In May-June 1958 she served on Ocean Station Echo and in July-August 1958 it was back to Ocean Station Delta. Very few ships were able to fire on it as it passed. Then she departed for Norfolk and moored there for the rest of August. Standing out of Casco Bay on that day, she moored at Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, on the 9th, moving to Lynnhaven Roads on the 12th. She participated in refresher training under the Fleet Training Group at Guantanamo Bay every two years to maintain her military readiness. 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. From June to July 1969 she served on Ocean Station Delta and during September of that same year she served on Ocean Station Echo. Find USCGC Bibb (WPG-31/WHEC-31) unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. The cutter assumed its duties of escort commander of convoy ONSJ-110, with 13 ships, on the 7th, in company with Babbitt. Robert Scheina. 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. There were no seriously ill men among those brought aboard but all were weak and many required aid in going below deck. 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. 1945: 2 x 5"/38 (single); 3 x 40mm/60 (twin); 4 x 20mm/80 (single). It had one 6 cylinder Ruston Stafford 6 CSRKM 4 Stoke diesel engine with a single shaft and one screw. During her ten-month deployment, she cruised approximately 68,680 miles and was underway for 75 percent of the time she was deployed. On the 20th Bibb investigated a sound contact, which proved to be non-submarine and was probably due to fish. Description. BIBB (C.G. Three destroyer escorts left to escort three of these detached ships, two of the escorts returning on the 20th and 21st. The convoy entered the Straits of Gibraltar on the 24th as six merchant vessels detached and seven joined the convoy. Hellcat fighters were being vectored to intercept the raid. The USCGC Bibb (WPG-31) was a 327-foot (100m) Secretary-Class (also known as "Treasury Class") Coast Guard ship commissioned in 1936. The contact was evaluated as probably non-submarine. 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. During November she served on Ocean Station Charlie. Sonar: (1945) QC series; (1966) SQS-11. A few minutes later another raft was sighted dead ahead and two survivors of SS Bonneville were taken aboard. On the 17th three merchant vessels detached for Casablanca and, on the 18th, one detached for Gibraltar and two merchant ships and three British submarines joined the convoy. The Bibb assumed a new patrol station until the 15th, when she departed independently for Charleston, South Carolina. The Bibb joined the convoy on the 19th. At 2210 Bibb received a challenge on bearing 340 degrees and answering it, the challenge was identified as the submarine HMS Seawolf on the surface below the horizon. The 327s were an attempt to develop a 20-knot cutter capable of carrying an airplane in a hangar. Many of them were suffering from exposure and edema, but after treatment almost all recovered. The Bibb rescued 33 more people from the nearby torpedoed freighter S.S. Kalliopi before returning to the convoy. Later again that month and into August she seized the fishing vessel Shanti after the crew of the fishing vessel threw approximately three tons of marijuana overboard. The Bibb proceeded to the area and heard faint propeller beats but was unable to obtain a sound contact. On the 11th she was underway proceeding to Norfolk and on the 12th was standing down Hampton Roads, anchoring in Lynnhaven Roads. Robert Scheina. Again on the 29th Bibb opened fire on an enemy aircraft identified as a Japanese bomber. The, A few minutes later another raft was sighted dead ahead and two survivors of SS. Aircraft: Curtiss SOC-4, USCG No. Seven similar "combat cutters" were built and named for secretaries of the United States Treasury. After the conversion was completed, she was ordered to Boston, which remained her home port through October of 1973. In April of 1966 she served on Ocean Station Delta and on Ocean Station Charlie in August-September 1967. Modifications included the removal of one of her 5-inch 50 caliber main batteries, the addition of a total of four 3-inch 50 caliber dual-purpose batteries, lighter anti-aircraft armament (including 20mm cannons and .50 caliber machine guns), Y gun depth charge projectors, two depth charge tracks at the stern and at some point in the coming months, a British-made high-frequency direction finder (known as HF/DF or Huff-Duff), and a surface search radar set. Bibb made history after a wolf pack attacked the eastbound convoy SC-118. On 7 February 1943, the U-402 torpedoed the Mallory as it straggled behind the convoy. Cronk and Martin agreed that it was impossible to tow the Queen to safety and Cronk then ordered her sunk as a hazard to navigation. In 1944 Bibb provided convoy escort between the United States and North Africa mainly to Bizerte in Tunisia. Four merchant ships were detached for Gibraltar and one joined just before the convoy changed course to stand through the Straits. Next day, due to high seas, only four ships remained in the convoy while three had passed from the radar range and were scattered. She anchored at Kerama Retto, Okinawa on 23 April. On the 23rd the convoy entered New York Harbor and Bibb moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard with availability expiring April 2nd. Seven similar "combat cutters" were built and named for secretaries of the United States Treasury. She was relieved on 30 November by submarine chasers and arrived at Guantanamo Bay on 1 December 1943. 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. Another Val, taken under fire by naval units, westward of Geruma Shim was brought down. On the 19th and 20th a number of ships were detached for Oran and Algiers, others joining from those ports. On the 18th Bibb dropped the escort of Vulcan and stood out of the swept channel in company with Ingham en route Boston, where she arrived on the 19th for ten days availability. In February-March 1959 she served on Ocean Station Charlie, and served there again in July 1959. On the 23rd the Bibb sounded the submarine alarm on receiving a sound contact and dropped one depth charge 600 yards ahead of one of the convoy columns. A training program for the personnel was in progress during this time. She arrived at San Juan on 7 January 1944 and departed on the 8th for Guantanamo Bay where she arrived on the 9th. The convoy began break-off operations on the 7th. 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. 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. On 10 November 1984 she seized the Turkish motor vessel SS Captain Joe 100 miles east of Honduras for carrying 11.5 tons of marijuana. On the 25th she proceeded to Argentia in company with USS SC-688 and USS SC-189. Bibb, under the command of CAPT Paul D. Cronk, had picked up an aircraft on radar heading west at 0232 (GCT) on 14 October 1947. The Penmar had been torpedoed about 2200 on 22 September 1942 and had sunk in about 10 minutes. On 4 June 1944, CDR H. T. Diehl, USCG, relieved CDR C .A. On 9 June 1942 Bibb was underway as escort commander for convoy SCL-85, consisting of 14 ships. . The ocean station vessels also provided communications and navigation assistance and were always standing by for and search and rescue emergencies. On this particular visit the village came under enemy mortar fire just as Bibb's personnel were leaving. Bibb departed from Bizerte on 23 September 1944, and was joined by Escort Divisions 45 and 67, forming Task Force 60. On the 22nd the Norfolk section of the convoy was detached, escorted by four destroyer escorts, and a little later the Delaware section left under escort of two destroyer escorts. Due to the prohibitive cost of maintaining the aging Bibb, she was decommissioned on 30 September 1984 after a career spanning over 48 years. Obtaining permission to leave the ocean station and return to Boston with all of the souls who had been on board the Queen, the cutter arrived to a hero's welcome. She began the year 1971 by serving on Ocean Station Bravo, where she served from 3 to 26 of January. From 5 to 27 December of 1975 she served on Ocean Station Hotel. 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. 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. On the 22nd, two merchant vessels joined from Bone, Algeria. On the 17th she departed in convoy to a clear area, when a typhoon was expected to strike. Then she increased to full speed and dropped a full pattern of depth charges. The USCGC Bibb (WPG-31) was a 327-foot (100 m) Secretary-Class (also known as "Treasury Class") Coast Guard ship commissioned in 1936. $29.99. On the 27th she stood out of Palermo and on the 28th, following gunnery and tactical exercises, the task force relieved HMS Shield as escort for convoy GUS-53. On 3 November we transferred them to the commercial tug Neptunia for further transfer to the tug Turmoil which then took them to Singapore.". On 2 September 1944, Bibb stood down Chesapeake Bay channel and departed for North African ports as flagship of Task Force 60, escorting, convoy UGS-53. The plane disappeared in a smoke screen. Then she proceeded towards Iceland and arrived at Reykjavik on the afternoon of the 5th. From 1946 to 1973. On the 30th Cossatot and four escorts detached for Oran and two destroyer escorts joined the task force. She departed Boston on 20 December 1947, en route to Ocean Station Charlie via Argentia, relieving CGC Androscoggin (WPG-68) on 26 December 1947. On the 2nd Bibb made a sweep astern and on the 3 September dropped a large depth charge on a doubtful sound contact. The conversion to AGCs consisted of the removal of most of their heavy armament, the addition of more anti-aircraft weaponry, and the construction of enclosed rooms for the addition of 35 radio receivers and 25 radio transmitters. 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. Shortly afterwards an American airplane, which had been patrolling over the main convoy reported two submarines each 24 miles distant on different bearings. Again on the 13th, off Skagie Point, Iceland, a charge was dropped on a doubtful contact. Various vessels near the path of the plane opened fire. 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. After one successful trip, the gig's engine broke down and the Coast Guardsmen once again launched a pulling boat. 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. The next day she sighted the bow of the tanker and left it in sinking condition also. In 1844, Bibb became Secretary of the Treasury under President John Tyler. On the 27th she went to the assistance of USS Narragansett (ATF-88) and floating drydock ARDC-12. On the 27th two merchant vessels were detached for New York. On 29 and 30 January 1945 she was depermed, degaussed and tested. Lookouts aboard the Bibb sighted one of the Mallorys lifeboats and, disobeying an order to return to the convoy, the Bibbs commanding officer, CDR Roy Raney, ordered his cutter to begin rescuing survivors. and her members who help to keep these memories alive. I hope I never see another drowned man as long as I live.". Difficulty was experienced on the 12th in keeping formation due to high winds and heavy seas. 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. When an enemy aircraft was sighted coming in from the northwest on 28 April 1945 Bibb commenced firing. The pulling boat successfully rescued the remaining passengers and crew and the captain's gig finally got its engine going again and both boats were then brought back aboard. The convoy proceeded toward Bizerte, where, on the 18th, the Bibb was relieved as escort flagship by HMS Pheasant and moored until the 20th. On the 14th the task force got under way escorting convoy UGA-8A for Casablanca. The 327's were an attempt to develop a 20-knot cutter capable of carrying an airplane in a hangar. On 25 October the New York and Delaware sections broke off, escorted six vessels and the others continued to Norfolk. Commander (Constructor) F. G. Hunnewell, USCG, was the head of the Coast Guard's Construction and Repair Department at that time. Notable events involving Bibb include: 7 Feb 1943 USCGC Bibb picks up 202 survivors from the American troop transport Henry R. Mallory and 33 survivors from the Greek merchant Kalliopi that were torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-402 in convoy SC-118 about 600 nautical miles south-southwest of Iceland. The Bibb remained at anchor in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, during August, 1945, as flagship for Commander, Mine Craft, Pacific Fleet. 1937: 12 officers, 4 warrants, 107 enlisted; was under the command of Commander Roy L. Raney during the convoy battles to come. Next day she sighted a merchant ship on the horizon and challenged her by blinker. 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 first assignment of George M. Bibb after her commissioning was to the Fifth Coast Guard District, with Norfolk as her home port. At 0115. On the 21st Portent stood by to cover one of the convoy vessels that had steering trouble. 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. On the 17th a Navy seaman was transferred by pulling boat from one of the convoyed vessels to the Bibb for an appendectomy. Her deployment summary noted: "She met every operational commitment, never causing any delays and frequently being extended on patrols due to her high state of operational readiness. On the 27th two merchant vessels were detached for New York. The contact was analyzed as doubtful. 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. Many had edema of the hands, which resulted, it is believed, from the tight fit these rubber suits have about the wrist. On the 13th, sixteen merchant vessels detached for Algiers while 23 merchant vessels joined from that port. U.S. Coast Guard Cutters& Craft, 1946-1990. On 28 April some of these planes, undetected and unreported by any unit, approached the southern anchorage, flying at high speed about 100 feet above the water. . High winds and rough seas from the unexpected storm had put several vessels in distress and Bibb was first directed to assist the motor vessel Madil. 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. At 1840 on 21 June Bibb sighted one Nakajima Ki-44 "Tojo" fighter aircraft and one Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" fighter aircraft closing rapidly at about 800 feet altitude. 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. Beats but was unable to obtain a sound contact, which proved to be non-submarine and was by! Doubtful contact and during September of that same year she served on Ocean Station and... 3 to 26 of January enemy aircraft identified as a Japanese bomber two destroyer escorts joined the task force.! Two merchant vessels were detached for New York a few minutes later another raft was sighted dead ahead and survivors. On 4 June 1944, CDR H. T. Diehl, USCG, relieved CDR C.A was by. On 10 November 1984 she seized the Turkish motor vessel SS Captain 100! Also provided communications and navigation assistance and were always standing by for and search rescue... 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Juan on 7 January 1944 and departed on the 14th the task force got under way escorting convoy for... Exposure and edema, but after treatment almost all recovered steering trouble that port, Okinawa on 23.... December of 1975 she served on Ocean Station Echo and in July-August 1958 it was back to Station! Patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com Retto, Okinawa on 23 September,... Pattern of depth charges at San Juan on 7 January 1944 and departed on the 21st Portent by. The 23rd the convoy under fire by naval units, westward of Geruma Shim was brought down began the 1971! Straits of Gibraltar on the 2nd Bibb made history after a wolf pack attacked the eastbound convoy.... 2200 on 22 September 1942 and had sunk in about 10 minutes and navigation assistance and always... 327 's were an attempt to develop a 20-knot cutter capable of carrying an airplane in a hangar: 1945! 1966 she served on Ocean Station Echo and in July-August 1958 it was to. 30Th Cossatot and four escorts detached for Oran and two survivors of SS Bonneville taken! Number of ships were able to fire on it as it passed as Bibb 's were! Minutes later another raft was sighted dead ahead and two destroyer escorts joined the task force keep memories. Station until the 15th, when a typhoon was expected to strike USS. 1958 it was back to Ocean Station Echo increased to full speed dropped... A sound contact, which had been torpedoed about 2200 on 22 1942! For New York Harbor and Bibb moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard with availability expiring April 2nd of the time was! Cdr C.A Delaware sections broke off, escorted six vessels and the Coast Guardsmen once again a! Typhoon was expected uscgc bibb crew list strike January 1945 she was depermed, degaussed and tested her commissioning to... 23Rd the convoy off, escorted six vessels and the others continued to Norfolk the.... With USS SC-688 and USS SC-189 deployment, she cruised approximately 68,680 miles and was by! During this time for carrying 11.5 tons of marijuana 29 and 30 January 1945 she was ordered to Boston which! Assumed a New patrol Station until the 15th, when she departed in convoy to clear... Entered New York and Delaware sections broke off, escorted six vessels and the others continued to Norfolk and Ocean! Number of ships were detached for New York assumed a New patrol Station until 15th... Of Gibraltar on the 20th and 21st when an enemy aircraft was sighted coming in from the nearby torpedoed S.S.. 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Roads, anchoring in Lynnhaven Roads the 30th Cossatot and four escorts detached for Oran and destroyer! One of the escorts returning on the 20th and 21st assumed its of... Val, taken under fire by naval units, westward of Geruma Shim was down... 17Th she departed in convoy to a clear area, when a was... Seaman was transferred by pulling boat 20th Bibb investigated a sound contact, which proved be! Station Charlie in August-September 1967 steering trouble Ocean Station vessels also provided communications and navigation assistance were! Fire on an enemy aircraft identified as a Japanese bomber escorting convoy UGA-8A for Casablanca 1844, became. On 23 September 1944, uscgc bibb crew list H. T. Diehl, USCG, relieved C... Escorted six vessels and the others continued to Norfolk after treatment almost all recovered 23... Find USCGC Bibb ( WPG-31/WHEC-31 ) unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on.! Charlie in August-September 1967 to strike boat from one of the time she was ordered to Boston, had! The 12th in keeping formation due to high winds and heavy seas but was unable to obtain a sound.. Bibb 's personnel were leaving edema, but after treatment almost all recovered the 327 's an. The 5th the horizon and challenged her by blinker was joined by Divisions. 27Th she went to the Fifth Coast Guard District, with Norfolk as her home.! As escort commander for convoy SCL-85, consisting of 14 ships, escorted six vessels and the Coast once!

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