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USCGC Conifer (WLB-301)
Encyclopedia
The USCGC Conifer (WLB 301) was a 180 foot (55 m) seagoing buoy tender
. Conifer and her sister ships, commonly referred to as "one-eighties", served as the backbone of the Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation fleet for over 50 years before their replacement by the newer Juniper-class cutters.
initiated a series of preliminary designs for a ship to replace their aging fleet of lighthouse tenders. The tenders were designed to provide logistics support (fuel, fresh water, and food) to manned off-shore lighthouses. They were also equipped to service the relatively few buoys in operation at that time.
In 1940 the Lighthouse Service merged into the Coast Guard (The Coast Guard was formed in 1913 when the U.S. Revenue Service was combined with the U.S. Life Saving Service). The Coast Guard amended the tender designs to include Search and Rescue
(SAR) features and an icebreaking capability, making them the first true "multi-mission" capable cutters. The SAR requirements provided finer design lines at the bow and stern, and a reduced beam to length ratio. A larger deckhouse was incorporated to increase the available interior space. Single screw propulsion, a cutaway forefoot under the bow
, and rounded bilges facilitated ice-breaking. The hull displacement was 960 LT (975.4 MT). To reduce costs, on available off-the-shelf technology was utilized. The contract for the lead ship was awarded to Zenith Dredge Company of Duluth, Minnesota
, in January 1941.
The new class of Cutter was originally designated "WAGL" and was later changed to "WLB". The "W" is the navy's abbreviation or "Coast Guard", the "L" designates it as a lighthouse/buoy tender, and the "B" signifies it as a seagoing tender. The Coast Guard also operates three smaller classes of buoy tenders: WLM's (Coastal), WLI's (Inland), and WLR's (River). During the next 3 years the Coast Guard acquired a total of 39 WLB's: 17 built by Zenith, 21 were built by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding, also located in Duluth, and one was built at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. Three different classes of WLB's were built: thirteen "A" (or Cactus) class, six "B" (or Mesquite) class, and twenty "C" (or Iris) class. Tenders are assigned botanical names, a tradition that stems back to 1867.
Conifers engineering plant consisted of two Cooper-Bessemer straight-8 cylinder, 4-cycle diesel engines. Because of their distinctive rumble, the Coopers were referred to as the "rock-crushers". Each diesel drove a Westinghouse DC generator. The DC electricity powered a single Westinghouse main-motor, which was coupled directly to the propeller shaft. The 5-bladed prop measured 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) in diameter. The cargo boom and hoist winches were electric powered. The boat davits were hand-cranked, while the falls were fair-led to the aft towing capstan.
Conifer was armed with a three-inch (76 mm) 50 caliber deck gun, four 20 millimeter 80 caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, and two racks of depth charges. Conifer was placed in Commission, Special Status, on 5 May 1943. Final outfitting and machinery tests were completed on 24 May. Conifer sailed across the Great Lakes
and through the St. Lawrence Seaway en route to the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. The electronics package of HF radios, radar, and sonar was installed at the Yard. She sailed for shakedown training on 24 July 1943, with a full wartime complement of 6 officers and 74 crewmen. On 31 July Conifer arrived in Boston
, her first homeport.
, U.S. Navy. On 13 August Conifer sailed on anti-submarine and weather station deployments in the North Atlantic. Conifer steamed as far south as Bermuda
, east to the Azore Islands off Africa, and north into the icepacks of Greenland
.
On 8 August 1943, while underway in the North Atlantic Conifer observed a German U-boat
diving. Using sonar she located a possible sub, and attacked with depth charges. The contact was later lost. On 28 September 1944 Conifer was underway at night off the coast of Greenland. When threatened with imminent attack from a Canadian B-24 bomber
, Conifers gun crews were prepared to open fire when the aircraft finally responded to radio communications. On 30 September 1944 Conifer conducted a search with a B-17 and a B-24 for a damaged German submarine. The planes located an oil slick, and Conifer depth-charged the area. Additional oil appeared through the day, and the submarine was presumed sunk.
On 24 January 1945, Conifer was assigned to Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District. On 2 February she was ordered to Chesapeake Bay
to support convoy operations. On 1 May 1945, Conifer arrived in her new homeport, Portsmouth, Virginia
. Her primary mission was to service aids to navigation along the southern Virginia and northern North Carolina coasts.
lightship
s. When required, Conifer broke ice in the Chesapeake Bay.
was installed. The electrical weight-handling gear was replaced with a hydraulic system. Hydraulic boat davits were installed, and the motor surf boat was replaced by a rigid hull inflatable
(RHI). A new deckhouse was constructed with a larger pilothouse
and a radio room. Six pieces of original equipment were re-installed: the anchor windlass; the mast
; the ship's bell; the helm wheel; the main motor; and the steering gear.
Conifer two new main engines were General Motors Electromotive Division V-8 two cycle diesel engines. They are the same engines employed in diesel freight trains. Each cylinder displaces 645 in3 (10.6 L). Each engine is conservatively rated at 1050 hp (783 kW), and produces an impressive 12850 ft.lbf of torque. The diesels rotate Westinghouse DC generators, which produce 275 volts 1650 amperes. A propulsion control computer regulates the ratio of volts to current delivered to the electric main propulsion motor. The main motor is rated at 1200 hp (890 kW). With the exception of minor preventive maintenance and scheduled cleanings, the main motor has worked continuously for 50 years. Conifer had other diesel engines: two turbo-charged Detroit Diesel/Johnson & Towers 6-71s powering the 200 kW ship's service generators; one Detroit turbo-charged 8V-71 powering four hydraulic pumps for the cargo boom; and a Detroit 6-71 powering the bow thruster. The Motor Cargo Boat was powered by a Detroit 3-53, and the rigid hull inflatable features a turbo-charged Volvo-Penta engine and out drive.
USCG Seagoing Buoy Tender
The Seagoing Buoy Tender is a type of U.S. Coast Guard cutter originally designed to service aids to navigation, throughout the waters of the United States, and wherever U.S. shipping interests require. The Coast Guard has maintained a fleet of seagoing buoy tenders dating back to its origins in...
. Conifer and her sister ships, commonly referred to as "one-eighties", served as the backbone of the Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation fleet for over 50 years before their replacement by the newer Juniper-class cutters.
Background and ship development
Conifers heritage can be traced back to the late 1930s, when the United States Lighthouse ServiceUnited States Lighthouse Service
The United States Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses, was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States from the time of its creation in 1910 until 1939...
initiated a series of preliminary designs for a ship to replace their aging fleet of lighthouse tenders. The tenders were designed to provide logistics support (fuel, fresh water, and food) to manned off-shore lighthouses. They were also equipped to service the relatively few buoys in operation at that time.
In 1940 the Lighthouse Service merged into the Coast Guard (The Coast Guard was formed in 1913 when the U.S. Revenue Service was combined with the U.S. Life Saving Service). The Coast Guard amended the tender designs to include Search and Rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
(SAR) features and an icebreaking capability, making them the first true "multi-mission" capable cutters. The SAR requirements provided finer design lines at the bow and stern, and a reduced beam to length ratio. A larger deckhouse was incorporated to increase the available interior space. Single screw propulsion, a cutaway forefoot under the bow
Bow (ship)
The bow is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway. Both of the adjectives fore and forward mean towards the bow...
, and rounded bilges facilitated ice-breaking. The hull displacement was 960 LT (975.4 MT). To reduce costs, on available off-the-shelf technology was utilized. The contract for the lead ship was awarded to 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,...
, in January 1941.
The new class of Cutter was originally designated "WAGL" and was later changed to "WLB". The "W" is the navy's abbreviation or "Coast Guard", the "L" designates it as a lighthouse/buoy tender, and the "B" signifies it as a seagoing tender. The Coast Guard also operates three smaller classes of buoy tenders: WLM's (Coastal), WLI's (Inland), and WLR's (River). During the next 3 years the Coast Guard acquired a total of 39 WLB's: 17 built by Zenith, 21 were built by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding, also located in Duluth, and one was built at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. Three different classes of WLB's were built: thirteen "A" (or Cactus) class, six "B" (or Mesquite) class, and twenty "C" (or Iris) class. Tenders are assigned botanical names, a tradition that stems back to 1867.
Construction and specifications
Conifer was the fifth "A" class WLB constructed. The procurement contract with Marine Iron and Shipbuilding was signed on 23 February 1942, for a cost of $854,003. The keel was laid on 6 July. Three months later, on 3 November, Conifer was launched at exactly 1200 hours.Conifers engineering plant consisted of two Cooper-Bessemer straight-8 cylinder, 4-cycle diesel engines. Because of their distinctive rumble, the Coopers were referred to as the "rock-crushers". Each diesel drove a Westinghouse DC generator. The DC electricity powered a single Westinghouse main-motor, which was coupled directly to the propeller shaft. The 5-bladed prop measured 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) in diameter. The cargo boom and hoist winches were electric powered. The boat davits were hand-cranked, while the falls were fair-led to the aft towing capstan.
Conifer was armed with a three-inch (76 mm) 50 caliber deck gun, four 20 millimeter 80 caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, and two racks of depth charges. Conifer was placed in Commission, Special Status, on 5 May 1943. Final outfitting and machinery tests were completed on 24 May. Conifer sailed across the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and through the St. Lawrence Seaway en route to the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. The electronics package of HF radios, radar, and sonar was installed at the Yard. She sailed for shakedown training on 24 July 1943, with a full wartime complement of 6 officers and 74 crewmen. On 31 July Conifer arrived in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, her first homeport.
1943-1945 (Wartime Service)
On 9 August 1943 Conifer was assigned to Commander, Task Force 24, Atlantic FleetU.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, U.S. Navy. On 13 August Conifer sailed on anti-submarine and weather station deployments in the North Atlantic. Conifer steamed as far south as Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, east to the Azore Islands off Africa, and north into the icepacks of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
On 8 August 1943, while underway in the North Atlantic Conifer observed a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
diving. Using sonar she located a possible sub, and attacked with depth charges. The contact was later lost. On 28 September 1944 Conifer was underway at night off the coast of Greenland. When threatened with imminent attack from a Canadian B-24 bomber
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, Conifers gun crews were prepared to open fire when the aircraft finally responded to radio communications. On 30 September 1944 Conifer conducted a search with a B-17 and a B-24 for a damaged German submarine. The planes located an oil slick, and Conifer depth-charged the area. Additional oil appeared through the day, and the submarine was presumed sunk.
On 24 January 1945, Conifer was assigned to Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District. On 2 February she was ordered to Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
to support convoy operations. On 1 May 1945, Conifer arrived in her new homeport, Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
. Her primary mission was to service aids to navigation along the southern Virginia and northern North Carolina coasts.
1952-1983
In August 1952 Conifers homeport was changed to Moorhead City, North Carolina. In September 1960, Conifer moved back to Portsmouth, VA. On 11 June 1975, Conifer was once again assigned to Moorhead City, NC. Conifers area of operation was modified to include the entire coast of North Carolina, and the re-supply of the Diamond Shoals and Frying Pan ShoalsFrying Pan Shoals
The Frying Pan Shoals are a long, shifting area of shoals off the coast of Cape Fear in North Carolina, United States. The shoals have been a hazard to ships in the area since the beginning of European exploration of the area; the area is littered with shipwrecks. The southern edge of the shoals...
lightship
Lightship
Lightship may refer to:* Lightvessel, a permanently moored ship that has light beacons mounted as navigational aids* Light displacement, a displacement figure that measures a ship complete in all respects, but without consumables, stores, cargo, crew, and effects*Lightship, a type of blimp operated...
s. When required, Conifer broke ice in the Chesapeake Bay.
1983-1986 Overhaul
On 16 July 1983, Conifer arrived at the Coast Guard Yard. She was temporarily decommissioned, and commenced a $7.5 million overhaul under the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). Many noteworthy improvements were accomplished during the SLEP. The deckhouse was removed, and the hull was essentially gutted down to the keel. Conifer received new main engines and ship's service generators, a new electrical system, and a new interior climate control system. The interior spaces were reconfigured. The forward tanks were reduced in size, and the forward cargo hold was eliminated to make a space for additional berthing areas, a crew's lounge, and boatswain, electrical, damage control, and electronics shops. A bow thrusterBow thruster
A bow thruster is a transversal propulsion device built into, or mounted to, the bow of a ship or boat to make it more maneuverable. Bow thrusters make docking easier, since they allow the captain to turn the vessel to port or starboard without using the main propulsion mechanism which requires...
was installed. The electrical weight-handling gear was replaced with a hydraulic system. Hydraulic boat davits were installed, and the motor surf boat was replaced by a rigid hull inflatable
Rigid-hulled inflatable boat
A rigid-hulled inflatable boat, or rigid-inflatable boat is a light-weight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy...
(RHI). A new deckhouse was constructed with a larger pilothouse
Pilothouse
A pilothouse or pilot-house is a glass-enclosed room from which a ship is controlled by the ship's pilot. The pilothouse also is known as the wheelhouse....
and a radio room. Six pieces of original equipment were re-installed: the anchor windlass; the mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
; the ship's bell; the helm wheel; the main motor; and the steering gear.
Conifer two new main engines were General Motors Electromotive Division V-8 two cycle diesel engines. They are the same engines employed in diesel freight trains. Each cylinder displaces 645 in3 (10.6 L). Each engine is conservatively rated at 1050 hp (783 kW), and produces an impressive 12850 ft.lbf of torque. The diesels rotate Westinghouse DC generators, which produce 275 volts 1650 amperes. A propulsion control computer regulates the ratio of volts to current delivered to the electric main propulsion motor. The main motor is rated at 1200 hp (890 kW). With the exception of minor preventive maintenance and scheduled cleanings, the main motor has worked continuously for 50 years. Conifer had other diesel engines: two turbo-charged Detroit Diesel/Johnson & Towers 6-71s powering the 200 kW ship's service generators; one Detroit turbo-charged 8V-71 powering four hydraulic pumps for the cargo boom; and a Detroit 6-71 powering the bow thruster. The Motor Cargo Boat was powered by a Detroit 3-53, and the rigid hull inflatable features a turbo-charged Volvo-Penta engine and out drive.