USCGC Citrus (WLB-300)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

USCGC ''Citrus'' (WAGL-300/WLB-300/WMEC-300) was a ''Cactus'' (A)-class seagoing buoy tender built in 1942 in Duluth, Minnesota, and now operated by the navy of the Dominican Republic. During World War II, the 180-foot ship helped build LORAN stations on the Aleutian Islands. From 1945 to 1979, ''Citrus'' largely helped maintain aids to navigation in Alaskan waters. In 1980, she was converted into a medium-endurance cutter homeported at Coos Bay, Oregon. In 1995, after 51 years' service, it was transferred to the
Dominican Navy The Navy of the Dominican Republic ( es, Armada de Republica Dominicana (ARD)), is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force. History After the Dominican Republic gained i ...
, which commissioned it ''Almirante Juan Alejandro Acosta''.


Ship's history

After the Coast Guard took over the United States Lighthouse Service in 1939, the plans for the USLS ''Juniper'' class of seagoing buoy tenders were modified to . These were built in three classes. The ''Cactus'' (A) class had 12 vessels, the ''Mesquite'' (B) class had six, and the ''Iris'' (C) class had 20. Twenty were built at one of two shipyards in Duluth, Minnesota. ''Citrus'' was laid down 29 April 1942 at the Marine Iron & Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth. She was launched on 15 August 1942 and commissioned on 3 April 1943.


World War II

USCGC ''Citrus'' was initially assigned to the Ninth District in April 1943. With home port in Detroit, Michigan, the cutter was to be used for general aids to navigation and icebreaking on the Great Lakes. The cutter was reassigned to Alaska Sector, Northwestern Sea Frontier on 15 September 1943. Construction work on the Western Aleutian LORAN chain began during the latter part of 1943. Beginning in November 1943, men and materials began to arrive at sites 62 (
Sitka russian: Ситка , native_name_lang = tli , settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough , image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg , image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984 , image_size ...
), 63 (
Amchitka Amchitka (; ale, Amchixtax̂; russian: Амчитка) is a volcanic, tectonically unstable and uninhabited island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. It is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refu ...
), and 64 ( Attu). ''Citrus'' and two Liberty ships, SS ''George Flavel'' and SS ''McKenzie'', transported Coast Guard construction crews to erect Quonset huts for Construction Detachment "A" at Massacre Bay, Attu and at Baxter Cove, Adak. Unloading at Adak was done with 5' x 7' steel pontoon-type barges. They arrived on 24 December 1943. Heavy ground swells made unloading materiel from the cutter to the barge precarious. Despite the possibility of a sudden squall, both barges made the beach about sundown. Temporary floodlights were then rigged and unloading operations continued until 1200 on Christmas Day. As the storm increased in intensity, ''Citrus'' was unable to maintain her anchorage and was forced to return to Massacre Bay until the storm subsided on 2 January 1944. Early in February 1944, a five-day storm swept the Massacre Bay area with winds up to . At Attu, ''Citrus'' took nine men off a swamped Army tug without loss of life and then sank the foundering tug with gunfire. ''Citrus'' also assisted in getting a Liberty ship off the beach after it had been driven ashore by a severe storm. ''Citrus'' arrived at Ketchikan on 7 February 1944. On 20 February, ''Citrus'' was dispatched to assist ''Mary D'' which was hard aground on Point St. Alban's Reef. With the assistance of USCGC ''Hemlock'' and ''LT-151''. ''Mary D'' was re-floated. After jettisoning some cargo, she could continue on to Ketchikan. On 27 February 1944, ''Citrus'' was dispatched to the assistance of Army tug USAT ''ST-169'' in distress in Chatham Strait after losing its crib tow. On 17 October 1944 ''Citrus'' departed
Petersburg Petersburg, or Petersburgh, may refer to: Places Australia *Petersburg, former name of Peterborough, South Australia Canada * Petersburg, Ontario Russia *Saint Petersburg, sometimes referred to as Petersburg United States *Peterborg, U.S. Virg ...
to render assistance to ATS ''Brunswick'' aground in
Wrangell Narrows The Wrangell Narrows is a winding, 35-km-long (22 mi) channel between Mitkof Island and Kupreanof Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. The Wrangell Narrows is one of the six Listed narrows in Southeast Alaska. There are a ...
. ''Citrus'' pulled her afloat and the latter continued on under its own power. ''Citrus'' spent the remainder of the war conducting aids to navigation, logistics, and vessel escort duties in Southwestern Alaskan waters.


Postwar

From the end of the war until 29 June 1964, ''Citrus'' continued to be stationed at Ketchikan and conducted aids to navigation duties. On 9 September 1948, ''Citrus'' assisted MV ''Caledonia'' in Idaho Inlet. From 29–31 October 1948, the tender assisted . From 13–19 February 1950, ''Citrus'' searched for a missing USAF plane near the
Wrangell Narrows The Wrangell Narrows is a winding, 35-km-long (22 mi) channel between Mitkof Island and Kupreanof Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. The Wrangell Narrows is one of the six Listed narrows in Southeast Alaska. There are a ...
. During 25–27 August 1950, the cutter provided assistance to the barge ''Bisco 3'' near Ratz Harbor and a fishing vessel ''Vermay'' near
Cape Muzon Cape Muzon is a cape located in the Alexander Archipelago of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the southernmost point of Dall Island and the headland marking the northwestern extremity of the Dixon Entrance. The boundary line separating Alaska from C ...
, and towed the power scow ''Chichagof'' near Cape Chacon. On 19 May 1951, ''Citrus'' escorted USCGC ''White Holly'' to Ketchikan after the latter struck a rock. On 25 May 1951, ''Citrus'' assisted fishing vessel ''Dolores'' near Point Gardner and from 21 to 27 July 1951 ''Citrus'' searched for a missing Canadian Douglas DC-4 aircraft. During 15–19 January 1952, ''Citrus'' escorted USCGC ''Cahoone'' to Sitka. On 8 June 1952, the cutter towed the fishing vessel ''Pioneer'' to Ketchikan and assisted the fishing vessel ''Hobo'' near Lincoln Island on 13 August 1952. Ten days later, on 23 August 1952 ''Citrus'' assisted the fishing vessel ''Cinuk'' in the
Behm Canal Behm Canal is a natural channel in the Alexander Archipelago, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Alaska. About long, Behm Canal separates Revillagigedo Island from the mainland. From the Clarence Strait, Behm Canal extends north and n ...
. On 24 August 1953, it helped the tug ''Saturn'' recover its lost tow at 56° 25' N, 14° 28' W. ''Citrus'' then spent 25–30 August 1953 searching for, finding, and towing a scow to Ketchikan. On 13 October 1953, ''Citrus'' assisted the grounded ''APL-55'' near the Dangerous River. From 30 June 1964 to 1979 ''Citrus'' was stationed at
Kodiak Kodiak may refer to: Places *Kodiak, Alaska, a city located on Kodiak island * Kodiak, Missouri, an unincorporated community *Kodiak Archipelago, in southern Alaska *Kodiak Island, the largest island of the Kodiak archipelago ** Kodiak Launch Com ...
, Alaska, and operated frpom there in support of aids to navigation. On 12 February 1965, she located two Soviet fishing vessels from U.S. territory. After she notified them they had entered U.S. territorial waters, they departed. On 8 March 1965, the ''Citrus''s crew fought a fire on MV ''Kalaikh'' off Alaska and towed her to Kodiak. On 3 May 1965, ''Citrus'' transported a seaman from the Soviet fishing vessel ''Churkzn'' to Kodiak Island. On 6 February 1967, the fishing vessel ''Astronaut'' was wrecked on the coast of
Akutan Island Akutan Island ( ale, Akutanax̂; russian: Акутан) is an inhabited island in the Fox Islands group of the eastern Aleutian Islands in the Aleutians East Borough of Alaska. Geography The island is approximately 18 mi (30 km) in ...
in the Aleutian Islands. Her four crewmen reached shore and survived. Two skiffs – one each from the vessels ''Honey B'' and ''Menshikov'' – were wrecked trying to reach them; all four crewmen aboard the skiffs survived and joined ''Astronaut''s four crewmen on the beach. The fishing vessel ''American Star'' rescued four of them, and aircraft dropped
tent A tent () is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over, attached to a frame of poles or a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using gu ...
s and sleeping bags to the other four. Eventually, ''Citrus'' arrived on the scene and rescued them.alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (A)
/ref> From 24 to 26 January 1968, the crew of ''Citrus'' fought a fire on the Japanese motor vessel ''Seifu Maru'' in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. On 9 August 1968, she assisted the distressed motor vessel ''Dantzler'' after ''Dantzler'' ran aground, and she escorted ''Dantzler'' from near Cook Inlet to Homer, Alaska. On 1 April 1969, ''Citrus'' flew a patient from the fishing vessel ''Zulyo Maru'' off Alaska. On 8 May 1970, she towed the disabled fishing vessel ''Shirley Rose'' to Kodiak. On 20 October 1970, ''Citrus''s crew rescued 31 eople from the grounded ferry ''Tustumena'' near Kodiak. On 19 January 1974 ''Citrus'' searched for missing crew members from the fishing trawler ''John and Olaf'' in the Gulf of Alaska. On 27 February 1979, ''Citrus'' struck a submerged object in the Ouzinkie Narrows between Kodiak Island and Spruce Island. Although there were no casualties, the ship sustained significant damage. In March 1979 ''Citrus'' was converted into a medium-endurance cutter.


Medium-endurance cutter duty

Upon her conversion to a medium endurance cutter, ''Citrus'' home port was Coos Bay, Oregon. The cutter's mission was primarily law enforcement and search and rescue. Her primary law enforcement activities involved the boarding of domestic and foreign fishing vessels. After attempting to send a boarding party for a drug search on 1 January 1985, ''Citrus'' was rammed by the Panamanian MV ''Pacific Star'' southwest of San Diego. ''Pacific Star'' was scuttled by its crew. Seven crewmen were rescued and of
marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
was seized.


Awards and honors

Throughout her 51 years of service, ''Citrus'' was decorated with four Unit Commendations, three
Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
s, two Arctic Service Medals, the
American Defense Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had served o ...
, World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.


Dominican Navy

''Citrus'' was initially transferred to the Mexican Navy, but delivery was refused in February 1995. ''Citrus'' was transferred to the
Dominican Navy The Navy of the Dominican Republic ( es, Armada de Republica Dominicana (ARD)), is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force. History After the Dominican Republic gained i ...
on 16 September 1995, and renamed ''Almirante Juan Alejandro Acosta'' (C-456). It was rearmed with a 102 mm 45 caliber DP gun, two single Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, and four
M60 machine gun The M60, officially the Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60, is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. There are several types of ammunition approved for ...
s. ''Acosta'' was decommissioned by the Dominican Navy in 2012.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Citrus Cactus-class seagoing buoy tenders 1942 ships Almirante Juan Alejandro Acosta Historic American Engineering Record in Oregon Ships built in Duluth, Minnesota