuel dock appeared ablaze.
All hands in the FS-280 mere awaiting the explosion of the two large tankers known to be moored there. LT Waldron, commanding officer of the FS-280,
assembled a fire and rescue party consisting of himself and five Coast Guard enlisted man and proceeded to the scene, two miles away in the motor launch. As they approached, the fire
seemed to be slackening in intensity and they were able to distinguish the source of the blaze, which were dolphins to which the inboard tanker
USS Stonewall (IX-185) was secured. Flaming oil filled the area between the dolphins and the fire
encompassed a total area of 300 square feet with 2 or 3 small fires on the decks of the two tankers 200 feet from the outboard tanker, M.V. China, a
native vinta was observed aflame 75 feet of the bow of Stonewall. The flames were 3 feet high and appeared to arise from three distinct sources of fuel within the vinta.
The Coast Guardsmen proceeded down the seaward side of MV China and observed a lifeboat overcrowded with an excited Chinese crew. Going alongside they quieted the
Chinese and directed them to follow them to the fuel dock. Swinging under the stern of the Stonewall they observed that four hoses were hooked up on the port side aft and
fire fighters aboard the Stonewall were directing three streams at a surface oil fire, 50 feet long, blazing under the counter and along the port quarter. The other hose
was cooling the mid-ship sides, dock, and dolphins that it could reach. The launch headed in and attempted to douse the flames by splashing water with floorboards ripped from the
launch, but the blaze spread and they ware forced back. A hose was requested and lowered and the flames under the port quarter were extinguished within five minutes. Flames still
leaped from a forward dolphin just beyond reach of the ship's hose and the Coast Guardsmen requested another hose and easing under the dock that drenched the only remaining dolphin
afire. Approaching within 20 feet with a third length of hose their solid stream made short work of the blaze. Going aboard Stonewall, after the hull and remaining
dolphins had been drenched to cool them off, it was learned that an accidental discharge of five barrels of aviation gasoline had been set afire by sparks from a native boat. Only the
courageous action of the fire fighters on board the two tankers had prevented them from being blown "galley west." It had been touch and go with hundreds of gallons of gasoline within
50 feet of the last flame to be extinguished. The five Coast Guardsmen who worked with LT Waldrop for an hour to save the two tankers acted in the best traditions of the Coast Guard
and were recommended for recognition. They were:
Paul T. Doyle Lawrence Bendoski Philip C. Hayes Robert A. Mulford Isadore Weinstein
Decommissioned, date unknown
Final Disposition, fate unknown
Specifications:
Displacement (As Built) 573 gross tons
Length (As Built) 180'
Beam 32'
Draft 14'
Speed 12 kts
Freight Capacity unknown
Complement unknown
Armament unknown
Propulsion two 500hpGM Cleveland Division 6-278A 6-cyl V6 diesel engines, twin screws
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There is no history record available for USAV FS-280 at NavSource
This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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Last Updated 23 January 2026