The original cost for the hull and machinery was $876,403. Range: 8,000nmi (15,000km; 9,200mi) at 13kn (24km/h; 15mph) One of the 23 crew members lost that day was 19-year-old Seaman Apprentice (SA) William Ray Flores, the namesake of our Tampa Chapter. The cutter eventually sank into the water.\r\rTwenty-seven crew members working on Blackthorn were rescued during the incident, while 23 others died that day.\r\rEvery year on Jan. 28, different communities and groups come together to remember the lives lost after the collision in Tampa Bay. As Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, I have the great honor to lead the 240,000 men and women of this Department. With the Blackthorn's officer of the deck (Ensign Ryan) confused in regard to the standard operating procedure and rules of navigation, Blackthorn's captain issued orders for evasive action. Beam: 37ft (11m) Then as the two ships backed away from each other, the chain became taut. Our Coast Guardsmen and women know this reality very well. Blackthorn was one of 39 original 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942 and 1944. The anchor became embedded in the Blackthorn's hull and ripped open the port side above the water line. He talked with his family about the account of Larry Clutter, who served with his uncle on the Blackthorn. There were similar findings on the part of Blackthorn's commanding officer and officer of the deck. At least one of the passing Capricorn and Blackthorn ships was too close to the center of the channel near the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Blackthorn's preliminary design was completed by the United States Lighthouse Service and the final design was produced by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth. Meanwhile the tanker Capricorn, owned by Kingston Shipping Company and operated by Apex Marine Corporation of New York, was standing (traveling with right-of-way) into the bay. Find USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. A 501c3 nonprofit supporting Latinos/Hispanics of all ranks in the U.S. Sea Services! She currently serves as an artificial reef for recreational diving and fishing. An Iris-class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota. USCGC Blackthorn was a 180-foot seagoing buoy tender which sank in 1980 in a collision near the Tampa Bay Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. Hes going to take care of him.. 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They realize, just as the crew of cutter Blackthorn did 40 years ago, that when that last line is cast off the pier, or that aircraft leaves the deck, or that inspector steps foot on that commercial ship, or that team goes over the gunnel to conduct that boarding, that they are entering into a dangerous, and what can often be an unforgiving environment; regardless of the weather. Huse was just one of dozens of Coast Guardsmen and women who gathered Monday to celebrate Flores heroism and to honor the lives lost. Copyright Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO). Peacetime: None. But George's life was cut short on Jan. 28, 1980 when the USCGC Blackthorn collided with a tanker and sank in the mouth of Tampa Bay. The List of United States Coast Guard Cutters is a listing of all cutters to have been commissioned by the United States Coast Guard during the history of that service. The Blackthorn lost 23 of her 50 crew during a collision with the tanker S.S. Capricorn . An Iris-class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota. Today marks the 41st anniversary of the sinking of the 180 buoy tender, US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) BLACKTHORN. [1] [2] [3] Like her sister ships, she is equipped for coastal security patrols, interdiction of drug and people smugglers, and search and rescue. She served in World War II, . Official website This page was last edited on 21 July 2021, at 17:41 (UTC). On 21 May 1943 the keel was laid, she was launched on 20 July 1943 and commissioned on 27 March 1944. Blackthorn was one of 39 original 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942 and 1944. Currently, the Blackthorn is broken into two pieces and is a very popular dive and fishing site. 10 Tampa Bay 263K subscribers Subscribe 10 Share 822 views 1 year ago Exactly 42 years ago, 23 crew members aboard the U.S. The vessels hit almost head-on, with the Blackthorn running down the port side of the much larger tanker. Well deliver the latest news and information you need to know every weekday morning. These matters were referred to the commanders of the Seventh and Eighth Coast Guard Districts for further investigation and appropriate action. 2 mousetrap launchers (1944). Sources cite both "Willy" and "Billy" as nicknames, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FuQnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PVoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5487%2C4950715, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FuQnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PVoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6801,5003607, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UWdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5047,2072390&hl=en, "Skipper Pleads Fifth Amendment; Attorney Requests Immunity", http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UmdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7108,2497103&hl=en, "Getting his due Coast Guard hero receives honor posthumously", http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ST&s_site=dfw&p_multi=ST&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9298B7BF1FC5&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM, http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.star-telegram.com%2F2011%2F11%2F26%2F3552733%2Fnew-coast-guard-cutter-bears-name.html&date=2011-12-02, National Park Service Report on the 180-foot (55m) buoy tenders, "U.S. Coast Guard Sea-going & Coastal Buoy Tenders, 1939-2000", http://www.uscg.mil/history/WEBCUTTERS/WLB_Photo_Index.asp, Article about 20th Anniversary of the sinking, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation, Duluth, Minnesota, 8,000nmi (15,000km; 9,200mi) at 13kn (24km/h; 15mph). All but one of the original tenders, USCGCIronwood(WLB-297), were built in Duluth. Unable to make radio contact with Blackthorn, Capricorn's pilot blew two short whistle blasts to have the ships pass starboard-to-starboard. A memorial inscribed with the names of the crewmembers that perished now stands two miles north of the accident site. After this tragedy, the Coast Guard made critical improvements to service readiness, training, and safety that still echo across the Department today. As our nations Coast Guard, you courageously head out on dark and stormy nights so that others may live. Indeed, it has grown into the largest port in the region. A Coast Guardsman salutes in front of the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn memorial during the ceremony Jan. 27, 2023, in St. Petersburg for the 43rd anniversary of the ship's sinking. [7][8] But just west of the bridge's twin spans at the mouth of Tampa Bay, the Blackthorn collided with the freighter Capricorn.. However, Capricorn's anchor was ready to be let go. As of July 2022: 5 cutters ordered; 10 more optioned; 25 cutters total in program of record[1][2], Cyclone-class patrol ships on loan from the United States Navy. His family was presented with the Medal on 28 January 2000, the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. To submit applications for TAMPA Purple Hearts, please contact Ms. Nora Chidlow, Coast Guard Archivist, at nora.l.chidlow@uscg.mil or 202-559 . What also echoes across the Service is the importance of the mission that the Cutter Blackthorn crew performed: aides to Navigation. Blackthorn was initially assigned to the Great Lakes for ice-breaking duties, but after only a few months, she was reassigned to San Pedro, California and served in San Pedro for several years before being brought into the Gulf Coast region to serve in Mobile, Alabama then Galveston, Texas. She now sails with a crew of sixty students and six instructors. USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tender (WLB) which sank in 1980 in a collision near the Tampa Bay Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. Each of them is forever a part of the Coast Guards legacy. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Additionally, Admiral Hayes pointed out that attempts to establish a passing agreement by using only radiotelephone communications failed to be an adequate substitute for exchanging proper whistle signals. In January 1980 the Blackthorn collided with the tanker Capricorn at the mouth of Tampa and sunk, killing 23 of her crew after the Capricorn's anchor dropped into . Primary responsibility for the collision was placed on the Blackthorn's captain, Lt. Several crew members who had just reported aboard tried to escape and in the process trapped themselves in the engine room. SA Flores paid the ultimate price after locating the life jacket locker, ensuring all survivors in the water received a life jacket, and staying with the sinking ship determined to save the lives of his shipmates trapped in the sinking hull. On Jan. 28, 1980, the USCGC Blackthorn, a 180-foot seagoing buoy tender, collided with a tanker and sank near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The Alexander Hamilton was initially stationed in Oakland, California and performed patrols to the Bering Sea. Then as the two ships backed away from each other, the chain became taut. As a result of the impact, the port anchor of Capricornbecame imbedded in Blackthorn'sport side. [5][6] In 2000 he was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal, the service's highest award for heroism in peacetime. Capricorn began to turn left, but this would not allow the ships to pass port-to-port. I probably floated with one of the life jackets that he tossed out.. Unable to make radio contact with the tender, Capricorns pilot blew two short whistle blasts to have the ships pass starboard-to-starboard. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. January 28 marks 40 years since the USCGC Blackthorn sank, killing 23 Coast Guard members. The anchor became embedded in the Blackthorn's hull and ripped open the port side above the water line. All but one of the original tenders, the USCGC Ironwood (WLB-307), were built in Duluth. The marine board found evidence of violation of various navigation laws on the parts of Capricorn's master and pilot. He was one of the 23 crew members killed in the tragedy. After two land assignments, he was assigned to the USCGC Blackthorn, a buoy tender. The captain, LCDR George Sepel was on the bridge, but ENS John Ryan had the conn. Hes going to come back a man, Richard Flores said. Theres some anxiety when I think, Hes going off to boot camp. USCGC White Sumac (WLM-540) at anchor as Coast Guard and Navy divers assemble on the deck of the buoy tender to prepare to dive on the sunken cutter USCGC Blackthorn. Built at the New York Navy Yard, this twin-screw, geared-steam-turbine-propelled cutter was commissioned in March 1937. Class & type: Iris USCGC Blackthorn memorial. As our nations Coast Guard, you secure our ports and waterways, interdict drug smugglers, lead search and rescue missions, and respond to national emergencies. There is a memorial service being held in St. Petersburg, Florida this morning for the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn. As local politicians and members of Flores family looked on, Brighter Future Florida, a local nonprofit founded by former Congressman David Jolly, unveiled a concrete statue of Flores for its Circle of Heroes underwater monument off the coast of Clearwater. 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