USCGC Ossipee (WPR-50) was a 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...

 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...

 that saw service in both World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 and 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...

.

Coastal Patrol

The Coast Guard Cutter Ossipee, Captain William H. Munter, commanding, was en route from Portland, ME to Boston, Massachusetts on 6 April 1917, when Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

 declared that a state of war existed between the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and the German Empire

German Empire

The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...

. On arrival at Boston, the cutter received orders to proceed to the mouth of the Kennebec River

Kennebec River

The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...

, ME and Captain Munter was assigned to the commander of that defensive area with additional duties connected with the patrol of the river mouth and the adjacent coastline.

Returning to Portland, ME where she arrived on the 7th a stay in port of a few days was made, and on the 11th, Ossipee proceeded to her station arriving there the same day and continued to guard that area and patrol outside until the 18 April when she was ordered to report to the Commandant of the Navy Yard at Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...

.

Arriving at that point on the same day, orders were received assigning Ossipee to duty with the Nantucket Detachment, Patrol Force. After coaling at Melville, Rhode Island

Melville, Rhode Island

Melville is a village in the town of Portsmouth in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The village is also the basis of a census-designated place , which extends south along the shore of Narragansett Bay into the town of Middletown to encompass the village of Lawtons and the port...

 and painting the ship the regulation war color, she left Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...

 and proceeded on the 23 April to her new station where she arrived the same day.

Refit

The cutter continued on patrol duty in this new area until 5 May, when orders were received to proceed to Portsmouth, NH for the purpose of providing the vessel with a more suitable battery.

While at Portsmouth the old battery of four six-pounders were removed and a new battery of four 3-inch guns was installed and ammunition for same placed on board. This having been accomplished, Ossipee left Portsmouth, NH on 7 June and resumed her duties with the Nantucket Detachment, Patrol Forces and continued on patrol in that area for some time until orders were received to prepare for duty overseas in the war zone.

Danger zone escort

Ossipee was prepared and outfitted for this important duty at the Boston Navy Yard

Boston Navy Yard

The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...

 on 15 August she sailed for Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

. She arrived there on the 30 August. The commanding officer reported to the US Patrol Commander and paid an official call on the Senior British naval officer of that port. Here the cutter was assigned to duty with Squadron Two of the patrol forces based at Gibraltar. On 3 September she joined her first convoy as a "Danger Zone Escort." This duty generally lasted several days.

On outbound convoys, the Danger Zone Escort would escort the convoy to a meeting with the "Ocean Escort" at sea. The Danger Zone Escort would return to base while the convoy proceeded to its destination under the protection of only one warship, the Ocean Escort. On inbound convoys the Danger Zone Escort relieved the Ocean Escort from duty and accompanied the convoys into the ports of destination, generally when the convoys were within a short distance of their port of destination. Ossipee served as a Danger Zone Escort from the tins of her arrival at Gibraltar until 30 October, with the exception of three special service cruises of short duration.

Ocean escort

On 30 October the cutter again left Gibraltar, this time as the Ocean Escort for a convoy bound to England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. This was the tenth convoy with which she had been associated, but the first for which she was the Ocean Escort. The convoy having arrived safely in British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 waters, Ossipee proceeded to Plymouth

Plymouth

Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...

, then later to Devonport

Devonport, Devon

Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock, is a district of Plymouth in the English county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement. It became a county borough in 1889...

, where she arrived on 8 November.

On the 13th Ossipee left for Gibraltar with another convoy acting as the Ocean Escort, and arrived at her destination on the 27th. She continued to make alternate cruises from Gibraltar to British waters and from British ports to Gibraltar until the war came to an end. There two exceptions, however, when she escorted convoys between Gibraltar and Bizerte, Tunisia. In the case of both, Ossipee served as the Ocean Escort.

First action

While most of the convoys on which Ossipee served as Ocean Escort, were not attacked. There was one exception. Leaving Milford Haven

Milford Haven

Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...

, Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 on 13 December with a convoy bound to Gibraltar, good progress was made until the morning of the 15th when at 9:10 a.m. 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...

 torpedoed the merchant steamer Bernard. This ship, which belonged to "Column YA," was out of position. In proceeding toward her proper position she was struck in the starboard quarter by a 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...

. Bernard was on Ossipees starboard quarter, just abeam the commodore's ship. The latter was the leading ship in the right column. Ossipee sounded "general quarters."

In an attempt to drop depth charge

Depth charge

A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...

s on the invisible enemy, the cutter made full speed and the helm

Tiller

A tiller or till is a lever attached to a rudder post or rudder stock of a boat that provides leverage for the helmsman to turn the rudder...

 was cut hard to port. Ossipee was assisted in this work by some of the Danger Zone Escort ships while others rescued the survivors from Bernard, which sank at 10:01 a.m. While a search was made for the track of the torpedo and for signs of the wake of the submarine, nothing was seen. The convoy in the meantime, under the direction of the commodore, had zigzag

Zigzag

A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular....

ged to the left by using starboard helm and was already some distance away. "Secure" was sounded at 10:20 a.m. and Ossipee and the Danger Zone Escort vessels that had been searching for the enemy U-boat proceeded at full speed to rejoin the convoy.

Torpedo near miss

The same day about 5:06 p.m., another attack was made on this convoy, the wake of the torpedo being seen in the midst of the ships in convoy about seven hundred yards distant. The torpedo continuing its course passed almost directly under the stern of Ossipee. It passed about twenty-five yards astern of the commodore's ship and harmlessly through the convoy. The general alarm having been sounded, Ossipees crew stood to general quarters at the first sign of the enemy torpedo.

A slick

Oil spill

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...

, apparently that of the submarine, was seen about seventy-five yards off the starboard beam of the cutter. The ship was turned rapidly and running over the spot, two depth charges were dropped. At no time did the submarine make an appearance. The search was diligently made until 5:45 p.m. Full speed was ordered and Ossipee overtook the convoy and the course was continued to Gibraltar without further incident. The Danger Zone Escort joined with the convoy on 21–22 December and the whole fleet arrived at the base on the latter date.

Refit at Gibraltar

During the stay at Gibraltar, new and improved releasing gear was installed on the cutter. This was intended to make the cutter more effective in combatting U-boats with depth charges. A few weeks prior, Lewis gun

Lewis Gun

The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...

s had been supplied.

Ships in convoy sunk

Ossipee continued cruising between Gibraltar and British ports until 10 March 1918, when she was sent with a convoy from Gibraltar to Bizerte. The squadron arrived on 16 March. Leaving on 16 March with her nineteenth convoy bound to Gibraltar, the convoy was attacked at 6:30 p.m. on the 17th. The steamer Ivydene was torpedoed and sunk and again at 1:25 a.m. on 18 March, the steamer John H. Barry was torpedoed and also sunk. Ossipee, being with the convoy, but some distance from the ships attacked did not see either of these. It was learned, however, that these two ships bad been sunk and that survivors were on board several vessels of the Danger Zone Escort.

At 6:37 p.m. of the same day, the convoy was subjected to a third attack and the merchant ship Saldhana of "WC" column was torpedoed and sunk, the survivors being picked up by the tug Alice. On this occasion the general alarm was sounded and all hands called to general quarters on Ossipee. The cutter proceeded at full speed to the place where the submarine had disappeared and dropped two depth charges as closely to the spot as could be ascertained in the darkness, but with no apparent result. "Secure" was sounded at 7:17 p.m. and the convoy continued on its way to Gibraltar arriving at that port without further loss on the 21 March.

Submarine sighting

After being drydocked at the base, Ossipee, on 26 April 26 resumed her voyages from Gibraltar to British waters and returned as the Ocean Escort for different convoys bound in those directions. On 29 April, a signal was received from the commodore's ship stating that a submarine had been sighted. Ossipee proceeded at full speed and called all hands to general quarters. A second signal was received stating that the U-boat was three miles astern of the convoy and that it had submerged.

The cutter proceeded to steam for the enemy's wake and dropped seven depth mines as nearly as could be ascertained around the spot where he had disappeared and zigzagged at full speed all around his supposed position, but apparently without result. On 1 May the Danger Zone Escort joined up with the convoy and on the 3rd Ossipee proceeded to Pembroke Dock

Pembroke Dock

Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...

, Wales, where she arrived the same day.

Torpedo wake

On 14 May the cutter left Pembroke Dock and joining up with a convoy at Milford Haven, left for Gibraltar. The Danger Zone Escort was present until the 16th. This was the twenty-first convoy with which Ossipee had been connected since her arrival overseas. Continuing on her voyage the Danger Zone Escort from Gibraltar joined the fleet on 21 May and all of the ships arrived safely at the base on the 23rd. No enemy attack was made during this cruise, nor did Ossipee encounter any more submarines until 18 October.

While on the voyage from Gibraltar to British waters, convoy HG-133, the thirteenth she had accompanied as Ocean Escort, was attacked. USCGC Seneca

USCGC Seneca (1908)

USCGC Seneca had an interesting and varied history. Fighting submarines in World War I, making the International Ice Patrol, capturing rum runners in the Prohibition era, saving lives from Greenland to Puerto Rico, from Gibraltar to the Gulf of Mexico, participating in colorful ceremonies and...

 and the 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...

 merchant steamer

Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...

 City of Oxford were also acting as ocean escorts with this convoy. At 1:47 p.m. that day City of Oxford signaled that she had sighted a torpedo wake crossing the convoy and that the torpedo had passed close to her stern. The general alarm was sounded and all hands being at quarters, Ossipee proceeded at full speed to the vicinity of the spot where it was supposed that the submarine had fired the torpedo.

One depth charge was dropped, but no signs of the submarine, its wake, or the wake of the torpedo was seen. Seneca, being with this convoy, had also joined in the search for and attack on the submarine, but after four depth charges were released by that ship it was not believed that any damage was done to the enemy as no evidences were thrown up by the exploding depth charges. Captain Wheeler in his official report of this attack states that, while then was little doubt that City of Oxford did see the torpedo, it appeared that it had been fired at long range, making it very difficult to locate the enemy. However, no damage had been done to any vessel of the convoy or the ocean escort.

On the 19th the Danger Zone Escort joined the convoy and three days later, on 22 October, the fleet arrived safely in home waters. Ossipee and Seneca proceeded Pembroke Dock, Wales in company where they arrived later on the 22nd, having anchored in Dale Roads on the 21st.

Investigaton of gun flash

Ossipee remained at Pembroke Dock until the 26th, when she proceeded to Falmouth, England. She joined another Gibraltar-bound convoy on the 27th.

On 28 October at 5:22 p.m. a gun flash was sighted on the port beam of the convoy. All hands were called to quarters and under full speed, the cutter proceeded to the vicinity where the flash was seen and dropped two depth charges near the spot. No evidence of a submarine was found, but it was always deemed necessary and good policy to drop one or more depth charges for the purpose of reminding the enemy that his presence was known even if his position was not. There can be no doubt but that similar actions had caused the enemy on more than one occasion to either postpone or eliminate the contemplated attack on the convoy.

Releasing these two canisters 5:35 p.m. and seeing nothing of the enemy, "secure" was sounded and Ossipee rejoined the convoy which proceeded to its rendezvous with the Gibraltar Danger Zone Escort on the 31st. Nothing further of interest happened and the fleet arrived safely at Gibraltar on 2 November. Ossipee remained until the 8th when she left on a return voyage to British waters with the last convoy with which she was to be associated with during the period of hostilities.

Armistice day

Sailing that day with her 32nd convoy, the fleet was joined by the Danger Zone Escort, which however, left in a few days and on 16 November arrived safely in British waters. On the day of the Armistice

Armistice Day

Armistice Day is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day...

, 11 November, at noon, Ossipee, with her convoy at 39° 51' x N 11° 50' W, turned on the regular navigation light

Navigation light

A navigation light is a colored source of illumination on an aircraft, spacecraft, or waterborne vessel, used to signal a craft's position, heading, and status...

s indicating that news had been received of the cessation of hostilities. The convoy having dispersed on arrival of Ossipee proceeded to Devonport, England.

Summary of wartime service

While this cutter was within the war zone, she was associated with thirty-two convoys and she had convoyed 596 vessels. In 23 of these, she served as the ocean escort. She also made three special cruises. Ossipee, or other ships of the convoy, observed submarines, or evidences of their presence, eight times and the convoys were actually attacked seven times with the loss of four merchant ships sunk. Ossipee, herself, was attacked once, barely escaping destruction as the torpedo missed her by 15 to 20 feet.

Attempted rescue of barge

On 2 December 1942 the cutters Ossipee and Crocus along with motor lifeboats from Lorain and Cleveland stations proceeded to the assistance of the barge

Barge

A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...

 Cleveco, reported in distress 10 miles off Avon Point. The barge was in tow of the barge Admiral when the latter suddenly sunk. The Captain of the Port dispatched a plane to the scene and located Cleveco about ten miles east of Cleveland. Ossipee, advised of the correct position, located the barge with 19 men on board. A heavy northwesterly gale with a snowstorm prevented Ossipee from taking the barge in tow but she stood by to remove the crew if necessary. On 3 December, Cleveco foundered. Eight bodies of crewmen were recovered.

Routine patrols

During April 1943 Ossipee engaged in routine patrols in Lake Erie

Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...

 and at Cleveland and also made practice cruises and performed routine duties. During August 1943 she was on training cruise and gun target practice. During October 1943 she was engaged in routine training operations on Lake Erie and on the Detroit River

Detroit River

The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...

 and St. Clair River

St. Clair River

The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...

s. On 22 October 1943, the US Engineer derrick barge Tonowanda and two dump scow

Scow

A scow, in the original sense, is a flat-bottomed boat with a blunt bow, often used to haul bulk freight; cf. barge. The etymology of the word is from the Dutch schouwe, meaning such a boat.-Sailing scows:...

s went ashore east of Cleveland harbor during a storm and Ossipee was dispatched to stand by and assist. Ossipee and other Coast Guard equipment re-floated the vessels the next day and Ossipee later towed the scows to Cleveland. During December 1943 she was on training operations on Lake Erie.

Drills and exercises

Early in June 1945 she conducted drills and exercises in Lake Erie, later in the month towing the Navy YF-737 to Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, and returning to Cleveland. Early in July she towed a pontoon for LST-512 from Buffalo

Buffalo, New York

Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...

 to Rochester, New York

Rochester, New York

Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...

 and returned from Buffalo to Erie. VJ Day found her still on duty in the 9th (Cleveland) Naval District where she remained until 18 September 1946 when she was declared surplus and sold by the Maritime Commission to Mr. Harold H. Neff, East Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...

.