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USCGC Iroquois (WHEC-43)
Encyclopedia
USCGC Iriquois (WHEC-43) was an Owasco class
high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard
. The war ended before the ship was completed and consequently she never saw wartime service.
Iriquois was built by Western Pipe & Steel at the company's San Pedro shipyard. Named after Lake Iroquois (Vermont)
, she was commissioned as a patrol gunboat with ID number WPG-43 on 9 February 1946. Her ID was later changed to WHEC-43 (HEC for "High Endurance Cutter" - the "W" signifies a Coast Guard vessel).
. In February 1951 she served on Ocean Station Nan; July through August 1951 she served on Ocean Station Uncle; October-November 1951 she served on Ocean Station Victor; in January 1952 she served on Ocean Station Uncle; June 1952 she served on Ocean Station Queen; From December 1952 through January 1953 she served on Ocean Station Victor; In February 1953 on Ocean Station Sugar; in June-July 1953 on Ocean Station Queen; in August 1953 she served on Ocean Station Queen.
on 29 June 1954 Iriquois ran aground on a reef. She was refloated on 1 July but had sustained major damage to her hull. She was towed to the Coast Guard Yard, decommissioned and stored through 13 January 1965. Both of her boiler burners were removed and installed on board her sister cutter, Escanaba. Iroquois was eventually sold for scrap.
Owasco class cutter
The Owasco Class Cutter was a cutter class operated by the United States Coast Guard. A total of thirteen cutters in the class were built, all named after lakes. Eleven were constructed by the Western Pipe & Steel Company at San Pedro, California, while the remaining two—Mendota and...
high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
. The war ended before the ship was completed and consequently she never saw wartime service.
Iriquois was built by Western Pipe & Steel at the company's San Pedro shipyard. Named after Lake Iroquois (Vermont)
Lake Iroquois (Vermont)
Lake Iroquois is a reservoir in northwestern Vermont, bordered by three towns: Hinesburg, Williston, and Richmond.Lake Iroquois was created in 1867 to supply mills in Hinesburg with a better water supply. Building a dam on Pond Brook caused the existing spring-fed pond to rise above its banks and...
, she was commissioned as a patrol gunboat with ID number WPG-43 on 9 February 1946. Her ID was later changed to WHEC-43 (HEC for "High Endurance Cutter" - the "W" signifies a Coast Guard vessel).
Operational history
Iroquois was assigned to Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. In February 1951 she served on Ocean Station Nan; July through August 1951 she served on Ocean Station Uncle; October-November 1951 she served on Ocean Station Victor; in January 1952 she served on Ocean Station Uncle; June 1952 she served on Ocean Station Queen; From December 1952 through January 1953 she served on Ocean Station Victor; In February 1953 on Ocean Station Sugar; in June-July 1953 on Ocean Station Queen; in August 1953 she served on Ocean Station Queen.
Run aground with major damage
While departing MidwayMidway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
on 29 June 1954 Iriquois ran aground on a reef. She was refloated on 1 July but had sustained major damage to her hull. She was towed to the Coast Guard Yard, decommissioned and stored through 13 January 1965. Both of her boiler burners were removed and installed on board her sister cutter, Escanaba. Iroquois was eventually sold for scrap.