Dear Shipmates,

I was one of the original crew members of USS Nueces, APB 40 when she was first commissioned in 1945. We left Boston after Commissioning and Trials and Proceeded to Norfolk, Va. Where We took on Fuel and Supplies. We then left Norfolk and Proceeded down the east coast to Florida where we entered the St Johns River at Mayport. From Mayport we proceeded on the river through Jacksonville and on to Green Cove Springs. While Nueces was at Green Cove Springs we served as headquarters and Flag Ship of the Florida Group Decommissioning Operations. We flew the flag of Commodore Brown. ( Commodore was still a Navy Rank at that time.) I was on the Nueces for about a year while she was at Green Cove but was later transfered to the USS Redwood, AN30 a net tender that was doing tug duty on the river between Green Cove and Mayport.

I am e-mailing a few pictures of Nueces taken while she was at Green Cove serving as Flag Ship. Also a photo of the Ships Controle Division ( C Division ) of which I was a member. Hope these photos will be of some use in the history of the USS Nueces, APB 40.

Best Wishes
Wesley E. Reed QM2/c USN WW2