Frequently one, two or three boats were alongside and on one occasion there were as many as nine boats alongside at the same time. Next day she fired her port K-guns on a contact with negative results. and her members who help to keep these memories alive. 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. On 1 May 1965 the Treasury class vessels were re-designated as High Endurance Cutters or WHEC. At the end of World War II, each Secretary Class cutter was returned to her peace-time makeup. Bibb departed Brooklyn for Casco Bay, Maine, on 3 April and on the 5th began exercises which continued through the 7th. Three destroyer escorts left to escort three of these detached ships, two of the escorts returning on the 20th and 21st. On the 26th the escort carrier USS Card (CVE-11) reported a suspected submarine ten miles ahead. Sunk as an artificial reef off the Florida Keys on 28 November 1987, 2 x Westinghouse double-reduction geared turbines; 2 x Babcock & Wilcox sectional express, air-encased, 400 psi, 200 superheat. On the 28 May 37 ships detached for Hampton Roads. The cutter Bibb was named for George Motier Bibb, a prominent lawyer and jurist in Kentucky. On the 31st, the Casablanca section of the convoy, consisting of 27 ships, began breaking off. Departing Guantanamo on the 23rd she arrived at Norfolk on the 26 January 1944. Bibb then returned to Coast Guard control after she was converted back to her cutter configuration at the Navy Yard in Charleston. On two occasions she sent a medical team ashore to the fishing village of Song Ong Doc in An Xuyen Province, approximately 150 miles southwest of Saigon. Bibb continued at anchor in Kerama Retto until 7 July 1945 when she proceeded to Buckner Bay, where she anchored remaining through the 16th. Before Bibb could reach Nanaste, she received an "SOS " from the 200-foot motor vessel SS Vigilant, which was taking on water rapidly. During this mission she destroyed eight structures and seven sampans and damaged 21 structures and 16 sampans. depth charge on a doubtful sound contact, a school of stunned fish appeared on the surface. 2 x MK-13 high altitude parachute flare mortars. This standardization saved moneyalways paramount in the Coast Guards considerationsand the cutters were built in U.S. Navy shipbuilding yards. She anchored in Palermo outer harbor, moving next morning to the breakwater. Six hours later while returning to the convoy Bibb picked up 33 survivors from the Greek SS Kalliopi. A fire which broke out on Bibb on the 21st proved to be rags burning in a bucket. She remained there only seven hours and at 1729 stood out of Loch Foyle in company with Ingham and Vulcan for a trip direct to Norfolk, Virginia. Quartermaster Third Class Bill Batson, of Quincy, Massachusetts, reported: "We arrived on scene late in the afternoon of 1 November. From 14 August to 6 September of that same year she served on Ocean Station Echo. At 0115 Bibb, at general quarters, began making smoke to cover sector one of the convoy. By March 1st the Azores group had departed and on the same day the Casablanca section of the convoy, consisting of seven merchant vessels and USS Cossatot (AO-77), with three escorts detached. There was also an unoccupied lifeboat awash and two unoccupied rafts. The Bibb began searching for survivors and lookouts sighted large quantities of debris, including a swamped lifeboat. On 3 August 1942, Bibb, with escort commander in the cutter Ingham (WPG-35), was again on convoy duty. Also, during the mid-1930's, narcotics smuggling, mostly opium, was on the increase, and long-legged, fairly fast cutters were needed to curtail it. The ocean station vessels also provided communications and navigation assistance and were always standing by for and search and rescue emergencies. Fire Control Radar: (1945) Mk-26; (1966) Mk-26 MOD 4 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. Alton, George. Seven similar "combat cutters" were built and named for secretaries of the United States Treasury. She underwent a major renovation at East Boston's Bethlehem Steel Shipyard in early 1975, including extensive repairs to her hull and machinery spaces. Complement: 1937: 12 officers, 4 warrants, 107 enlisted; The next day, the 11th, Bibb sighted a ship on the horizon and proceeded toward it. The final 327-foot design was based on the Erie-class Navy gunboats; the machinery plant and hull below the waterline were identical. 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. Many of Bibb's crewmen leapt into the water to assist the nearly frozen survivors, and the cutter Ingham assisted. 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. On the 29th a general alarm was sounded on receiving a radar contact at a range of 11 miles, thought to be a possible aircraft. 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. Most recently, these ships-that-wouldn't-die have done duty in fisheries patrol and drug interdiction. She was commissioned on 10 March 1937. Thirty-two preliminary designs of a modified Erie-class gunboat were drawn up before one was finally selected. Her propelling plant consisted of twin propellers powered by geared turbines supplied with steam from oil fired boilers. The Bibb proceeded to the area and heard faint propeller beats but was unable to obtain a sound contact. An hour later, another ship in convoy fired at an unidentified object and soon afterwards the lookout on Bibb reported a wake crossing the bow from port to starboard at a distance of about 500 yards, which faded. 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. On the 27th two merchant vessels were detached for New York. Well done.". Two and a half hours after this rescue, Ingham sighted red flares and Bibb proceeded to cover Ingham while she picked up eight survivors from SS Tennessee. The ship 327' and is laying on its starboard side, in 130' of water and it was a gr. 1943: 2 x 5"/51 (single mount);4 x 3"/50 (single mounts); 2 x 20mm/80 (single); 1 x Hedgehog; 2 (?) On the same day two vessels broke off for Europe Point and the convoy was joined by the Gibraltar section. On the 13th she stood down the Norfolk swept channel and than reversed courses and stood up to the Naval Operating Bases for imperative repairs. On 7 March 1944, Bibb departed Casablanca with Task Force 66 and on the 8th relieved the senior British escort in HMS Bittersweet of convoy GUS-32. On 1 February 1943, Bibb was underway from St. John's to join eastbound convoy SC-118 and reported to commander Task Unit 24.6.1 at 1005. On the 24th, the New York section of 19 ships detached with four escorts. There she served as the flagship for Commander, Mine Craft, Pacific Fleet. Ten other destroyers dropped charges on doubtful contacts and Bibb made an embarrassing attack on a contact at 600 yards at 1430. USCGC Bibb (WPG-31/WHEC-31) - Coast Guard Unit Directory - Together We Served TWS Login MENU U.S. Army U.S. MARINE CORPS U.S. Navy U.S. Air Force U.S. Coast Guard Veterans Network USCGC Bibb (WPG-31/WHEC-31) USCGC Bibb (WPG-31/WHEC-31) If You Served In This Unit, Reconnect With Your Service Friends Today Join Now The Bibb , with Ingham , departed Boston on 8 September 1943, for area "R" off Block Island Sound for anti-submarine warfare practice, which consisted of simulated depth charging and head throw weapon runs on a submerged U.S. submarine and also acted as target for PT boats in combined destroyer and PTB exercises. A few minutes later a vessel in the convoy fired a machine gun at a reported visual contact. By 0305 the rescue ships had completed operations and were underway to rejoin the convoy. Bibb commenced making smoke at 0354, even before SOPA ordered it 14 minutes later. She remained underway except for three days, until 11 October, carrying out typhoon plan X-RAY. She departed Guantanamo Bay on 9 December 1943, escorting convoy GAT-104 and arrived at Trinidad on the 14th. The Bibb then discovered the motor vessel Mary J, disabled and drifting between South Caicos Island and Haiti. Bibb completed her deployment in February of 1969 and was relieved by Spencer. On the 21st a doctor from Babbitt was transferred to Bibb to treat that ship's doctor who had been stricken with pneumonia. On the 11th the convoy became scattered about noon by winds of gale force and heavy seas but was reformed six hours later. Executive Officer, LCDR Nicholas A. Forni. The USCGC Bibb was a 327-foot Secretary-Class Coast Guard ship commissioned in 1936. The planes drew away at 0440, the escorts ceased firing, and at 0448 the all clear was sounded and Bibb, ceasing to make smoke, was secured from general quarters. No other enemy action took place in Bibb's vicinity during the rest of May and she remained anchored, continuing as flagship of COMINPAC. Add to cart Buy Now. Thirteen merchant ships under escort of Bibb and ComCorDiv 45, consisting of six Coast Guard-manned destroyer escorts, proceeded to New York, while the remainder, under the Navy manned-destroyer escorts of ComCorDiv 67, detached for New York. The Bibb changed course to join convoy HX-227. The Bibb remained at anchor in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, during August, 1945, as flagship for Commander, Mine Craft, Pacific Fleet. While on ocean station, the Bibb came to the rescue of the airliner, the Bermuda Sky Queen. On the 2nd they were en route to Raufarhofn, where Nova discharged and loaded passengers. On the 26th the Delaware section of the convoy departed under escort of Ingham and USS Threat (AM-124) and at 0935 the lead ships were ordered to follow Bibb to the swept channel of New York harbor. The ship saw service in World War II. There were no seriously ill men among those brought aboard but all were weak and many required aid in going below deck. Description [ edit] MV Hephaestus was a steel -built tanker with a tonnage of 595 GRT. Waters continued: "the 327's battled, through the 'Bloody Winter' of 1942-43 in the North Atlantic--fighting off German U-boats and rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoy ships. During these visits, Dr. John Bulette, the on-board medical officer assigned to, She returned to Boston, where she was home-ported until October of 1973. Bibb saw service in World War II. The Duane was directed to stand by while repairs were made. Because of the weather zigzagging was discontinued. The Bibb launched a motor life boat to recover the men in the raft while Bibb was rolling up to 40-degrees in the heavy seas. 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. After the conversion was completed, she was ordered to Boston, which remained her home port through October of 1973. Hellcat fighters were being vectored to intercept the raid. The convoy proceeded toward Bizerte, where, on the 18th, the Bibb was relieved as escort flagship by HMS Pheasant and moored until the 20th. 1966: 10 officers, 3 warrants, 133 enlisted. She received credit for the destruction of one Japanese aircraft. I hope I never see another drowned man as long as I live.. Seventh Fleet as a part of Coast Guard Squadron Three. On the 9th at noon the SCL-118, consisting of seven vessels bound for IceIand, began breaking off from the main convoy, escorted by Bibb, Ingham, and Schenck and entered Reykjavik Harbor on 14 February 1943. On the next day she departed the convoy in company with Schenck and arrived at Hvalfjordur that evening, proceeding to Reykjavik next day. No lifeboats were believed to have gotten away from the starboard side of the vessel, which had 499 persons on board. Her final assignment began in November of 1987 when she was intentionally sunk in an upright position resting in 120 feet of water. On this particular visit the village came under enemy mortar fire just as Bibb's personnel were leaving. Later that afternoon Bibb dropped an eight charge barrage on a sound contact and whet appeared to be a torpedo wake. Bibb also provided logistical support to U.S. Navy "Swift" boats and Coast Guard 82-foot patrol boats of Coast Guard Squadron One. The convoy entered the Straits of Gibraltar on the 24th as six merchant vessels detached and seven joined the convoy. Being unable to re-establish the contact the vessels returned to their former course. 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." When completed on the 15th the convoy formation consisted of 12 columns of ships. On the 22nd, two merchant vessels joined from Bone, Algeria. On the 28 May 37 ships detached for Hampton Roads. Five minutes later the ship on which the explosion had occurred sank, bow first. There were no persons aboard. Many had edema of the hands, which resulted, it is believed, from the tight fit these rubber suits have about the wrist. A former officer on board, made history after a wolf pack attacked the eastbound convoy SC-118. 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