USCGC Tupelo (WLB-303)
Encyclopedia
USCGC Tupelo WAGL/WLB-303, was a Cactus (A) Class 180 foot buoy tender
built by Zenith Dredge Company of Duluth, Minnesota
. Her keel was laid 15 August 1942, launched 28 November 1942 and commissioned on 30 August 1943. She was built as a WAGL and redesignated a WLB in 1965.
, Tupelo was assigned to the United States Department of the Navy
, CINCPAC and served in the Pacific establishing and maintaining over 50 massive moorings for U.S. Navy ship with 15 ton anchors and 2-1/2 inch chain. She was also used to set buoy
s around minefield
s and to transport tons of dynamite to U.S. forces throughout the Pacific Islands
. Tupelo was also responsible for maintaining Aids to Navigation (ATON
) at Guam
.
Following the war, on 01 July 1946 Tupelo was reassigned to Toledo, Ohio
for maintaining Aids to Navigation (ATON
), search and rescue and ice breaking
on Lake Erie
. On 09 through 11 January 1951 escorted tugboat
MV Sherman H. Serre from Erie, Pennsylvania
to Cleveland, Ohio
, on 20 October 1951 assisted MV George F. Rand off of Port Huron, Michigan
, on 13–14 December 1951 searched for but did not find a missing Cessna
aircraft in western Lake Erie
, and on 11 September 1952 assisted grounded MV Kulas and MV Fink in the Livingstone Channel.
On 23–25 September 1952 searched for but did not find an overdue pleasure craft (PC) in western Lake Erie, on 21 April 1953 assisted grounded MV J.H. Hillman in the St. Clair River
, on 23–25 August ran a safety patrol for the Rochester Race in Lake Ontario
, on 24 January 1955 assisted icebound tug and barges near Detroit, on 13 June 1955 search for a missing pleasure craft in western Lake Erie, on 20 April 1956 assisted following collision between MV A.M. Byers and MV E.M. Ford off Sans Souci
, and on 01 August 1962 assisted MV Montense after it wrecked in the Detroit River
.
On 12 January 1963 assisted in the rescue of 154 persons stranded on an ice floe adrift 10 miles east of Toledo, on 25 January 1965 escorted damaged USCGC Bramble (WLB-392)
to Toledo, Ohio
for repair, in mid-September 1965 Tupelo salvaged a downed U.S. Navy helicopter from Lake Erie
, and on 31 January 1969 with an ice jam blocking the flow of the river below Monroe, Michigan
, causing the river to back up and flood the city, Tupelo broke up the ice jam restoring the river’s flow into the lake; saving the city from extensive damage.
In the spring of 1969 Tupelo was reassigned to Astoria, Oregon
for maintaining Aids to Navigation (ATON
), search and rescue operations, ice breaking and law
and fishing treaty enforcement. Tupelo also tended the lightship USCGC Columbia (WLV-604) while Columbia was on station at the Columbia River Bar
. Tupelo relieved the USCGC Magnolia (WLB-328) at Astoria, Oregon
. On 09–11 October 1969 Tupelo stood by grounded British MV Hawthorne Enterprise on Mona Island until relieved by the USCGC Point Warde (WPB-82368), which was a Point class cutter.
On 30 September 1975 the Tupelo was decommissioned at a ceremony in Astoria, Oregon
. In September 1977 Tupelo was sold to private enterprise. She underwent extensive rework to her superstructure and had a new power plant installed for her new Seattle owners, Baranof Fisheries. She was renamed FV Courageous and has been fishing the Bering Sea
for crab and longlining for cod for the last thirty years. Her catches are also processed by the crew, onboard.
In October 2008 in rough seas, the FV Courageous was instrumental in assisting the U.S. Coast Guard on the FV Katmai search and rescue operation; and by recovering bodies from the sunken vessel.
Buoy tender
A buoy tender is a type of vessel used to maintain and replace navigational buoys. The name is also used for someone who works on such a vessel and maintains buoys....
built by Zenith Dredge Company of Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. Her keel was laid 15 August 1942, launched 28 November 1942 and commissioned on 30 August 1943. She was built as a WAGL and redesignated a WLB in 1965.
Ship's history
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Tupelo was assigned to the United States Department of the Navy
United States Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
, CINCPAC and served in the Pacific establishing and maintaining over 50 massive moorings for U.S. Navy ship with 15 ton anchors and 2-1/2 inch chain. She was also used to set buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
s around minefield
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s and to transport tons of dynamite to U.S. forces throughout the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
. Tupelo was also responsible for maintaining Aids to Navigation (ATON
Aton
The term Aton may refer to:* Aten or Aton, the disk of the sun, regarded as a deity in ancient Egyptian mythology* Aton Capital, a Russian investment bank* ATON, abbreviation for Aid to Navigation* Archive of Turkish Oral NarrativePeople...
) at Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
.
Following the war, on 01 July 1946 Tupelo was reassigned to Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
for maintaining Aids to Navigation (ATON
Aton
The term Aton may refer to:* Aten or Aton, the disk of the sun, regarded as a deity in ancient Egyptian mythology* Aton Capital, a Russian investment bank* ATON, abbreviation for Aid to Navigation* Archive of Turkish Oral NarrativePeople...
), search and rescue and ice breaking
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...
on Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. On 09 through 11 January 1951 escorted tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
MV Sherman H. Serre from Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, on 20 October 1951 assisted MV George F. Rand off of Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
, on 13–14 December 1951 searched for but did not find a missing Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
aircraft in western Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, and on 11 September 1952 assisted grounded MV Kulas and MV Fink in the Livingstone Channel.
On 23–25 September 1952 searched for but did not find an overdue pleasure craft (PC) in western Lake Erie, on 21 April 1953 assisted grounded MV J.H. Hillman in the St. Clair River
St. Clair River
The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
, on 23–25 August ran a safety patrol for the Rochester Race in Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, on 24 January 1955 assisted icebound tug and barges near Detroit, on 13 June 1955 search for a missing pleasure craft in western Lake Erie, on 20 April 1956 assisted following collision between MV A.M. Byers and MV E.M. Ford off Sans Souci
Sans Souci, Michigan
Sans Souci is an unincorporated community in Clay Township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan at . Located on the eastern shore of Harsens Island at the mouth of the St. Clair River, it lies at the edge of the St. Clair Flats Wildlife Area. M-154 is the primary road on Harsens Island...
, and on 01 August 1962 assisted MV Montense after it wrecked in the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
.
On 12 January 1963 assisted in the rescue of 154 persons stranded on an ice floe adrift 10 miles east of Toledo, on 25 January 1965 escorted damaged USCGC Bramble (WLB-392)
USCGC Bramble (WLB-392)
USCGC Bramble is one of the 39 original seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942-1944 for the United States Coast Guard. Bramble is currently a museum ship, part of Port Huron Museum, located in Port Huron, Michigan. She will be closed to the public effective August 14, 2011, owing to a lack of...
to Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
for repair, in mid-September 1965 Tupelo salvaged a downed U.S. Navy helicopter from Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, and on 31 January 1969 with an ice jam blocking the flow of the river below Monroe, Michigan
Monroe, Michigan
Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
, causing the river to back up and flood the city, Tupelo broke up the ice jam restoring the river’s flow into the lake; saving the city from extensive damage.
In the spring of 1969 Tupelo was reassigned to Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
for maintaining Aids to Navigation (ATON
Aton
The term Aton may refer to:* Aten or Aton, the disk of the sun, regarded as a deity in ancient Egyptian mythology* Aton Capital, a Russian investment bank* ATON, abbreviation for Aid to Navigation* Archive of Turkish Oral NarrativePeople...
), search and rescue operations, ice breaking and law
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
and fishing treaty enforcement. Tupelo also tended the lightship USCGC Columbia (WLV-604) while Columbia was on station at the Columbia River Bar
Columbia Bar
The Columbia Bar is a system of bars and shoals at the mouth of the Columbia River spanning the US states of Oregon and Washington. The bar is about wide and long....
. Tupelo relieved the USCGC Magnolia (WLB-328) at Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. On 09–11 October 1969 Tupelo stood by grounded British MV Hawthorne Enterprise on Mona Island until relieved by the USCGC Point Warde (WPB-82368), which was a Point class cutter.
On 30 September 1975 the Tupelo was decommissioned at a ceremony in Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. In September 1977 Tupelo was sold to private enterprise. She underwent extensive rework to her superstructure and had a new power plant installed for her new Seattle owners, Baranof Fisheries. She was renamed FV Courageous and has been fishing the Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
for crab and longlining for cod for the last thirty years. Her catches are also processed by the crew, onboard.
In October 2008 in rough seas, the FV Courageous was instrumental in assisting the U.S. Coast Guard on the FV Katmai search and rescue operation; and by recovering bodies from the sunken vessel.
Awards and honors
US Coast Guard E Ribbon, for period of 19 to 23 August 1974 at Fleet Training Group (FTG) San Diego California.External links
- USCG Historian's Office USCGC Tupelo: http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Tupelo1943.asp
- CGC Tupelo veterans at the Coast Guard Channel Community: http://www.community.coastguardchannel.com/