The Wind-class icebreaker

Icebreaker

An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller vessels .For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it requires three traits most...

s were a line of diesel electric-powered icebreakers in service with the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

, 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...

, Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy

The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

, Canadian Coast Guard

Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...

 and Soviet Navy

Soviet Navy

The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...

 from 1944 through the late 1970s. Considered the most technologically advanced icebreakers in the world when first built, the Wind-class icebreakers were also heavily armed; the first operator of the class was 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...

, which used the vessels for much-needed coastal patrol off 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...

 during 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...

. Three of the vessels of the class, the Westwind, the Southwind, and the first Northwind all went on to serve temporarily for the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

 under the Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...

 program, while two others were built for the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 and another was built for the Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy

The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

; all eight vessels were eventually transferred to 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...

 and the Canadian Coast Guard

Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...

.

The "Winds" were the first class of true icebreakers built by the United States. Gibbs & Cox of New York provided the designs with input from the Coast Guard's Naval Engineering Division. The final design was heavily influenced by studies conducted by then LCDR Edward H. Thiele, USCG (later RADM, and Engineer in Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard) of foreign icebreakers, namely the Swedish Ymer 1, launched in 1933, and the Soviet Krasin

Krasin (1916 icebreaker)

The first icebreaker Krasin was built for the Imperial Russian Navy as Svyatogor. She had a long, distinguished career in rescue operations, as well as a pathfinder and explorer of the Northern Sea Route...

.

Seven ships of the class were built in the United States, and one modified version the CCGS Labrador

CCGS Labrador

CCGS Labrador was a Wind-class icebreaker. First commissioned on 08 July 1954 as Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Labrador in the Royal Canadian Navy , Captain O.C.S. "Long Robbie" Robertson, RCN, Commanding...

 was built in Canada.

U.S. Ship Numbers

Initially, the ships of the Wind-class carried the designation of either WAG for Coast Guard, Auxiliary, General, or, (the U.S. Navy) AGB for Auxiliary, General, Breaker. In 1949 all U.S. Coast Guard WAGs were redesignated WAGBs for Coast Guard, Auxiliary, General, Breaker. During 1965 and 1966, all U.S. Navy icebreakers were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard. NB: The two Northwinds referenced below are not to be confused with one-another.

• The USCGC Staten Island (WAG-278) was renamed USS Northwind (AGB-5), and shortly thereafter, again renamed USS Staten Island (AGB-5), and finally renamed USCGC Staten Island (WAGB-278).
• The USCGC Eastwind (WAG-279) was redesignated USCGC Eastwind (WAGB-279).
• The USCGC Southwind (WAG-280) renamed USS Atka (AGB-3), and later renamed, USCGC Southwind (WAGB-280).
• The USS Westwind (AGB-6) was renamed USCGC Westwind (WAGB-281).
• The USCGC Northwind (WAG-282) was redesignated USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282).
• The USS Burton Island (AGB-88) was redesignated USS Burton Island (AGB-1) and then renamed USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283).
• The USS Edisto (AGB-89) was redesignated USS Edisto (AGB-2).

For Canada's Wind-class icebreaker, the Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy

The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

 assigned Pendant Number

Pennant number

In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...

 AW 50 to the Canadian-built HMCS Labrador. She was later transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard

Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...

 and recommissioned CCGS Labrador

CCGS Labrador

CCGS Labrador was a Wind-class icebreaker. First commissioned on 08 July 1954 as Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Labrador in the Royal Canadian Navy , Captain O.C.S. "Long Robbie" Robertson, RCN, Commanding...

. The Labrador was not fitted with any weapons systems. Labrador possessed all the general characteristics of her American-built sister ships, but was much improved with state-of-the-art gear at the time (1951). Labrador was the only Canadian Wind-class icebreaker to be constructed, and also the last of the Wind-class.

General characteristics

(as originally fitted during WWII)

• Builder: Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) San Pedro, California.
• Power Plant: six Fairbanks Morse diesel engines at 2000 Bhp each, powering 3 electric propulsion motors. Two screws aft, one forward, (the bow screw was detachable and seldom used; it was not primarily used for propulsion, but rather, was used to help break through the ice; by causing a wash and thus clearing away the broken ice).
• Length: 269 ft (82 m).
• Beam: 63.5 ft (19.4 m).
• Displacement: approx 6,515 tons full load (fl).
• Speed: 16.8 knots ( km/h).
• Ice capability: 13 foot ice.
• Aircraft: 1 Grumman J2F Duck
  Grumman J2F Duck
  |-Popular culture:* A J2F Duck was used in the 1971 film Murphy's War, which includes a spectacular three-minute rough water takeoff scene along with numerous flying and aerobatic sequences...
  
   seaplane.
• Cost: about $10 million USD each.
• Average Annual Operating Cost:
• Service Life: An estimated 20 years.
• Crew: 21 officers, 295 enlisted as built; (after World War II, the U.S. vessels of the Wind- class had their armament gradually reduced, which also reduced their complements).
• Armament: Four 5-inch/38 (127 mm) dual purpose guns (2 twin turrets). Twelve 40 mm/60 AA guns (3 quadruple turrets). Six 20 mm/80 AA; Y-guns. Two 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...
  
   racks. One Hedgehog (weapon)
  Hedgehog (weapon)
  The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...
  
   launcher. M2 Browning machine guns and small arms. Due to being ordered during the war the U.S. built Wind-class icebreakers were heavily armed for ships of their size. Weapons systems were gradually removed, and by 1970 all that remained were M2 Browning machine guns, M60 machine gun
  M60 machine gun
  The M60 is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links...
  
  s, and small arms for law enforcement purposes.
• Dates Deployed:1942 to 1954.

USCGC Staten Island (WAGB-278)

USCGC Staten Island (WAGB-278)

USCGC Staten Island was a United States Coast Guard . Laid down on 9 June 1942 and launched on 28 December 1942, the ship was commissioned on 26 February 1944, and almost immediately afterward transferred to the Soviet Union, under the Lend Lease program, under the name Severny Veter, which...

 

• Builders: (Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
• Laid down: 9 June 1942.
• Launched: 28 December 1942 (List).
• Operators: , , .
• Commissioned: 1944 (List).
• Status: Decommissioned 15 November 1974 and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

Went to where she was known as the Severni Veter in 1944 as part of the Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...

 program; returned to in 1951 as the Staten Island, then transferred to in 1966.

USCGC Eastwind (WAGB-279)

USCGC Eastwind (WAGB-279)

USCGC Eastwind was a United States Coast Guard Wind-class icebreaker.She was laid down in 1942 and launched in 1944. Eastwind ferried 200 US army troops which captured the last German weather station in Greenland, Edelweiss II, on 4 October 1944. She also seized the German trawler Externsteine,...

 

• Builders: (Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
• Laid down: 1942.
• Launched: 3 June 1944 (List).
• Operator: , .
• Commissioned: 1944 (List).
• Status: Decommissioned in 1968, sold in 1972 and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

USCGC Southwind (WAGB-280)

USCGC Southwind (WAGB-280)

USCGC Southwind was a Wind-class icebreaker that served in the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Southwind , the Soviet Navy as the Admiral Makarov, the United States Navy as USS Atka and again in the U.S...

 

• Builders: (Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
• Laid down: 1942.
• Launched: 8 March 1943 (List).
• Operator: , , .
• Commissioned: 15 July 1944 (List).
• Status: Decommissioned and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

Sent to USSR where it was known as the Kapitan Belusov in 1945 as part of the Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...

 program. Returned to in 1950 as the USS Atka, then transferred in 1966 to where she was known as the USCGC Southwind.

USCGC Westwind (WAGB-281)

USCGC Westwind (WAGB-281)

USCGC Westwind was a United States Coast Guard Wind-class icebreaker.-Ship's history:*1942 - 24 August: Keel laid at Western Pipe & Steel, San Pedro, CA, USA.*1943 - 31 March: Launched at San Pedro, CA, USA....

 

• Builders: (Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
• Laid down: 24 August 1942.
• Launched: 31 March 1943.
• Operator: USSR Navy , .
• Commissioned: 18 September 1944.
• Status: Decommissioned: 29 February 1988 sold and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282) 

• Builders: (Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
• Laid down: 20 July 1944.
• Launched: 25 February 1945 (List).
• Operator: .
• Commissioned: 28 July 1945 (List).
• Status: Decommissioned 20 January 1989 and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

This was the second icebreaker commissioned Northwind. The first Northwind was transferred to the USSR under Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease

Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...

 and became the Staten Island upon her return to the United States. The name change was made to avoid confusion with the other icebraker. The Northwind was to become a museum ship in her last homeport of Wilimgton, NC and moored next to the USS North Carolina. The effort failed due to lack of funding.

USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283)

USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283)

USS Burton Island was a United States Navy that was later re-commissioned in the United States Coast Guard as the United States Coast Guard Cutter Burton Island ....

 

• Builders: (Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
• Laid down: 15 March 1946.
• Launched: 30 April 1946 (List).
• Operator: , .
• Commissioned:
• Status: Decommissioned and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284)

USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284)

The USS Edisto was a in the service of the United States Navy which was later transferred to the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Edisto ...

 

• Builders: (Western Pipe and Steel Company
  Western Pipe and Steel Company
  The Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
  
   (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
• Laid down: 1946.
• Launched: 29 May 1946 (List).
• Operator: , .
• Commissioned: 29 March 1946 (List).
• Status: Deommissioned 15 Nov 1977 and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

CCGS Labrador

CCGS Labrador

CCGS Labrador was a Wind-class icebreaker. First commissioned on 08 July 1954 as Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Labrador in the Royal Canadian Navy , Captain O.C.S. "Long Robbie" Robertson, RCN, Commanding...

 

• Builders:  Canada (Marine Industries in Sorel, Quebec).
• Laid down: 1951.
• Launched:
• Operator: , .
• Commissioned: 8 July 1954 (List).
• Status: Decommissioned 1987 and scrapped.
• Modifications:
• Operations:

Similar Vessels

- 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...

 icebreaker based on the Wind-class design.

• USCGC Glacier (WAGB-4)
  USS Glacier (AGB-4)
  USS Glacier is the historic Glacier class icebreaker which served in the first through fifteenth Operation Deep Freeze expeditions. Glacier was first icebreaker to make her way through the frozen Bellingshausen Sea, and most of the topography in the area is named for her crewmembers...
  
  . Glacier-class icebreaker.