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USCGC Healy (WAGB-20)
Encyclopedia
USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) is a research icebreaker
put into commission in 1999 by the United States Coast Guard
.
and named in honor of Captain "Hell Roaring" Michael A. Healy U.S.R.C.S.
Her keel
was laid on September 16, 1996. A spectacular launch followed on November 15, 1997, where 20 people were injured when a larger than expected wave of muddy water and debris created by the vessel's launch hit a viewing stand. Delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard and placed "In Commission, Special" on November 10, 1999, Healy joined the icebreakers Polar Star (WAGB-10) and Polar Sea (WAGB-11) in their homeport of Seattle, Washington
. The ship departed New Orleans on January 26, 2000, performing sea trials off of San Juan
, Puerto Rico
and in the Baffin Sea between Canada
and Greenland
. It arrived in Seattle on August 9, 2000 after transiting the famed Northwest Passage
and was placed "In Commission, Active" on August 21, 2000.
As a coast guard cutter, Healy is also a capable platform for supporting other potential missions in the polar regions, including logistics, search and rescue
, ship escort, environmental protection
, and enforcement of laws and treaties.
), the Healy is the only active large ice breaker in the Coast Guard's fleet. The present commanding officer is Captain Beverly Havlik. Captain Havlik assumed command of Healy in May, 2011.
Jessica Hill and PO2
Stephen Duque died of unspecified causes during diving operations in the Arctic Ocean
. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard. The coast guard has conducted simultaneous safety and administrative investigations the results of which were made public in January 2007
(USCG Commandant's Statement,
Final Action Memorandum) along with a
Final Decision Letter dated 23 August, 2007.
Initial press reports indicated that the divers were conducting an inspection of the rudder, a routine operation, at the time of the accident; but later reports state that the two were doing a cold-water training dive near the bow of the ship. The dive was reported to have been planned for a maximum depth of 20 feet (6 m). Lieutenant Hill's father, citing autopsy reports, has indicated that his daughter actually reached a depth of near 200 feet in what he described as an out of control descent. The divers were tended by unqualified and poorly-instructed personnel on the surface, none of whom were familiar with cold water diving or scuba diving in general. It is not clear why they extended so much line to the divers. By the time the two could be pulled to the surface, gas reserves were emptied and neither diver could be revived.
On August 30, commanding officer Captain Douglas G. Russell was temporarily relieved of command by Vice Admiral Charles Wuster citing a "loss of confidence" in Russell's ability to command. The relief was later made permanent by Admiral Thad Allen, Coast Guard Commandant. Russell was initially replaced by Captain Daniel K. Oliver, the previous HEALY commanding officer who Russell had relieved only two months earlier. Oliver returned to his regular staff job a short time later, when Captain Ted Lindstrom was named the new permanent commanding officer. Lindstom has commanded four previous coast guard cutters, and was chief of response for the coast guard's 13th District in Seattle, Washington prior to returning to sea.
Icebreaker
An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller vessels .For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it requires three traits most...
put into commission in 1999 by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
.
Construction
Healy was constructed by Avondale Industries in New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and named in honor of Captain "Hell Roaring" Michael A. Healy U.S.R.C.S.
United States Revenue Cutter Service
The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury...
Her keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid on September 16, 1996. A spectacular launch followed on November 15, 1997, where 20 people were injured when a larger than expected wave of muddy water and debris created by the vessel's launch hit a viewing stand. Delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard and placed "In Commission, Special" on November 10, 1999, Healy joined the icebreakers Polar Star (WAGB-10) and Polar Sea (WAGB-11) in their homeport of Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. The ship departed New Orleans on January 26, 2000, performing sea trials off of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and in the Baffin Sea between Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. It arrived in Seattle on August 9, 2000 after transiting the famed Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
and was placed "In Commission, Active" on August 21, 2000.
Capabilities
Designed to conduct a wide range of research activities, Healy provides more than 4200 square feet (390.2 m²) of scientific laboratory space, numerous electronic sensor systems, oceanographic winches, and accommodations for up to 50 scientists. Healy is also designed to break 4.5 feet of ice continuously at three knots and can operate in temperatures as low as −50 °F (−45 °C). The science community provided invaluable input on lab layouts and science capabilities during design and construction of the ship.As a coast guard cutter, Healy is also a capable platform for supporting other potential missions in the polar regions, including logistics, search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
, ship escort, environmental protection
Environmental protection
Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the environment, on individual, organizational or governmental level, for the benefit of the natural environment and humans. Due to the pressures of population and our technology the biophysical environment is being degraded, sometimes permanently...
, and enforcement of laws and treaties.
Current operations
As of 2011, the ship is in the middle of a seven-month science cruise in the Arctic Ocean conducting scientific operations. Due to the other U.S. ice breakers being either in repair (Polar Star) or in the process of being decommissioned (Polar SeaPolar Sea
Polar Sea may refer to:*The Arctic Ocean*The Southern Ocean*USCGC Polar Sea , a United States Coast Guard icebreaker*The Open Polar Sea, a hypothesized ice-free ocean surrounding the North Pole...
), the Healy is the only active large ice breaker in the Coast Guard's fleet. The present commanding officer is Captain Beverly Havlik. Captain Havlik assumed command of Healy in May, 2011.
Controversy
On August 17, 2006, LTLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Jessica Hill and PO2
Petty Officer Second Class
Good conductvariation,Petty OfficerSecond Classinsignia&U.S. Coast GuardPetty officer second class is the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S...
Stephen Duque died of unspecified causes during diving operations in the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard. The coast guard has conducted simultaneous safety and administrative investigations the results of which were made public in January 2007
(USCG Commandant's Statement,
Final Action Memorandum) along with a
Final Decision Letter dated 23 August, 2007.
Initial press reports indicated that the divers were conducting an inspection of the rudder, a routine operation, at the time of the accident; but later reports state that the two were doing a cold-water training dive near the bow of the ship. The dive was reported to have been planned for a maximum depth of 20 feet (6 m). Lieutenant Hill's father, citing autopsy reports, has indicated that his daughter actually reached a depth of near 200 feet in what he described as an out of control descent. The divers were tended by unqualified and poorly-instructed personnel on the surface, none of whom were familiar with cold water diving or scuba diving in general. It is not clear why they extended so much line to the divers. By the time the two could be pulled to the surface, gas reserves were emptied and neither diver could be revived.
On August 30, commanding officer Captain Douglas G. Russell was temporarily relieved of command by Vice Admiral Charles Wuster citing a "loss of confidence" in Russell's ability to command. The relief was later made permanent by Admiral Thad Allen, Coast Guard Commandant. Russell was initially replaced by Captain Daniel K. Oliver, the previous HEALY commanding officer who Russell had relieved only two months earlier. Oliver returned to his regular staff job a short time later, when Captain Ted Lindstrom was named the new permanent commanding officer. Lindstom has commanded four previous coast guard cutters, and was chief of response for the coast guard's 13th District in Seattle, Washington prior to returning to sea.