USCGC Salvia

Last updated

USCGC Salvia.jpg
USCGC Salvia underway in 1971.
History
Ensign of the United States Coast Guard.svg United States
NameUSCGC Salvia (WLB-400)
Namesake Salvia , the largest genus of plants in the mint family
BuilderZenith Dredge Corporation, Duluth,  Minnesota
Laid down24 June 1943
Launched19 September 1943
Commissioned19 February 1944
Decommissioned4 October 1991
FateSold 2020
Badge USCGC Salvia badge.png
Flag of the United States (Pantone).svgUnited States
NameBrian Davis
NamesakeBrian Davis, a North Carolina diver who died in an accident
Acquired2020
Fate Scuttled as artificial reef 24 July 2020
General characteristics
Class and type Iris-class buoy tender
Displacement935 long tons (950 t)
Length180 ft (55 m)
Beam47 ft 1 in (14.35 m)
Draft12 ft (3.7 m)
Propulsion1 × electric motor connected to 2 Westinghouse generators driven by 2 Cooper Bessemer-type GND-8, 4-cycle diesels; single screw
Speed
  • 8.3  kn (15.4 km/h; 9.6 mph) cruising
  • 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) maximum
Complement
  • 6 officers
  • 74 enlisted
Armament

USCGC Salvia (WLB-400) was a United States Coast Guard Iris-class buoy tender in commission from 1944 to 1991. She operated in the Great Lakes and along the United States Gulf Coast during her career. Sold and renamed Brian Davis in 2020 for use as a memorial vessel, she was scuttled as an artificial reef in 2020.

Contents

Construction and commissioning

Salvia was constructed by the Zenith Dredge Corporation at Duluth, Minnesota. Launched on 19 September 1943, she was commissioned on 19 February 1944. [1]

Design

The Iris-class buoy tenders were constructed after the Mesquite-class buoy tenders. Salvia cost $923,995 to construct and had an overall length of 180 feet (55 m). She had a beam of 37 feet (11 m) and a draft of up to 12 feet (3.7 m) at the time of construction, although this was increased to 14 feet 7 inches (4.45 m) in 1966. She initially had a displacement of 935 long tons (950 t; 1,047 short tons); this was increased to 1,026 long tons (1,042 t; 1,149 short tons) in 1966. She was powered by one electric motor. This was connected up to two Westinghouse generators which were driven by two CooperBessemer GND-8 four-cycle diesel engines. She had a single screw. [1]

The Iris-class buoy tenders had maximum sustained speeds of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph), although this diminished to around 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) in 1966. For economic and effective operation, they had to initially operate at 8.3 knots (15.4 km/h; 9.6 mph), although this increased to 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) in 1966. The ships had a complement of six officers and seventy-four crew members in 1945; this decreased to two warrants, four officers, and forty-seven men in 1966. They were fitted with a SL1 radar system and QBE-3A sonar system in 1945. Their armament consisted of one 3"/50 caliber gun, two 20 mm/80 guns, two Mousetraps, two depth charge tracks, and four Y-guns in 1945; these were removed in 1966. [1]

Career

International radio call sign of
USCGC Salvia (WLB-400) [1]
ICS November.svg ICS Oscar.svg ICS Delta.svg ICS Sierra.svg
NovemberOscarDeltaSierra

After commissioning, Salvia was assigned to aid-to-navigation (ATON) and icebreaking duties in the Great Lakes. In May 1944, she was assigned to the 5th Coast Guard District and stationed in Portsmouth, Virginia, where she remained until the end of World War II in 1945.

After the war, Salvia was homeported in Mobile, Alabama, and continued to perform general ATON duties. In April 1951 she was disabled in Calasieu Pass near Cameron, Louisiana, and was towed back to port by the cutter USCGC Tampa (WPG-164). In December 1968, Salvia searched for survivors from the lost coastal buoy tender USCGC White Alder (WLM-541). She was decommissioned on 4 October 1991.

Disposal

By mid-May 2019, Salvia was lying at Virginia Beach, Virginia, in scrap condition, with her engines and most equipment removed, and the General Services Administration had put her up for auction. [2]

In 2020, Salvia was sold for use as a memorial vessel and artificial reef. Renamed Brian Davis in memory of a local diver, she was scuttled on 24 July 2020 in southern Onslow Bay off Topsail Beach, North Carolina, about 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) from Topsail Inlet and 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) from Masonboro Inlet at 34°09.514′N077°25.782′W / 34.158567°N 77.429700°W / 34.158567; -77.429700 (Brian Davis/USCGC Salvia) , as a part of artificial reef project AR-368. [3] [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USCG seagoing buoy tender</span> Type of United States Coast Guard Cutter

The USCG seagoing buoy tender is a type of United States Coast Guard Cutter used to service aids to navigation throughout the waters of the United States and wherever American shipping interests require. The U.S. Coast Guard has maintained a fleet of seagoing buoy tenders dating back to its origins in the U.S. Lighthouse Service (USLHS). These ships originally were designated with the hull classification symbol WAGL, but in 1965 the designation was changed to WLB, which is still used today.

USCGC <i>Mesquite</i> Seagoing buoy tender scuttled in Lake Superior

USCGC Mesquite (WAGL/WLB-305) was the lead ship in the Mesquite class of seagoing buoy tenders operated by the United States Coast Guard. She served in the Pacific during World War II, and spent the rest of her Coast Guard career in the Great Lakes. She ran aground and was wrecked in December 1989 off the Keweenaw Peninsula in Lake Superior. She was scuttled nearby as a recreational diving attraction.

Keeper-class cutter U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender class

The Keeper class of coastal buoy tenders consists of fourteen ships built for and operated by the United States Coast Guard. The ships were launched between 1995 and 1999 and all remain in active service. Their primary mission is to maintain thousands of aids to navigation, both buoys and land-based. Their secondary missions include marine environmental protection, search and rescue, law enforcement, and light ice-breaking.

USCGC Spar (WLB-403) was a 180-foot (55 m) sea going buoy tender. An Iris class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota. Spar's preliminary design was completed by the United States Lighthouse Service and the final design was produced by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding. On 13 September 1943 the keel was laid, she was launched on 2 November 1943 and commissioned on 12 June 1944. The original cost for the hull and machinery was $865,941.

USCGC <i>Maple</i>

USCGC Maple (WLB-207) is a Juniper-class seagoing buoy tender operated by the United States Coast Guard. She was based at Sitka, Alaska for 16 years and is currently homeported at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Her primary mission is maintaining aids to navigation, but she also supports search and rescue, law enforcement, oil spill response, and other Coast Guard missions.

USCGC <i>Bittersweet</i> 1943 ship

USCGC Bittersweet was a C or Iris-class 180-foot buoy tender of the United States Coast Guard.

USCGC <i>Cuyahoga</i> US Coast Guard Active-class patrol boat

USCGC Cuyahoga (WIX-157) was an Active-class patrol boat built in 1927 which saw action in World War II. Cuyahoga sank after a night-time collision in the Chesapeake Bay while on patrol in 1978. She was later raised and re-sunk as an artificial reef off the Virginia coast and is a popular recreational dive site.

USCGC <i>Woodrush</i> Buoy tender

USCGC Woodrush (WLB-407) was a buoy tender that performed general aids-to-navigation (ATON), search and rescue (SAR), and icebreaking duties for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) from 1944 to 2001 from home ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Sitka, Alaska. She responded from Duluth at full speed through a gale and high seas to the scene of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking in 1975. In 1980, she took part in a rescue rated in the top 10 USCG rescues when she helped to save the passengers and crew of the cruise ship Prinsendam after it caught fire in position 57°38"N 140° 25"W then while being towed sank off Graham Island, British Columbia. She was one of the first vessels to respond to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. She was decommissioned on 2 March 2001 and sold to the Republic of Ghana to serve in the Ghana Navy.

USCGC Clover WAGL/WLB/WMEC-292, a Cactus (A) Class buoy tender was built by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding, Duluth, Minnesota. Her keel was laid 3 December 1941, and she was launched 25 April 1942. She was commissioned on 8 November 1942 in the United States Coast Guard as the United States Coast Guard Cutter Clover. She was built as a WAGL, redesignated a WLB in 1965, and again redesignated a WMEC in 1979.

USCGC Tupelo WAGL/WLB-303, was a Cactus (A) Class 180-foot buoy tender vessel 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.

USCGC <i>Basswood</i>

USCGC Basswood (WLB-388) was an Iris-class buoy tender belonging to the United States Coast Guard launched on 20 May 1943, and commissioned on 12 January 1944.

USCGC <i>Blackhaw</i>

The USCGC Blackhaw (WLB-390) was a Iris-class buoy tender belonging to the United States Coast Guard launched on 18 June 1943 and commissioned on 17 February 1944.

USCGC <i>Firebush</i>

USCGC Firebush (WLB-393) was an Iris-class buoy tender belonging to the United States Coast Guard launched on 3 February 1944 and commissioned on 20 July 1944. She was eventually transferred to the Nigerian Navy in June 2003 and renamed Nwamba.

USCGC <i>Hornbeam</i>

The USCGC Hornbeam (WLB-394) was an Iris-class buoy tender belonging to the United States Coast Guard launched on 14 August 1943 and commissioned on 14 April 1944.

USCGC <i>Iris</i>

The USCGC Iris (WLB-395) was a Iris-class buoy tender belonging to the United States Coast Guard launched on 18 May 1944 and commissioned on 11 August 1944.

USCGC <i>Mallow</i> United States Coast Guard buoy tender

The USCGC Mallow (WLB-396) was a Iris-class buoy tender belonging to the United States Coast Guard launched on 9 December 1943 and commissioned on 6 June 1944.

USCGC <i>Mariposa</i>

USCGC Mariposa (WLB-397) was an Iris-class buoy tender belonging to the United States Coast Guard launched on 14 January 1944 and commissioned on 1 July 1944.

USCGC <i>Ironwood</i> US Coast Guard ship

USCGC Ironwood (WAGL-297/WLB-297) is a former Mesquite-class sea-going buoy tender operated by the United States Coast Guard. She served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War as well as a variety of domestic missions. She currently serves as a seamanship training vessel for Job Corps.

USCGC <i>Sedge</i> United States Coast Guard vessel used during World War II

USCGC Sedge (WAGL-402/WLB-402) was an Iris-class 180-foot seagoing buoy tender operated by the United States Coast Guard. She served in the Pacific during World War II and in Alaska during the rest of her Coast Guard career. Sedge was decommissioned in 2002 and transferred to the Nigerian Navy where she is still active as NNS Kyanwa.

USCGC <i>Barberry</i> US Coast Guard buoy tender

USCGC Barberry (WLI-294) is a United States Coast Guard buoy tender that was donated to the state of Maryland in 1971. Based out of two locations in North Carolina and then Portsmouth, Virginia, during her Coast Guard career, the vessel was then used as an icebreaker by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. In 2020, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the vessel would be replaced; her replacement is expected to be commissioned in 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "USCG Salvia". USCG. US Coast Guard. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  2. ↑ GSA Auctions SALE/LOT# 21QSCI1905200
  3. ↑ "Artificial reef program sinks vessel off Topsail". The Coastland Times. Manteo NC. 27 July 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Marine Fisheries Artificial Reef Program sinks vessel off Topsail". North Carolina Environmental Quality. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.