.gif)
USCGC Midgett (WHEC-726)
Encyclopedia
USCGC Midgett (WHEC-726) is the twelfth and last of the United States Coast Guard
's fleet of 378 ft (115.2 m) high endurance cutter
s. With her crew of twenty four officers and one hundred sixty enlisted men and women, she is homeported in Seattle, Washington under the operational and administrative control of Commander, Pacific Area (COMPACAREA).
Coast Guard Cutter Midgetts keel was laid April 5, 1971 at the Avondale Shipyard
in New Orleans, Louisiana
, and she was launched on September 4, 1971. She was commissioned on March 17, 1972. The Midgett was decommissioned and placed in Fleet Renovation and Maintenance (FRAM) on January 7, 1991 and was placed in "In Commission Special" status as of April 25, 1992. She was fully re-commissioned in February 1993. She is a multipurpose ship, designed to meet the many and varied missions of today's Coast Guard. Her responsibilities include Homeland Security, Search and Rescue, Maritime Law Enforcement, and Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations as well as maintaining military readiness in support of NATO allies and the U.S. Navy. One of ten high endurance cutters on the west coast, her normal patrol areas include the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and Central American waters, enforcing the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (200 miles (321.9 km) limit) and drug interdiction laws.
, and served for nearly forty years with the United States Life-Saving Service
and the Coast Guard
. He was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal, the country's highest award for saving a life, for his heroic rescue of thirty six crewmen from the torpedoed British tanker Mirlo in 1918. Bos'n Midgett and his lifeboat crew rescued the entire crew, despite rough seas and flames from the tanker's cargo of refined oil and gasoline.
The Midgett family (earlier spelled Midgette and Midyett) has lived along the coast of Virginia
and the Outer Banks
of North Carolina
for nearly three centuries, and has a long tradition in maritime service. John Allen "Bos'n" Midgett, Jr. was one of seven Midgett family members to have been awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal. More than 150 living members of the Midgett family have made the Coast Guard a career, including more than thirty who are still on active duty.
Engines
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...
's fleet of 378 ft (115.2 m) high endurance cutter
High endurance cutter
The designation of High endurance cutter was created in 1965 when the United States Coast Guard adopted its own designation system. High endurance cutters encompassed its largest cutters previously designated by the United States Navy as Coast Guard gunboats , Coast Guard destroyer escorts , and...
s. With her crew of twenty four officers and one hundred sixty enlisted men and women, she is homeported in Seattle, Washington under the operational and administrative control of Commander, Pacific Area (COMPACAREA).
Coast Guard Cutter Midgetts keel was laid April 5, 1971 at the Avondale Shipyard
Avondale Shipyard
Avondale Shipyard was an independent shipbuilding company, acquired by Litton Industries, in turn acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation. Now, along with the former Ingalls Shipbuilding, the yard is part of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The yard is located on the West Bank of the Mississippi...
in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and she was launched on September 4, 1971. She was commissioned on March 17, 1972. The Midgett was decommissioned and placed in Fleet Renovation and Maintenance (FRAM) on January 7, 1991 and was placed in "In Commission Special" status as of April 25, 1992. She was fully re-commissioned in February 1993. She is a multipurpose ship, designed to meet the many and varied missions of today's Coast Guard. Her responsibilities include Homeland Security, Search and Rescue, Maritime Law Enforcement, and Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations as well as maintaining military readiness in support of NATO allies and the U.S. Navy. One of ten high endurance cutters on the west coast, her normal patrol areas include the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and Central American waters, enforcing the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (200 miles (321.9 km) limit) and drug interdiction laws.
Namesake
Midgett is the third ship in her class (HERO) to be named for outstanding Coast Guardsmen. Her namesake, the late Chief Warrant Officer John Allen "Bos'n" Midgett, Jr. was born in 1876 in Rodanthe, North CarolinaRodanthe, North Carolina
Rodanthe is an unincorporated community located in Dare County, North Carolina, on Hatteras Island, part of North Carolina's Outer Banks. Rodanthe, along with Waves and Salvo, are part of the settlement of Chicamacomico...
, and served for nearly forty years with the United States Life-Saving Service
United States Life-Saving Service
The United States Life-Saving Service was a United States government agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian efforts to save the lives of shipwrecked mariners and passengers...
and the 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...
. He was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal, the country's highest award for saving a life, for his heroic rescue of thirty six crewmen from the torpedoed British tanker Mirlo in 1918. Bos'n Midgett and his lifeboat crew rescued the entire crew, despite rough seas and flames from the tanker's cargo of refined oil and gasoline.
The Midgett family (earlier spelled Midgette and Midyett) has lived along the coast of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
for nearly three centuries, and has a long tradition in maritime service. John Allen "Bos'n" Midgett, Jr. was one of seven Midgett family members to have been awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal. More than 150 living members of the Midgett family have made the Coast Guard a career, including more than thirty who are still on active duty.
USCGC Midgett characteristics
- Length: 378 feet (115.2 m)
- Beam: 42 feet (12.8 m)
- Draft: 15 feet (4.6 m)
- Max Speed: 29 knots (15.8 m/s)
- Econ Speed: 12 knots (6.5 m/s)
- Max Range: 11000 nautical miles (20,372 km)
- Displacement: 3050 short tons (2,723.2 LT)
- Fuel Capacity: 215000 gallons (813,863.6 l)
- Water Capacity: 17000 gallons (64,352 l)
- Helo Fuel Capacity: 5000 gallons (18,927.1 l)
- Fresh Water Capacity: 10000 gallons (37,854.1 l) per day
Engines
- 2 Fairbanks Morse diesel engines 12 cylinders (3500 hp each)
- 2 Pratt-Whitney gas turbines
- 2 Controllable pitch propellers
- 1 Variable pitch/ Variable thrust, 360deg bow propulsion system