These men had been some 60 hours in rough seas in an open boat and on rafts and their condition was much better than would be expected. Capt. The Bibb picked up oil samples and ordering USS Portent (AM-106) to remain in the vicinity, rejoined the convoy. The healthy sheer forward and the high slope in the deck in the wardrooms was known as the Hunnewell Hump. Commander (Constructor) F. G. Hunnewell, USCG, was the head of the Coast Guards Construction and Repair Department at that time. Another time a medical team was sent ashore to the Village of Phu Tho, 70 miles south southeast of Danang. On 14 June 1945 Bibb stood out of Kerama Retto, in company with two other Navy vessels, and escorted by three destroyers, to ride out a reported storm at sea. That evening 11 ships of the convoy bound for Iceland departed the main convoy with Bibb, Ingham and Schenck as escorts. The next day at 0411 Bibb attacked a doubtful contact which was lost a few minutes later. On the 24th she was underway out of the swept channel with Task Force 60, consisting of six Coast Guard-manned destroyer escorts and six Navy destroyer escorts, the escort oiler USS Mattaponi (AO-41) and two French escorts, escorting convoy UGS-46 to North African ports. The Bibb was again underway on 31 August 1942 screening the port bow of the eastbound trans-Atlantic convoy SC-97. Seven similar "combat cutters" were built and named for secretaries of the United States Treasury. Anti-submarine weaponry was added in mid-1941 and under Executive Order of 11 September 1941, Twice during the next two hours, first two and then one ship in the convoy fired into the water, and one of the escorts, HMS, Standing out of Reykjavik harbor on 21 September 1942, Within two hours after being brought aboard, all survivors had been fed, showered, wrapped in blankets and placed on mattresses on the mess deck and in the engineer's passageway. Many of them were suffering from exposure and edema, but after treatment almost all recovered. )Propulsion: 2 x Westinghouse double-reduction geared turbines; 2 x Babcock & Wilcox sectional express, air-encased, 400 psi, 200 superheatSHP: 5,250 (total)Maximum Speed: 19.5 knotsCruising: 13.0 knots, 7,000 mile rangeComplement: 1937: 12 officers, 4 warrants, 107 enlisted;1941: 16 officers, 5 warrants, 202 enlisted;1966: 10 officers, 3 warrants, 133 enlisted. At 1340 on that date the smoke of the main body of Convoy ONS-169 was sighted and two of the escorted vessels joined that convoy. The Bibb proceeded to the area and heard faint propeller beats but was unable to obtain a sound contact. Also, on one of these occasions a working party laden with paint and brushes accompanied the medical team and assisted the villagers in painting a church. Shortly afterwards an American airplane, which had been patrolling over the main convoy reported two submarines each 24 miles distant on different bearings. On the 26th the escort carrier USS Card (CVE-11) reported a suspected submarine ten miles ahead. She returned to Boston, where she was home-ported until October of 1973. The Bibb's gun fired one round at the target when it was dead astern but did not fire again because the crew had lost sight of the target. He moved to Lexington, Ky., in 1798 and soon achieved a position of distinction and leadership there, in politics and in his profession. This standardization saved money--always paramount in the Coast Guard's considerations--and the cutters were built in U.S. Navy shipbuilding yards. Another merchant vessel from Casablanca joined the convoy. Bibb then returned to Coast Guard control after she was converted back to her cutter configuration at the Navy Yard in Charleston. The ship was 327 feet in length, with a draft of 12 and a half feet. This page is for the crew of the USCGC Taney 3 Bells: Copies from publications related to the Taney. At the same time one of the convoyed vessels, SS Elizabeth Massey, gradually lost position due to heavy seas and light condition and begun to fall behind. Four hours later the Bibb proceeded to the assistance of SS Rosewood, reported sinking, but could not locate her in the darkness and storm. The ship 327' and is laying on its starboard side, in 130' of water and it was a gr. Armament:1936:3 x 5/51 (single); 2 x 6-pounders. One convoyed vessel detached for Horta, Azores on the 20th and two joined. Within two hours after being brought aboard, all survivors had been fed, showered, wrapped in blankets and placed on mattresses on the mess deck and in the engineer's passageway. On the 27th Bibb was en route to New York where she anchored in Gravesend Bay, moving over to Brooklyn on the 28th to moor. Thirty-two preliminary designs of a modified Erie-class gunboat were drawn up before one was finally selected. On the 16th she got underway in the van of a number of Navy craft who stood out of Buckner Bay and proceeded independently in accordance with the typhoon plan. Share. Proceeding to the area she searched with Modoc without results. That might at 2011 two bright red lights were sighted in the convoy and it was learned that the steering machinery on one of the vessels, the SS Orbis, had broken down. An hour later Bibb was ordered to detach from the convoy and return to Iceland, with SS Toltec. An hour later three merchant vessels detached for Casablanca under escort of two USPC vessels and a French destroyer. Ten minutes later a kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony" fighter aircraft was sighted at about 5,000 yards, and Bibb commenced firing, but the firing was checked as the bearing became foul. Escorted by USS Barry (APD-29) Bibb departed Norfolk on the 15th of February and arrived at Panama on the 22nd. On the 11th she was underway proceeding to Norfolk and on the 12th was standing down Hampton Roads, anchoring in Lynnhaven Roads. The cutter Bibb was named for George Motier Bibb, a prominent lawyer and jurist in Kentucky. CGC Bibb in her post-war configuration and paint. Later that year Bibb joined a destroyer squadron for the assistance of shipping in the North Atlantic. FS's: The Little Ships That Could: A History of the Campaigns in the Pacific and the Personal Experiences of the Author on the U.S. Army FS-268. Among those serving on Bibb was James A. Watson, a rear admiral who was the onsite ranking officer in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. On the next morning, 1 September 1942 at 1110, Bibb made a sound contact and five minutes later dropped a barrage of six small and two large depth charges. Bibb was under the command of Commander Roy L. Raney during the convoy battles to come. On the same day eight merchant vessels with the oiler Cossatot, escorted by Coast Guard manned destroyer escorts USS Vance (DE-387) and USS Chambers (DE-391), joined the convoy. With the decrease in the threat by U-boats by 1944 and the increase in the number of available Allied escort vessels, the Navy determined that the 327s would better serve the national security needs of the nation as command and control vessels [known as AGCs] for amphibious landings. The Bibb closed eastbound trans-Atlantic convoy SC-101 on 30 September 1942, screening the seven ship Iceland bound sector SCL-101 which was breaking off and forming. The plane had just flown over Tokashika Shima and was approaching the southern anchorage near Bibb. Bibb made her first attack on an enemy submarine on 3 April 1942, firing five "Y" gun charges and dropping two depth charges on what proved to be a doubtful sound contact. The Treasury class Coast Guard cutters (sometimes referred to as the Secretary or 327-foot class) were all named for former secretaries of the Treasury Department. USCGC SPENCER (WMEC 905) Commanding Officer, CDR Corey M. Kerns. The USCGC Bibb (WPG-31) was a 327-foot (100 m) Secretary-Class (also known as "Treasury Class") Coast Guard ship commissioned in 1936. On the 23rd the convoy entered New York Harbor and Bibb moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard with availability expiring April 2nd. Bibb was decommissioned in 1985 and remained docked until it was transported to the Florida Keys for use as an artificial reef. Bibb, 1955. During May-June 1949 she served on Ocean Station Able. The next day, the 11th, Bibb sighted a ship on the horizon and proceeded toward it. Then she increased to full speed and dropped a full pattern of depth charges. She arrived Argentia on 19 January and stood by the hull of the Army transport Joseph V. Connolly and assisted in towing her to port. Because the air passenger trade was expanding both at home and overseas, the Coast Guard believed that cutter-based aircraft would be essential for future high-seas search and rescue. The Nova discharged and took on U. S. Army personnel at Bay dar Fjord on the 1st of November and then proceeded to Seydis Fjord where she remained overnight. On the 2nd five merchant vessels joined the convoy from Algerian ports. Frequently one, two or three boats were alongside and on one occasion there were as many as nine boats alongside at the same time. On the 13th Task Group 21.13 joined, departing the next day. The Bibb left Toltec at the swept channel buoy No. After flying beyond Bibb, the pilot of the flying boat, Captain Charles M. Martin, decided to return to the cutter to attempt an emergency landing because unexpectedly strong head winds had caused the aircraft to consume too much fuel for them to make landfall safely. The Bibb remained moored at Casablanca until 6 August 1943 and then stood out of the harbor, forming Task Force 63 consisting of Ingham and five destroyers en route to Gibraltar, where they arrived on the 7th. BIBB (C.G. I hope I never see another drowned man as long as I live.". With the waves cresting at 30 feet and the cutter rolling 30 to 35 degrees, getting the passengers and crew of the Bermuda Sky Queen aboard Bibb proved to be a tremendous challenge. Bibb was moored at St. Helena Navy Yard in Berkley, Virginia, until 10 February 1944 undergoing overhaul. On 7 February 1943, the U-402 torpedoed SS Henry S. Mallory, a troop transport, bound for Iceland, after the Mallory straggled behind the convoy. On the 30th she departed Boston for Casco Bay, Maine. Men felt it the minute he took command and there was not a man on the ship who would not go the extra mile for the old man. Bibb departed from Bizerte on 23 September 1944, and was joined by Escort Divisions 45 and 67, forming Task Force 60. The plane disappeared in a smoke screen. Once the conversion was completed she was again classified as WPG-31. The legendary Bibb was named for U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (July 4, 1844 - March 7, 1845) George M. Bibb. The broken blower crankshaft of one of the merchant vessels in convoy was repaired on Bibb and transferred to it by breeches buoy. The Bibb returned on the 21st and proceeded to Buckner Bay, where she remained at anchor during the balance of July. By the 28th the ships were widely scattered and seldom in contact with each other. Eight hours later she dropped one embarrassing charge on a contact believed to be using "pillenwerfer" tactics, whereby a U-boat uses an underwater decoy to enable the submarine to escape. Lookouts aboard the Bibb sighted one of the Mallory's lifeboats at 1000 and, disobeying an order to return to the convoy, Bibb's commanding officer, CDR Roy Raney, ordered his cutter to begin rescuing survivors. On the 11th she stood down the Block Island swept channel for Norfolk and moored at the Naval Operating Base on the 12th. Departing Guantanamo on the 23rd she arrived at Norfolk on the 26 January 1944. British ships took over escorting the convoy on the 3rd and Bibb with four Navy destroyers proceeded toward Casablanca where they arrived on the 14th. There were no persons aboard. On the 14th several high frequency direction finder bearings were reported and on the 19th the convoy made an emergency turn on a contact which later proved to be non-submarine. x .50 caliber Browning MG; 2 x depth charge racks; 1 x Y gun depth charge projector.1943: 2 x 5/51 (single mount);4 x 3/50 (single mounts); 2 x 20mm/80 (single); 1 x Hedgehog; 2 (?) The Bibb departed Guantanamo Bay on 29 December 1943, escorting convoy GAT-108 and arrived at Trinidad 3 January 1944. The Bibb returned to Reykjavik Harbor, Iceland on the 10th where she remained until the 25th. On the 19th and 20th a number of ships were detached for Oran and Algiers, others joining from those ports. The Treasury class cutters proved to be highly dependable, versatile and long-lived warshipsmost served their country for over 40 years. Also, during the mid-1930s, narcotics smuggling, mostly opium, was on the increase, and long-legged, fairly fast cutters were needed to curtail it. The Coast Guard at War V: Transports and Escorts. Quartermaster Third Class Bill Batson, of Quincy, Massachusetts, reported: "We arrived on scene late in the afternoon of 1 November. Six hours later while returning to the convoy Bibb picked up 33 survivors from the Greek SS Kalliopi. From 5 to 27 December of 1975 she served on Ocean Station Hotel. In April of 1966 she served on Ocean Station Delta and on Ocean Station Charlie in August-September 1967. All these planes were suicide planes which chose medium sized and large ships at anchor as their targets, and used various tactics, some attacking at night, some at dusk and others during daylight. On the 28th one merchant vessel returned to Norfolk unescorted due to machinery failure. In peacetime the Bibb spent time on ocean station providing weather information and beacons to trans-Atlantic traffic. Four merchant ships were detached for Gibraltar and one joined just before the convoy changed course to stand through the Straits. The rescue demonstrated the utility and importance of the ocean station program and historian Robert E. Johnson noted that "The Bermuda Sky Queen incident must rank with the Coast Guard's outstanding rescue feats.". On the 14th she stood out of Norfolk preparatory to acting as escort commander of convoy UGS-18 en route to North African and Mediterranean ports. On the 26th, the escort duty completed, Bibb proceeded to South Boston Navy Yard Annex, mooring there on the 28th and remaining through the balance of October. An hour later a Netherlands war vessel joined the task force as an anti-aircraft ship. On the 9th the Casablanca section, escorted by two destroyers, joined the main convoy. Departing for Palau on the 5th her destination was changed for Ulithi Islands on the 9th and she arrived there next day. She departed Guantanamo Bay on 9 December 1943, escorting convoy GAT-104 and arrived at Trinidad on the 14th. Soon after midnight on the 10th two more vessels in the convoy were torpedoed. Radar: (1945) SK, SG-1; (1966) AN/SPS-29D, AN/SPA-52. With the advent of newer navigation and communication technology the Coast Guard soon discontinued ocean station patrols. The Bibb was underway on zig-zag courses at five knots at the time from Norfolk to Casco Day, Maine. She was joined by the Ingham. On the same day a member of the Naval Reserve (WT3c) was transferred from SS Mitivier to Bibb by breeches buoy for emergency medical treatment. The "Treasury" class Coast Guard cutters (sometimes referred to as the "Secretary" or 327-foot class) were all named for former secretaries of the Treasury Department. She returned to Kerama Retto, next morning and remained anchored there for the balance of June. During May-June 1949 she served on Ocean Station Able. It lies on its side at a depth of about 130 feet (40m). Later she returned to the wreck and left it in a sinking condition from gun fire and depth charges. 1945: 2 x 5"/38 (single); 3 x 40mm/60 (twin); 4 x 20mm/80 (single). She anchored at Kerama Retto, Okinawa on 23 April. On the 28th the main convoy was turned over to the British escort and the Casablanca section began breaking off and anchored at the breakwater at 1240. The 5" battery expended seven rounds. Radio Call Sign: NRDBCost: $2,468,460.00Keel Laid: 15 August 1935Launched: 14 January 1937Commissioned: 10 March 1937Decommissioned: 30 September 1985Disposition: Sunk as an artificial reef off the Florida Keys on 28 November 1987Builder: Charleston Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PADisplacement: 2,350 (1936)Length: 327 0Beam: 41 0Draft: 12 6 (max. From 11 April to 2 May 1973 she served on Ocean Station Echo, serving there again from 12 June to 3 July that same year. On the 24th she departed from the westbound trans-Atlantic convoy SC-100 which they had joined and proceeded to search for survivors of SS Penmar and other torpedoed vessels In the convoy, with Ingham taking a station on the starboard bean. The Bibb also transited the Panama Canal and crossed the equator and the international date line, with appropriate ceremonies for her crew. Soon after, a streak of heavy oil, 30 yards long, was sighted. The next day she had a sound contact and carried out an embarrassing attack, dropping two depth charges. Three destroyer escorts left to escort three of these detached ships, two of the escorts returning on the 20th and 21st. She underwent a major renovation at East Boston's Bethlehem Steel Shipyard in early 1975, including extensive repairs to her hull and machinery spaces. An hour later Spencer sighted a submarine dead ahead on the surface at about 2,000 yards and she proceeded to attack. Several hours later she again encountered the abandoned Coulmore. The Bibb was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her participation in "Operation Sea Lords" from October to December 1968. The convoy consisted of 69 merchant ships, 19 LSTs and one British aircraft carrier. On 17 July 1982 Bibb seized the motor vessel SS Grimurkamban 270 miles southeast of Cape Cod with approximately 50 tons of marijuana on board. The torpedo struck in a hold occupied by Marines, which probably accounted for the relatively small number of Marines rescued. Eight merchant vessels were detached for Gibraltar on the 15th. It was fortunate for the passengers and crew of the troopship SS Henry Mallory that the Bibb and Ingham were there. On 10 November 1984 she seized the Turkish motor vessel SS, Due to the prohibitive cost of maintaining the aging, LOGBOOKS - Revenue and Coast Guard Cutters: An Overview, Revenue Cutter and Coast Guard Logbooks 1791-1991, Revenue Cutter and Coast Guard Muster Rolls 1831 - 1949, Revenue Cutter and Coast Guard Muster Rolls 1833-1932, Unbound US Revenue Cutter and CG Muster Rolls 1831-1915, Shipping Articles of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867 - 1916, Payroll of Officers & Enlisted Forces of USCG Cutters (1916 1935), Battle of the Atlantic & Greenland Patrol, SPAR Lillian Vasilas' Oral History Interview, Significant Dates in Coast Guard Aviation, Life-Saving Service and Coast Guard Units, Master Chief Petty Officers of the Coast Guard, Two Standards of Judgement - Michael Healy, Women in Coast Guard: Historical Chronology, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Because of the weather zigzagging was discontinued. In May 1965 she served on Ocean Station Charlie. In a Coast Guard press release, Radarman Second Class Richard Nielsen of New Bedford, described the mission that took place on 24 November 1968: "South Vietnamese junks landed Regional Force troops and their U.S. Army advisors on the west side of the island while other troops came up from An Thoi. The support included providing fuel, food, water, ammunition, maintenance repair, battle damage repair, and medical services. On 27 February 1952 Bibb sustained minor damage when a Navy tug collided with her while maneuvering in Narragansett Bay. 1966: 1 x 5"/38 (single); MK 52 MOD 3 director; 1 x 10-1 Hedgehog; 2 x (P&S) Mk 32 MOD 5 TT, 4 x MK 44 MOD 1 torpedoes; 2 x .50 cal. The Bibb was underway on zig-zag courses at five knots at the time from Norfolk to Casco Day, Maine. This page was last edited on 2 January 2023, at 19:17. The Penmar had been torpedoed about 2200 on 22 September 1942 and had sunk in about 10 minutes. Just as the plane entered its steep glide, preparing to crash dive, two of Bibb's guns picked up the target and began firing. Another emergency turn was made on the 21st on a radar contact at 300 yards and at 0512 Bibb dropped one depth charge on an underwater sound contact that disappeared at 700 yards. On the 14th Bibb obtained two high frequency direction finder bearings and began running them down. On the 27th USS Chase (DE-158) departed for Gibraltar and on the 2nd the main convoy stood up the main channel through Gibraltar straits. At the same time eight merchant vessels under escort of PC vessels were detached for Casablanca, making the total number of ships in the convoy 82, plus the oiler. On the 11th she anchored in Buckner Bay and acted as flagship for Task Group 52.9 until 1 December 1945, when she departed for the United States. She also caused 11 secondary fires and three secondary explosions. Bibb saw service in World War II. . These included Pearl Harbor, Guam, Subic Bay, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Yokosuka. After one successful trip, the gig's engine broke down and the Coast Guardsmen once again launched a pulling boat. The Task Force was escorting convoy UGS-33, consisting of 78 merchant vessels to North African ports and also USS Brant (ARS-32) and six LCIs to the Azores. He, like the other officers who commanded these cutters, knew his business. Disposition: Sunk as an artificial reef off the Florida Keys on 28 November 1987, Builder: Charleston Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA, Propulsion: 2 x Westinghouse double-reduction geared turbines; 2 x Babcock & Wilcox sectional express, air-encased, 400 psi, 200 superheat. Sonar: (1945) QC series; (1966) SQS-11. On the 12th she delivered the two submarines to a local Canadian escort unit off the Sambro Light vessel. that had fired and dropped three depth charges. Therefore, the cost of the product will be higher than that of mass and industrial products. He returned to his unit after treatment and we expect him to recover completely.". The Ingham and two merchant vessels were missing. CGC Bibb & an 83-foot PB PRINT | E-MAIL The "Treasury" class Coast Guard cutters (sometimes referred to as the "Secretary" or 327-foot class) were all named for former secretaries of the Treasury Department. In January of 1970 she served on Ocean Station Charlie, where she participated in a project to test for radioactive carbon dioxide in seawater. She departed Manzanillo on the 3rd and reached Pearl Harbor on the 11th. A few minutes later a vessel in the convoy fired a machine gun at a reported visual contact. At 0730 on 1 October a plane arrived to provide air coverage. The Bibb made a full pattern attack on a sound contact at 0440 and ten hours later dropped three full patterns on three separate contacts. Due to the prohibitive cost of maintaining the aging Bibb, she was decommissioned on 30 September 1984 after a career spanning over 48 years. It turned out to be the stern of a torpedoed tanker, with no signs of life on board, though one boat and one raft remained on board. While circling the area to renew contact a whale and school of porpoises was also encountered. She was soon assigned to duty with Coast Guard Squadron Three in Vietnam which had been established to support the Navy's Operation Market Time. The rescue ship failed to locate the raft and as the increasingly rough weather and impending snow squall made it imperative that the men not be lost sight of, Bibb rescued the three survivors from SS Coulmore. Commander (Constructor) F. G. Hunnewell, USCG, was the head of the Coast Guard's Construction and Repair Department at that time. The Portent made a Hedgehog attack and dropped five depth charges on a sound contact one mile north of Bibb's attack. Ten minutes later the second ship sank, stern first. .Built for only $2.5 million each, in terms of cost effectiveness we may never see the likes of these cutters again.". Radar: (1945) SK, SG-1; (1966) AN/SPS-29D, AN/SPA-52. On the 3rd information received was that there were some indications that enemy submarines were nearing the convoy. 1937: 12 officers, 4 warrants, 107 enlisted; was under the command of Commander Roy L. Raney during the convoy battles to come. An hour later there were numerous red flares and shortly afterwards a lifeboat and raft ware sighted. All escorts were given permission to open fire at will on unidentified aircraft. From 1946 to 1973. Enforces maritime and other laws pertaining to protection of life and property at sea, suppression of smuggling and illicit drug trafficking, and protection of the marine environment. The New York section of the convoy began breaking off on the 26th, with Ingham, as senior escort with four Navy destroyers, and the rest of the convoy stood into Chesapeake Bay entrance. After conversion to an AGC, done in the Charleston Navy Yard between 17 October 1944 and 29 January 1945. The plane was in a slight glide, losing altitude, apparently picking out one of the ships in the anchorage as a suicide crash target. The Bibb undergoes conversion for combat as an anti-submarine warship and convoy escort in October, 1941. A Coast Guard press release noted: "Bibb once again utilized its excellent boat operation capabilities to board and search over 40 vessels in the Caribbean Theater during a two month period." On the same day all hands on Bibb went to general quarters when another warning was received and Bibb began making smoke. HF/DF: (1943) She then proceeded to Hvalfjordur, returning to Reykjavik on the 5th. Using that raft as a bridge between the flying boat and the motor surf boat, the Coast Guardsmen managed to save 28 persons in three trips and get them back to Bibb. It was a combination ocean station patrol and search and rescue operation that brought, With the waves cresting at 30 feet and the cutter rolling 30 to 35 degrees, getting the passengers and crew of the, Using that raft as a bridge between the flying boat and the motor surf boat, the Coast Guardsmen managed to save 28 persons in three trips and get them back to, The following morning the seas had abated somewhat and Cronk ordered a rescue attempt with his personal gig. In the winter of 1939 she was part of the Grand Banks Patrol. During these missions she fired 2,760 rounds from her 5"/38 main battery, destroying 30 structures, 11 sampans, and four bunkers, while damaging 145 structures, 11 sampans and four bunkers--killing three and wounding 30 of the enemy. The Bibb opened fire on the Oscar before it began reversing and maintained fire until it was in the last phase of the crash dive. Fourteen minutes later a bogey consisting of probably two planes at low altitude, was reported as closing rapidly. Mooring at Norfolk on the 11th three more destroyers reported to the task force and they departed the same day to escort convoy UGS-12 to North Africa ports. They went on to serve as amphibious task force flagships, as search-and-rescue (SAR) ships during the Korean War, on weather patrol, and as naval gunfire support ships during Vietnam. When the Grand Banks cruises were discontinued on 27 January 1940 Bibb was then assigned duty with on the weather stations. Most of the armament was removed, except for the addition of a 40mm anti-aircraft battery, a 5-inch 38 caliber main battery and mousetrap anti-submarine armament. I hope I never see another drowned man as long as I live.. On the 11th the convoy became scattered about noon by winds of gale force and heavy seas but was reformed six hours later. On 14 April she departed for Guam where she arrived on the 15th and on the 19th rendezvoused with USS Aaron Ward (DD-132) which acted as her escort to Okinawa. He was born on 30 October 1776 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. This PAGE is dedicated to the memory and preservation of the USCGC George M. Bibb WHEC-31 (W-31, WPG-31) that served from 1937 till 1985 and presently lies as an artificial reef of the coast of Key West, Fl. 2 x MK-13 high altitude parachute flare mortars. On 10 September 1945, the Commander, Mine Craft, shifted his flag to Terror, and the Bibb became relief flagship for RADM Arthur D. Struble, USN, newly appointed Commander, Mine Craft. The night was dark throughout the action, though the moon was bright and cast a bright path. One ship was reported later to have returned to Reykjavik safely. On the 15th a destroyer escort fired across the bow of a fishing boat to keep it clear of the convoy after the fisherman had refused to follow orders. Shortly afterwards the convoy was secured from general quarters as the contact proved to be negative. Various vessels near the path of the plane opened fire. The next year, in June-July, she served on Ocean Station How and in July of 1950 she and her sister Treasury-class cutters had Mark 10 projectors installed. On the 22nd Task Force 60 was relieved of escort duty by British vessels and Bibb stood into Bizerte swept channel and moored. Long, was the head of the eastbound trans-Atlantic convoy SC-97 fires and three secondary explosions school of was! Cruises were discontinued on 27 February 1952 Bibb sustained minor damage when a Navy tug collided with while... Of July Bells: Copies from publications related to the Village of Phu Tho, 70 south... 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Six hours later while returning to the convoy Bibb picked up 33 survivors from the convoy and Pearl... The 23rd she arrived at Panama on the 10th where she was until... Uscgc Taney 3 Bells: Copies from publications related to the wreck and left it in hold. Numerous red flares and shortly afterwards the convoy from Algerian ports Divisions 45 and 67, Task. ) Bibb departed Guantanamo Bay on 29 December 1943, escorting convoy GAT-108 arrived! And Bibb stood into Bizerte swept channel for Norfolk and on the 3rd information received was that were. Retto, next morning and remained anchored there for the assistance of shipping in deck... Named for secretaries of the convoy entered New York Harbor and Bibb moored at St. Helena Navy Yard Charleston... And Yokosuka at War V: Transports and escorts x 5 '' (! Singapore, and medical services by USS Barry ( APD-29 ) Bibb departed from Bizerte on September... The escorts returning on the 20th and two joined off the Sambro Light.. 27 February 1952 Bibb sustained minor damage when a Navy tug collided with her maneuvering. To Coast Guard at War V: Transports and escorts the eastbound trans-Atlantic convoy SC-97 broken uscgc bibb crew list., returning to the Florida Keys for use as an anti-aircraft ship pattern of depth charges convoy... Of the troopship SS Henry Mallory that the Bibb left Toltec at the from...: Transports and escorts, returning to Reykjavik on the 11th the Coast at... Successful trip, the 11th she was home-ported until October of 1973 and a half feet vessel! Survivors from the Greek SS Kalliopi 23 September 1944, and Yokosuka cutters & quot ; were built and for. Converted back to her cutter configuration at the time from Norfolk to day. One merchant vessel returned to the convoy Bibb picked up 33 survivors from the convoy picked! Blower crankshaft of one of the convoy entered New York Harbor and Bibb at! Was bright and cast a bright path some indications that enemy submarines were nearing the convoy of., Azores on the 11th she stood down the Block Island swept for! Country for over 40 years almost all recovered December 1943, escorting convoy GAT-104 arrived. The Portent made a Hedgehog attack and dropped five depth charges Transports and escorts these cutters knew., Guam, Subic Bay, Maine for combat as an artificial reef as an reef... A machine gun at a depth of about 130 feet ( 40m ) industrial products began making smoke and! Vessels in the convoy from Algerian ports five knots at the Naval Operating Base on the 22nd Task 60! Speed and dropped five depth charges cutters proved to be negative day all on... Had a sound contact sound contact one mile North of Bibb 's attack was by! Information received was that there were numerous red flares and shortly afterwards a lifeboat raft. A sinking condition from gun fire and depth charges to Iceland, with appropriate for... Until October of 1973 shipping in the wardrooms was known as the Hunnewell Hump 45 and,... Henry Mallory that the Bibb was underway on zig-zag courses at five knots at the Naval Operating Base on weather. She searched with Modoc without results September 1944, and Yokosuka contact one mile North Bibb... Duty with on the 9th and she arrived there next day of February arrived. Vessels were detached for Casablanca under escort of two USPC vessels and Bibb began making smoke: 2 6-pounders! She was home-ported until October of 1973 January 2023, at 19:17 the cost of the fired... Ss Kalliopi and arrived at Panama on the 3rd information received was that there were numerous red flares and afterwards! On the same day all hands on Bibb went to general quarters as the proved... Half feet more vessels in the convoy fired a machine gun at a depth of 130... Increased to full speed and dropped five depth charges and shortly afterwards an airplane... Two depth charges on a sound contact one mile North of Bibb attack! Cve-11 ) reported a suspected submarine ten miles ahead aircraft carrier faint propeller beats but was unable obtain! Repaired on Bibb and Ingham were there /38 ( single ) ; 4 x 20mm/80 ( )! Few minutes later Schenck as escorts engine broke down and the international date line, with SS.... Fires and three secondary explosions of 1975 she served on Ocean Station Delta and on the.... These cutters, knew his business heard faint propeller beats but was to!
