US FWS Henry O'Malley

Last updated
US FWS Henry O'Malley
US FWS Henry O'Malley.PNG
US FWS Henry O'Malley, from Commercial Fisheries Review, March 1950
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States Navy
NameUSS YP-646
Builder Colberg Boat Works, Stockton,  California
Completed1945
Commissioned11 June 1945
Decommissionedmid-1946
FateTransferred to Fish and Wildlife Service 26 January 1948
US flag 48 stars.svg Flag of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.svg U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
NameUS FWS Henry O'Malley
Namesake Henry O'Malley (1876–1936), U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries (1922–1933)
Acquired26 January 1948
Commissioned1949
Homeport Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii
FateSold 16 February 1951
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameMV Santa Rosa
Owner
Homeport San Diego, California (1977)
Identification IMO number:  7308475
FateUnregistered as of 1984
NotesDerelict as of 1987
General characteristics
(as U.S. Navy vessel)
Type Patrol vessel
Displacement403 tons
Length117 ft (36 m)
General characteristics
(as fisheries research vessel)
Type Fisheries research ship
Tonnage550  GRT
Length128 ft (39 m)
Beam29 ft (8.8 m)
Draft15 ft (4.6 m)
Installed power2 x 125-kW diesel–electric generators
Propulsion560  hp (420 kW) diesel engine
General characteristics
(as private fishing vessel)
Type Fishing vessel
Tonnage
  • 386  GRT (1951)
  • 357  GRT (1975)
  • 325  GRT (1977)
US FWS Henry O'Malley at San Diego, California, before her departure for Honolulu, Hawaii, from Commercial Fisheries Review, November 1949. US FWS Henry O'Malley San Diego 1949.PNG
US FWS Henry O'Malley at San Diego,  California, before her departure for Honolulu, Hawaii, from Commercial Fisheries Review, November 1949.

US FWS Henry O'Malley was an American fisheries science research vessel in commission from 1949 to 1951 in the fleet of the United States Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service. She was the first U.S. fisheries science vessel to explore the central Pacific Ocean in search of commercially valuable populations of fish. Her career was cut short by a requirement for cost-prohibitive repairs.

Contents

Prior to her time in the Fish and Wildlife Service, the vessel was in commission in the United States Navy as the patrol vessel USS YP-646 from 1945 to 1946. After her Fish and Wildlife Service career ended, she became the private fishing vessel MV Santa Rosa.

Construction

The Colberg Boat Works built the vessel as the U.S. Navy patrol vessel YP-646 at Stockton, California, in 1945. [1] [2] As completed, she was listed as 117 feet (36 m) in length, with a displacement of 403 tons. [1]

Service history

U.S. Navy

The vessel was commissioned into U.S. Navy service as USS YP-646 on 11 June 1945. [2] She was commissioned during the final summer of World War II. Hostilities soon ended on 15 August 1945, and Japan formally surrendered on 2 September 1945, bringing the war to an end. YP-646 served into the immediate aftermath of the conflict, operating in the Pacific Ocean and the waters of China until she was decommissioned in mid-1946. [2]

Fish and Wildlife Service

In August 1947, the United States Congress authorized a new "Pacific Ocean Fishery Program" calling for the "investigation, exploration, and development of the high seas fisheries of the Territories and Island Possessions [of the United States] and intervening areas in the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean." [3] The United States Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service (which in 1956 would become the United States Fish and Wildlife Service) was responsible for carrying out the program, which was to be overseen by a new Pacific Ocean Fishery Investigation (POFI) under the direction of Oscar Elton Sette. [3] In addition to the construction of the Pacific Ocean Fisheries Laboratory at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu in the Territory of Hawaii and the development of a Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) docking and warehouse site at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, [3] the Congress funded the conversion or construction of three ocean-going vessels to support POFI's work. [3] During 1949 and 1950, these three vessels joined the Fish and Wildlife Service fleet as US FWS Henry O'Malley, US FWS Hugh M. Smith , and US FWS John R. Manning .

Acquisition, conversion, and commissioning

After YP-646 was reconditioned, the U.S. Navy transferred her to the FWS, which took delivery of her on 26 January 1948. [4] After passing sea trials in which the FWS noted her main engine as running very well, [4] she underwent conversion into a research vessel to support fisheries science investigations, designed to operate as an exploratory fishing vessel. [4] [5] Her conversion was completed on 27 September 1949. [6] The FWS described her as a 128-foot (39 m) long motor vessel, with a beam of 29 feet (8.8 m) and a draft of 15 feet (4.6 m), powered by a 560-horsepower (420 kW) diesel engine, and equipped with two 125-kilowatt diesel-electric generators. [5] She was commissioned as US FWS Henry O'Malley, [5] named for Henry O'Malley (1876–1936), [7] [8] who led the United States Bureau of Fisheries as the Commissioner of Fisheries from 1922 to 1933. [9] She was the first of the three fisheries research vessels the FWS assigned to POFI to enter service. [5]

Henry O'Malley departed San Diego, California, on 6 October 1949 bound for Honolulu, [6] which she reached on 20 October. [10] After her arrival, the manufacture of bait nets and other gear necessary to outfit her for bait fishing and deep trolling began. [10] She moved to Pearl Harbor on 27 November 1949 to load bait. [5]

First cruise

Henry O'Malley got underway on 28 November 1949 for her first FWS cruise, an 11-day shakedown cruise in the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. [5] Although hampered by bad weather, she tested her equipment — operating her pole-and-line gear and deploying her trolling gear to a depth of 600 feet (180 m) — and trained her crew for research operations before returning to Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1949. [5]

Second cruise

On 11 January 1950, Henry O'Malley departed Pearl Harbor in an attempt to begin her second FWS cruise and first scientific cruise, heading for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to explore the French Frigate Shoals for bait. [11] However, excessive wear on the timing gear of her main engine forced her to abort the voyage and return. [12] After repairs, she again set out from Pearl Harbor on 24 January 1950 to begin the cruise. [11] She conducted exploratory fishing during her outbound voyage, [12] arrived at the French Frigate Shoals on 27 January, [13] and scouted Tern Island and Shark Island for bait the same day. [12] High seas and winds [11] of up to 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph) [12] prevented her from conducting any further scientific operations until 5 February, when she looked for bait at Tern Island and East Island. [12] All the bait she collected on both 27 January and 5 February was taken within 50 feet (15 m) of shore in 1 to 6 feet (0.3 to 1.8 m) of water. [12] During her visit to French Frigate Shoals, she also experimented while at anchor with the use of yellow lights to attract fish at night. [13] Bad weather returned on 6 February, so she abandoned further bait collection [13] after only 11 days at French Frigate Shoals and only two days of bait collection [13] and departed that day to begin the next phase of her cruise. It called for her to visit Johnston Island, then operate in the Line Islands [13] before returning to Pearl Harbor on 21 March 1950. [11] However, a main engine failure, [14] again caused by excessive wear on the engine's timing gear, [13] forced her to cut her cruise short, [11] and instead she headed home, conducting exploratory fishing [12] on her way back to Pearl Harbor, which she reached on 10 February. [14] The 19 buckets of live bait she collected [11] — iao ( Hepsetia insularum ) [12] — did well in her live bait tanks. [11] Some of the bait was studied at the University of Hawaii, [11] while some was dumped into the waters of Pearl Harbor and found to be thriving there five days later. [12]

Third cruise

After repairs, Henry O'Malley departed Pearl Harbor for her third FWS cruise and second scientific cruise on 16 May 1950. [15] Her main objective was to collect bait at the French Frigate Shoals and then use it to fish for skipjack tuna off both the main Hawaiian Islands and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with an overall goal of developing techniques for the use of United States West Coast-style fishing vessels and equipment in areas of the mid-Pacific Ocean not previously explored by fisheries scientists. [16] During the voyage, she caught only 18 skipjack, her crew finding that her size and relative lack of maneuverability made it difficult to maintain contact with schools of fish. [16] While scouting for tuna, she took bathythermograph readings, and she gathered biological specimens during night-lighting operations. [16] She also collected stomachs, gonads, and vertebrae from and gathered morphometric data on four pole-caught skipjacks, which contributed to scientific understanding of skipjack diets, spawning, growth, and population characteristics. [16] During the cruise, her crew found that hot lava pouring into the sea on the coast of the island of Hawaii during an eruption of the volcano Mauna Loa had killed many fish, whose carcasses had then risen to the surface, and she spent a day collecting the dead fish to examine the contents of their stomachs. [16] She returned to Pearl Harbor on 8 June 1950 after three weeks at sea. [16]

Fourth cruise

Plans for Henry O'Malley′s next cruise — her fourth in FWS service and third scientific cruise — called for her to conduct exploratory fishing off the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, where she was to explore the French Frigate Shoals, Laysan Island, Pearl and Hermes Reef, and Midway Atoll for bait. [17] She then was to proceed to the Phoenix Islands, testing the viability of transporting live bait there from the Hawaiian Islands. [17] In the Phoenix Islands, she was to collect additional bait before rendezvousing with Hugh M. Smith and John R. Manning. [17] During the week of 24 July 1950, Henry O'Malley was to team up with John R. Manning and hold fish with the bait she had collected while John R. Manning used purse seining to catch the fish and Hugh M. Smith carried out oceanographic survey work and conducted flag-line fishing operations. [17] Henry O'Malley got underway from Pearl Harbor on 1 July 1950 [18] and, according to plan, collected bait at the French Frigate Shoals and Midway before moving on to the Phoenix Islands, where she gathered more bait in the lagoon at Canton Island, conducted a preliminary bait reconnaissance of Hull Island, and fished for tuna around Canton Island, Birnie Island, and Enderbury Island. [19] However, unfavorable weather and poor fishing conditions prevailed, preventing her from conduct her planned fishing operations in cooperation with John R. Manning. [19] Instead, Henry O'Malley proceeded to the Line Islands, where she visited Kingman Reef and Palmyra Island, spending one morning at each location conducting exploratory fishing for tuna. [19] Throughout her cruise, she conducted surface trolling. [19] She also took subsurface water temperature readings during her outbound and homebound voyages to determine their relationship to the North Equatorial Current, South Equatorial Current, and Equatorial Counter Current and collected yellowfin tuna ovaries, stomachs, and gonads and made morphometric assessments of the fish to determine the existence of different races of yellowfin. [19] However, what the November 1950 edition of the Fish and Wildlife Service publication Commercial Fisheries Review described as "operational difficulties" forced her to cut her cruise short, and she proceeded to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived on 30 August 1950, two weeks earlier than planned. [19]

Decommissioning and sale

Henry O'Malley underwent extensive repairs, [20] but she failed her post-repair sea trials. [20] Deeming her unseaworthy, and determining that additional repairs needed to make her ready for research operations were cost-prohibitive, the Fish and Wildlife Service decommissioned Henry O'Malley. [20] It offered her for sale in early February 1951, [20] and she was sold at San Pedro, California, on 16 February 1951 for USD$127,501. [20]

Later career

The Western Boat Building Company of Tacoma, Washington, registered the vessel as the 386-gross register ton (GRT) fishing boat MV Santa Rosa in 1951. [2] She was assigned the official number 261691. [21] She was listed as sold in 1952. [1] In 1956, Edward P. Silva of San Diego, California, registered her under the same name and with the same tonnage, but with the radio call sign WD5312. [2] In 1975, her tonnage was listed as 357 GRT. [2]

In 1977, John L. Gomes of La Jolla, California, [2] registered her as a 325-GRT [2] fishing boat, again with the radio call sign WD5312, still named MV Santa Rosa, [21] and with her home port at San Diego. [21] Santa Rosa dropped out of the registration rolls in 1984 [21] and was listed as lying derelict at the Port of San Diego as of 1987. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Fish and Wildlife Service</span> United States federal government agency

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Fish Commission</span> Former U.S. Government fisheries agency

The United States Fish Commission, formally known as the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, was an agency of the United States government created in 1871 to investigate, promote, and preserve the fisheries of the United States. In 1903, it was reorganized as the United States Bureau of Fisheries, sometimes referred to as the United States Fisheries Service, which operated until 1940. In 1940, the Bureau of Fisheries was abolished when its personnel and facilities became part of the newly created Fish and Wildlife Service, under the United States Department of the Interior.

NOAAS <i>John N. Cobb</i>

NOAA Ship John N. Cobb was a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel in commission from 1970 to 2008. She was named for John Nathan Cobb and was the oldest commissioned ship in the NOAA fleet when she was decommissioned, having previously served in the United States Department of the Interior′s Fish and Wildlife Service from 1950 to 1956 and in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service′s Bureau of Commercial Fisheries from 1956 to 1970 as US FWS John N. Cobb.

USS <i>Edithena</i> Patrol vessel of the United States Navy

USS Edithena was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919 that saw service during World War I. Prior to her U.S. Navy service, she operated as the private motor yacht Edithena from 1914 to 1917. After the conclusion World War I, she served as the fishery patrol vessel USFS Widgeon in the fleet of the United States Bureau of Fisheries from 1919 to 1940 and as US FWS Widgeon in the fleet of the Fish and Wildlife Service from 1940 to 1942. During World War II, she returned to U.S. Navy service from 1942 to 1944 as the yard patrol boat USS YP-200. By 1947 she had returned to private ownership, first as Edithena and during the 1970s and 1980s as the fishing vessel Ila Mae.

USS <i>Raeo</i> Patrol vessel of the United States Navy

USS Raeo (SP-588) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919. Prior to her U.S. Navy service, she operated as the motor passenger vessel Raeo from 1908 to 1917. After the conclusion of her U.S. Navy career, she served as the fishery patrol vessel USFS Kittiwake in the United States Bureau of Fisheries fleet from 1919 to 1940 and as US FWS Kittiwake in the Fish and Wildlife Service fleet from 1940 to 1942 and from 1944 to at least 1945, and perhaps as late as 1948. During World War II, she again served in the U.S. Navy, this time as the yard patrol boat USS YP-199. She was the civilian fishing vessel Raeo from 1948 to 1957, then operated in various roles as Harbor Queen from 1957 to 1997. She became Entiat Princess in 1998 and as of 2009 was still in service.

US FWS <i>Albatross III</i> U.S. fisheries research vessel

US FWS Albatross III was a fisheries research ship in commission in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 1948 to 1959. Prior to her Fish and Wildlife Service career, she operated as the commercial fishing trawler SS Harvard and briefly saw service during World War II as the United States Coast Guard patrol vessel USCGC Bellefonte (WYP-373), in commission from April to August 1944. She was wrecked in Cuba as Nyleve in 1969.

NOAAS <i>Townsend Cromwell</i>

NOAAS Townsend Cromwell was an American fisheries research vessel that was in commission in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fleet from 1975 to 2002. Prior to her NOAA career, she was in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's Bureau of Commercial Fisheries fleet from 1963 to 1975 as US FWS Townsend Cromwell.

NOAAS <i>Oregon</i>

NOAAS Oregon, previously NOAAS Oregon, was an American fisheries research vessel in commission in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fleet from 1970 to 1980. Prior to her NOAA career, she operated under the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 1949 to 1970 as US FWS Oregon.

NOAAS <i>George B. Kelez</i> American research vessel

NOAAS George B. Kelez, previously NOAAS George B. Kelez, was an American research vessel in commission in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fleet from 1972 to 1980. Prior to her NOAA career, she operated under the United States Fish and Wildlife Service′s Bureau of Commercial Fisheries from 1962 to 1970 as US FWS George B. Kelez and the National Marine Fisheries Service from 1970 to 1972 as NOAAS George B. Kelez.

US FWS <i>John R. Manning</i>

US FWS John R. Manning was an American fisheries research vessel in commission in the fleet of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 1950 to 1969. She explored the Pacific Ocean in search of commercially valuable populations of fish and shellfish. After the end of her Fish and Wildlife Service career, she operated as the commercial fishing vessel MV R. B. Hendrickson until she sank in 1979.

USFS <i>Penguin</i> U.S. fisheries vessel

USFS Penguin was an American cargo liner in commission in the fleet of the United States Bureau of Fisheries from 1930 to 1940 and, as US FWS Penguin, in the fleet of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1940 to 1950. She ran a passenger-cargo service between Seattle, Washington, and the Pribilof Islands, and provided transportation between the two inhabited Pribilofs, Saint Paul Island and St. George Island. She also carried passengers, supplies, and provisions to destinations on the mainland of the Territory of Alaska and in the Aleutian Islands. She occasionally supported research activities in Alaskan waters and the North Pacific Ocean.

USFS <i>Eider</i> Ship of the United States Bureau of Fisheries

USFS Eider was an American motor schooner in commission in the fleet of the United States Bureau of Fisheries from 1919 to 1940 and, as US FWS Eider, in the fleet of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1940 to 1942 and again in the late 1940s. She ran a passenger-cargo service between Unalaska and the Pribilof Islands, and also carried passengers, supplies, and provisions to destinations on the mainland of the Territory of Alaska and in the Aleutian Islands. She occasionally supported research activities in Alaskan waters and the North Pacific Ocean, and she conducted patrols to protect Alaskan fisheries and marine mammals. In 1924, she provided logistical support to the first aerial circumnavigation of the world.

US FWS Dennis Winn

US FWS Dennis Winn was an American cargo liner in commission in the fleet of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 1948 to 1960. She frequently provided a passenger and cargo service to and from the Pribilof Islands, and also carried passengers and cargo to and between other communities and FWS stations in the Territory of Alaska. Prior to her fisheries service, she was the United States Army cargo ship U.S. Army Lt. Walter J. Will (FS-244).

MV <i>Brown Bear</i> American research vessel

MV Brown Bear was an American research vessel in commission in the fleet of the United States Department of Agriculture′s Bureau of Biological Survey and Alaska Game Commission from 1934 to 1940 and in the fleet of the United States Department of the Interior′s Fish and Wildlife Service from 1940 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1951, under the control of the University of Washington from 1952 to 1965, and in commission in the fleet of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 1965 to 1970 and of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration′s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) from 1970 to 1972.

USFS <i>Crane</i> American fishery patrol vessel built in 1928

USFS Crane was an American fishery patrol vessel that operated in the waters of the Territory of Alaska. She was in commission in the United States Bureau of Fisheries (BOF) fleet from 1928 to 1940. She then served as US FWS Crane in the fleet of the Fish and Wildlife Service from 1940 to 1960. After a brief stint in the fleet of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game during 1960, she was sold into private service, at various times named Crane, Brapo, Fishing 5, Belle, and Patricia during the 1960s and 1970s and then again Crane since 1978. She remained in service as of 2020.

USFS <i>Pelican</i> U.S. fisheries vessel

USFS Pelican was an American fisheries science research ship and fishery patrol vessel that operated along the United States East Coast and the United States Gulf Coast and in the waters of the Territory of Alaska. She was part of the United States Bureau of Fisheries (BOF) fleet from 1930 to 1940. She then served as US FWS Pelican in the fleet of the Fish and Wildlife Service – from 1956 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service – from 1940 to 1958. She served as a fishery patrol vessel while on loan to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife from 1958 to 1970, then briefly returned to the Fish and Wildlife Service's successor agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service. Her United States Government service ended when she was sold into private hands in 1972, and she remained extant as of 2010. In 2017 Captain Patrick Burns and Captain John (Johnny) Sylvester purchased the Pelican from Marilyn Masland. She is currently moored in Deer Harbor on Orcas Island, WA. In 2018 she was brought up the Inside Passage to Alaska and back to Washington.

USS YP-345 was a converted fishing vessel which served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

US FWS <i>Hugh M. Smith</i> U.S. fisheries research vessel

US FWS Hugh M. Smith was an American fisheries science research vessel in commission from 1949 to 1959 in the fleet of the United States Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service. She was among the first U.S. fisheries science vessels to explore the central Pacific Ocean in search of commercially valuable populations of fish.

US FWS <i>Charles H. Gilbert</i> American fisheries science research vessel

US FWS Charles H. Gilbert was an American fisheries science research vessel in commission from 1952 to 1970 in the fleet of the United States Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service and from 1970 to 1973 in the fleet of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration as NOAAS Charles H. Gilbert. She was among the first U.S. fisheries science vessels to explore the central Pacific Ocean in search of commercially valuable populations of fish.

USS YP-290 (ex-Picoroto) was a converted fishing vessel which served as an auxiliary patrol boat in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

References

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 shipbuildinghistory.com Patrol and Training Craft (YP) October 22, 2015 Accessed 7 August 2021
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Williams, p. 312.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Commercial Fisheries Review, October 1948, p. 27.
  4. 1 2 3 Commercial Fisheries Review, November 1948, p. 3.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Commercial Fisheries Review, March 1950, p. 4.
  6. 1 2 Commercial Fisheries Review, November 1949, p. 29.
  7. ↑ Find-A-Grave Henry O'Malley Accessed 5 August 2021
  8. ↑ Associated Press, "Henry O'Malley Dies," Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 24, 1936 p. 2 Accessed 5 August 2021
  9. ↑ Galtsoff, p. 115.
  10. 1 2 Commercial Fisheries Review, December 1949, p. 31.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Commercial Fisheries Review, March 1950, p. 45.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Commercial Fisheries Review, May 1950, p. 39.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Commercial Fisheries Review, May 1950, p. 38.
  14. 1 2 Commercial Fisheries Review, March 1950, p. 45; May 1950, p. 38.
  15. ↑ Commercial Fisheries Review, June 1950, p. 22.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Commercial Fisheries Review, June 1950, p. 22; July 1950, pp. 28–29.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Commercial Fisheries Review, July 1950, p. 29.
  18. ↑ Commercial Fisheries Review, July 1950, p. 29; October 1950, p. 33.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Commercial Fisheries Review, October 1950, p. 33.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Commercial Fisheries Review, March 1951, p. 19.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Williams, p. 313.

Bibliography


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.