USCGC Mojave (WPG-47)
Encyclopedia
The Mojave was launched by the Union Construction Co., Oakland, California
on 7 September 1921 as a United States Coast Guard cutter
. She was sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Haske of Oakland and commissioned
at Oakland on 12 December 1921.
First of the new Mojave class cutters that joined the fleet In 1921 for general duty, Mojave introduced the new principle of turboelectric drive. Assigned permanent station at Honolulu, she served with the Bering Sea Patrol, and assisted in enforcing the ban on deep-sea sealing. Upon completion of her Bering Sea
tour Mojave transferred to Boston
and, in company with cutters USCGC Modoc (WPG-46)
and USCGC Tampa (WPG-48), took up Grand Banks
ice patrol duties.
Mojave and her sister ships were gradually replaced by the new class of 2,200-ton cutters in 1930, although Mojave continued to operate out of Boston until 1933. She also occasionally took part in Coast Guard operations against the rumrunners between 1925 and 1930.
Weather patrols were instituted in 1940, and Mojave assumed rotating duty in 1941 as one of the Atlantic Ocean
observation stations. This duty involved 21-day patrols in areas 10 miles square between Bermuda
and the Azores
. Prior to 1940 merchant ships had provided weather observation reports, but these had been curtailed when the outbreak of war forced ships of belligerent nations into radio silence
.
For this reason the cutters operating out of Boston were relieved of their usual patrol and cruising duties so as to assume full-time weather patrol. When the cutters were transferred to the Navy 1 November 1941 the schedules of the weather patrol ships Mojave, Hamilton, Spencer, Bibb, and Duane were not affected.
Only when war developments increased demand for these large cutters elsewhere were they replaced by other, smaller craft taken over by the Coast Guard for such duties as weather patrol. By the end of the war there were 11 Coast Guard ocean stations in the Atlantic, acting as plane guards and radio beacons as well as weather reporters.
Mojave was assigned to the Greenland
patrol in 1942, where she took part in convoy escort and rescue operations. While acting as escort for the slow group of Convoy SG—6 which had departed Sydney, Nova Scotia
25 August, she assisted in the rescue of 570 men from the torpedo
ed army transport Chatham. The escort and antisubmarine accomplishments of the cutters were truly vital to the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Returned to the U.S. Treasury Department 1 January 1946, Mojave was caught up in the postwar demobilization
. She decommissioned
in 1947 and was sold in February 1948.
Mojave received one battle star for World War II
service.
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
on 7 September 1921 as a United States Coast Guard cutter
United States Coast Guard Cutter
Cutter is the term used by the United States Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. A Cutter is or greater in length, has a permanently assigned crew, and has accommodations for the crew to live aboard...
. She was sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Haske of Oakland and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
at Oakland on 12 December 1921.
First of the new Mojave class cutters that joined the fleet In 1921 for general duty, Mojave introduced the new principle of turboelectric drive. Assigned permanent station at Honolulu, she served with the Bering Sea Patrol, and assisted in enforcing the ban on deep-sea sealing. Upon completion of her Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
tour Mojave transferred to 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...
and, in company with cutters USCGC Modoc (WPG-46)
USCGC Modoc (WPG-46)
USCGC Modoc was a 240-foot Tampa class United States Coast Guard cutter designed for multi-mission roles. She had a top speed of sixteen knots, and was armed with a pair of 5-inch deck guns. With the breakout of war it was armed with depth charges, additional guns, sonar, and radar and...
and USCGC Tampa (WPG-48), took up Grand Banks
Grand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. These areas are relatively shallow, ranging from in depth. The cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream here.The mixing of these waters...
ice patrol duties.
Mojave and her sister ships were gradually replaced by the new class of 2,200-ton cutters in 1930, although Mojave continued to operate out of Boston until 1933. She also occasionally took part in Coast Guard operations against the rumrunners between 1925 and 1930.
Weather patrols were instituted in 1940, and Mojave assumed rotating duty in 1941 as one of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
observation stations. This duty involved 21-day patrols in areas 10 miles square between 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...
and the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. Prior to 1940 merchant ships had provided weather observation reports, but these had been curtailed when the outbreak of war forced ships of belligerent nations into radio silence
Radio silence
In telecommunications, radio silence is a status in which all fixed or mobile radio stations in an area are asked to stop transmitting for safety or security reasons.The term "radio station" may include anything capable of transmitting a radio signal....
.
For this reason the cutters operating out of Boston were relieved of their usual patrol and cruising duties so as to assume full-time weather patrol. When the cutters were transferred to the Navy 1 November 1941 the schedules of the weather patrol ships Mojave, Hamilton, Spencer, Bibb, and Duane were not affected.
Only when war developments increased demand for these large cutters elsewhere were they replaced by other, smaller craft taken over by the Coast Guard for such duties as weather patrol. By the end of the war there were 11 Coast Guard ocean stations in the Atlantic, acting as plane guards and radio beacons as well as weather reporters.
Mojave was assigned to the 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...
patrol in 1942, where she took part in convoy escort and rescue operations. While acting as escort for the slow group of Convoy SG—6 which had departed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
25 August, she assisted in the rescue of 570 men from the torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed army transport Chatham. The escort and antisubmarine accomplishments of the cutters were truly vital to the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Returned to the U.S. Treasury Department 1 January 1946, Mojave was caught up in the postwar demobilization
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
. She decommissioned
Ship decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
in 1947 and was sold in February 1948.
Mojave received one battle star for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service.