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Coast Guard in Alaska

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
I figured I would post some of the photos of the Coast Guard in Alaska. I was on a couple of units here as well as being stationed in the Lower 48 and overseas. There is some others here that were in the CG and hopefully they will post a few photos as well.

This is the USCGC Sorrel WLB296, it is a 180' Buoy Tender home port in Cordova, Alaska from 1974 to 1975, before that it was based out of Seward and Ketchikan before that. Was the First Coast Guard ship to respond to the Lituya Bay tidal wave in 1958 in the Gulf of Alaska.

Was Built in 1942 and was part of the "Tree Class" of ships. All the 180' Buoy Tenders of that class were named after types of trees. Sorrel, Sweetbriar, Sedge, Plaintree and so forth. They all had an ice Breaker bow/hull, and could go though about four feet of ice, the propeller was and eight bladed unit and turned at about 103 RPM which put the ship at a top speed of around 13 knots. The hull was made of 5/16" steel, but at the waterline, there was 1 1/2" of T1 plate steel welded to the hull for the ice protection.

I was stationed on it about a week before it went from Seward in 1974 to Cordova, from there we took it to Baltimore, MD where it was to be decommissioned in 1975. We installed all the future Aids to Navigation for the tanker traffic that was to start once the Alaska Pipeline was completed in 1977. Went to the Aleutians to Southeast on a number of times to fill in for the tenders out that direction when they were in the dry dock getting work done or pick up new buoys and supplies in Ketchikan.

Have photos some where of the front flag pole on the bow, is only about two feet out of the water during a gulf storm... that is dark green water, not foam... Looked like a Periscope from a sub... The ship was doing 52 degree rolls, was only suppose to do 47. Dam thing would roll in calm water with the ice breaker hull, round like a pregnant guppy.

The guy in the photo was the Third Class boatswain Mate "Shorty"...

starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic33680-uscgc-sorrel-home-port-cordova-74.jpg
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Here is some more shots of the USCGC Sorrel....



USCGC Sorrel in home port Cordova, Alaska 1974
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic53505-sorrel-dock-cordova.jpg


3" cannon on the ship
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic53504-sorrels-3-inch-50-cal-cannon.jpg


One of many storms out in the Gulf of Alaska in route to a vessel in distress.
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic53503-sorrel-one-many-storms.jpg


Lowering the small boat over the side to go work on Aids to Navigation. I am the guy in the foreground with the white ear protectors around my neck, just came up to check the boat out before it went over the side for work, then back down to the engine room.
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic53502-lowering-small-surf-boat-over-side.jpg


Rockin' & rollin' in Kennedy Entrance, headed South for Kodiak
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic53501-rockin-rollin-kennedy-entrance-headed-south.jpg


Mooring alongside Ironwood in Homer, on our way to Bristol Bay
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic53500-mooring-alongside-ironwood-homer-our-way.jpg


Gunner's Mate & QM3
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic53499-gunners-mate-cragg-qm3-raby.jpg


9 38 bouy on the Sorrel
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Doing bouy work in the Prince William Sound
starlite9-369296-albums-coast-guard-alaska-pic33684-doing-bouy-work-prince-william-sound.jpg
 

Trakternut

Active member
Looks like that job had its moments! Thanks, Foggy. If you've got any more pix and/or stories, I'd be interested.
 

Bulldog1401

Anybody seen my marbles?
SUPER Site Supporter
Small World! I was on the Ironwood (WLB297) but after these photos were taken (1988). Based out of Kodiak. Great adventures!.
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Small World! I was on the Ironwood (WLB297) but after these photos were taken (1988). Based out of Kodiak. Great adventures!.

We docked next to the Ironwood a lot during my time on the Sorrel. There was about a dozen of the 180' Buoy Tender Class in Alaska. The newer ones that replaced them are about fourty feet longer and faster, but don't have the Ice Breaking ablity, which is a shame when they have a Search and Rescue in the Bering Sea or other Iced areas.
 
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