Naval Operations, would state in his fiscal year 1938 report that the planes were removed because of technical difficulties in handling the aircraft. They were later replaced with monoplane OS2U "Kingfishers". On 27 April, Eries first commander, Commander Edward Hanson, departed for American Samoa to serve as the island's 28th Naval Governor, he took office on 26 June 1938. In July 1940, he would assume command of the Naval Station at Tutuila, American Samoa. The only other major events for Erie would be spending the rest of April through 21 July, on a three-month goodwill tour of ten ports in eight Central and South American countries. Erie left Balboa on 17 April 1938, for Guayaquil, Ecuador, with Rear Admiral Williams and his flagstaff aboard. On 29 April, Eries first "Crossing the Line" ceremony was held, which saw all of the ship's Navy and Marine "Pollywogs" initiated into the "Ancient Order of the Deep." Erie arrived in Guayaquil, on 30 April, for an eight-day stop, during which the ship hosted Ecuadorian officials and made shore visits that were both political and social in nature. Erie finished the year on a special mission to the Galapagos Islands, in December, to explore their suitability for enhancing the defense of the Panama Canal. Cavalier incident On 21 January 1939, Erie participated in search-and-rescue efforts related to the ditching and sinking of the Imperial Airways Short Empire flying boat Cavalier in the Atlantic Ocean. Erie transferred a doctor to the commercial tanker Esso Baytown, which rescued the airliner's 10 survivors, but because of the high seas and darkness had to discontinue the search for the other three people who had been aboard Cavalier. World War II Battle of the Caribbean At the outbreak of World War II Erie was stationed Balboa, Panama, at the Pacific end of the Panama Canal. On 13 December 1941, Erie picked up 50 Japanese internees at Puntarenas, from the Costa Rican government. On 14 December, Erie boarded and removed a Japanese national on board, and ordered Sea Boy into Balboa the next day. On 16 December, Erie crewmen boarded and ordered it to Puntarenas, and later the same day, towed a disabled motor boat, Orion, into the same port. In June 1942, Erie was transferred to Cristóbal, at the Atlantic end of the Canal, and joined the Battle of the Caribbean against German U-boats operating between Panama and Cuba. On