USS Onslow (AVP-48)

USS Onslow (AVP-48) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1960.

Constructioning and commissioning

Onslow was laid down on 18 May 1942 by Lake Washington Shipyard at Houghton, Washington. She was launched on 20 September 1942, sponsored by Mrs. W. W. Fitts, and commissioned on 22 December 1943 with Commander Alden D. Schwarz in command.

World War II operations 1944-1945

After shakedown, Onslow departed the United States West Coast on 19 March 1944. She stopped at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Majuro before reporting for duty with Task Group 57.3 at Kwajalein.

The seizure of Ujelang

On 20 April 1944, Onslow was given the task of seizing Ujelang, a small island in the Marshall Islands occupied by Japanese troops. Embarking troops of the United States Army's 111th Infantry Regiment she rendezvoused with minesweeper USS YMS–91 on 21 April 1944. On the morning of 22 April 1944, 160 soldiers were put ashore to capture the island. They met resistance at the center of the island from 18 entrenched Japanese soldiers, who were killed, with no American casualties. During this time, Onslow came under attack by a twin-engined Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bomber, which she drove off with 5-inch (127 mm) antiaircraft fire.