ARIADNE+ DIONE+ PANDORA+
ATALANTA+ GALETEA* PERSEUS*
AURORA* HERMES* THETIS*
CALYPSO* ICARUS* TRITON+
CYANE+ NEMISIS+ ELECTRA+
* Two stacks- 337 tons + One stack- 334 tons
This is NOT a history of the 165’s service while commissioned U.S. Coast Guard vessels. This project concerns itself with events and circumstances after these ships were decommissioned and sold.
ARGO (W-100)
ARIADNE (W-101)
Launch 3.23.34 Seattle, WA. Com 10.9.34 Decom 12.23.68 Sold 9.26.69
Last of the 165’s to decom. Scrapped 1969 Orange, TX
ATALANTA (W-102)
Launch 6.16.34 Seattle, WA Com 9.20.34 Decom 8.1.50 Sold 12.7.54
Became M/V MYSTERY (doc #215 222) Eventually became a freight barge operating into late 1990’s. Present status unknown.
AURORA (W-103)
Launch 11.28.31 Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME. Com 12.21.31 Decom 1.17.68 Sold 12.16.68 Stationed San Pedro, CA in ‘30’s. Became private fishing vessel AURORA still operating into the late 1990’s. Present status unknown.
CALYPSO (W-104)
Launch 1.1.32 Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME. Com 1.16.32 Decom 7.18.47 Sold 11.2.55 for $16K. Acquired by Circle Line of New York in 1957 and placed into passenger service as M/V CIRCLE LINE XI. Still running original direct reversible Wintons with engine order telegraph exactly as when ship was built.
The engines are Winton model 158-6 (serial numbers 4167 and 4670) 670 HP each at
450 RPM. (in practical use, 300 to 320 RPM)
Electrical power DC except one AC generator dedicated to snack-bar, PA and fluorescent lighting. Vessel was acquired by Circle Line for possibly less than $20K
CYANE (W-105)
Launch 8.30.34 Seattle, WA Com 10.25.34 Decom 8.1.50 Sold 12.7.54
Name changed to RUBY E. Sunk in 1987 as artificial reef off Mission Bay (San Diego) 32-46-02N 117-16-36W in 80 feet
DAPHNE (W-106)
Launch 1.27.32 Bath Iron Works, Bath ME Com 2.21.32 Decom 8.1.50 Sold 12.7.54 Became M/V DAPHNE (Doc # 228 567) Possibly as towboat. Sold again to Mexican owners, allegedly still operating. Present status unknown.
DIONE (W-107)
Launch 6.30.34 Manitowoc,WI. Com 10.5.34 Decom 2.8.63 Sold 2.24.64
Became M/V DELTA I (Doc #297 193) then in use as oil exploration vessel
M/V BIG TROUBLE, then M/V AL RASHID. Converted in 1988 into a barge. Current status unknown.
GALATEA (W-108)
Launch 12.16.32 Camden, NJ (John Mathis Co.)
Com 2.3.33 Decom 3.15.48 Sold 7.1.48
Trf 1948 to Dominican Republic, renamed RESTAURACION (P-104)
Used for many years, laid up in storage 1982, reported sunk 1992
HERMES (W-109)
Launch 2.23.32 Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME.
Com 3.7.32 Decom 11.2.48 in Honolulu, HI. Towed to CG Base Alameda by CGC TRILLIUM. In storage 1948-1958 at CG Base. Sold 5.15.58 to the Learner Co of Oakland, CA (a scrap metal company) Departed CG Base 12 June ’58.
A report that the ship is a half submerged hulk off Point Richmond, CA in December of 2002 is being investigated.
ICARUS (W-110)
Launch 3.10.32 Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME
Com 4.1.32 Decom 1946 Sold 7.1.48
Trf 1948 Dominican Republic Renamed INDEPENDENCIA (P-105)
Used for many years, laid up in storage 1982, reported scrapped in 1992
but possibly still afloat and in use.
NEMESIS (W-111)
Launch 7.7.34 Point Pleasant, WV. (on the Ohio River) Com 10.10.34 Stationed in St Petersburg FL in mid ‘30’s Decom 11.20.64 Sold 2.9.66 Served as cargo vessel in Caribbean, then as a series of floating restaurants in Fort Lauderdale FL. Under the name ANCIENT MARINER, the ship capsized, was raised and repaired and continued as restaurant. Seized, sold at auction. Purchased by a Dive Club and sunk off Fort Lauderdale as an artificial reef.
NIKE (W-112)
Launch 7.7.34 Point Pleasant, WV (on the Ohio River) Com 10.24.34 Decom 11.5.64 Sold 5.9.66
Acquired by Circle Line of NY in 1967 and placed into passenger service as M/V CIRCLE LINE XVI. Original Winton engines removed, replaced by two Cummins VT-1710 twelve cylinder turbocharged diesels with TwinDisc gearboxes. Pilot house control. Electrical power still DC. There is an AC generator to supply AC power to snack-bar, PA, fluorescent lighting, etc. and two MG sets as backup
PANDORA (W-113)
Launch 6.30.34 Manitowoc, WI. Com 6.30.34 Decom 5.1.59 Sold 11.14.59
Sold for scrap.
PERSEUS (W-114)
Launch 4.11.32 Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME. Com 4.27.32 Decom 6.26.59 Sold 11.4.59 Acquired by Circle Line of New York in 1962 and placed into passenger service as M/V CIRCLE LINE XV. Still running original Winton engines as in
CALYPSO.
THETIS (W-115)
First ship of the class to complete, launch and commission.
Launch 1.9.31 Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME. Com 12.1.31 Decom 7.1.47 Sold 7.1.48
Trf 1948 Dominican Republic. Renamed RAFAEL ATOA (P-106). Later name changed to LIBERTAD. Laid up in storage in 1982. Scrapped 1992
TRITON (W-116)
Launch 7.7.34 Point Pleasant, WV. (on the Ohio River) Com 11.20.34 Decom 6.12.67 Sold 1.6.69 Acquired by Circle Line of New York and placed into passenger service as CIRCLE LINE XVII. Original Winton engines removed and replaced by two 671 “quads” (same as ARGO) Has two 60KW generators and a modern switchboard, the only all-AC vessel operated by Circle Line.
ELECTRA (“W” number not assigned until return to USCG in 1945)
Launch 6.30.34. Manitowoc Shipbuilding, Manitowoc, WI Com 10.25.34
Served briefly as CG cutter, then transferred to U.S. Navy and converted to presidential yacht POTOMAC (AG-25) replacing MAYFLOWER. Served as such 11.12.35 to 11.21.45 then returned to USCG and assigned as WPC-187. The following year the ship was sold to the State of Maryland as the Governor’s yacht and thence to Tidewater Fisheries Commission and renamed POTOMAC. Sold in 1960 becoming a private ferry between San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Then used as inter-island shuttle in the Bahamas. Sold again becoming a floating museum.
Purchased in 1964 by Elvis Presley and brought to the West Coast. (Newport Beach, CA) Donated to Danny Thomas for St, Jude Hospital. Sold again in 1971 with intent to restore as floating museum but the plans failed. The ship then fell on hard times and was acquired by drug running interests. Seized by U.S. Customs carrying 20 tons of marijuana, impounded and handed to the U.S. Navy for custody, she sank in 1981 at the dock at Treasure Island, CA. Refloated by the USN the ship was purchased at an auction by the City of Oakland for $15,000 and towed to Crowley Maritime Yard at Oakland, CA. The city intended to restore the ship but funds were not forthcoming. Shored up on land at the Crowley Yard, she sat for many years rusting away.
Finally, funding became available and after 14 years the ship was completely rebuilt
At the Colberg Shipyard in Stockton, CA. Dan Holgate of Crowley Maritime Inc acting as Project Engineer. The ship was restored to mint conditionas when the presidential yacht. $8.2 million dollars had been spent to restore her and on 20 May 1995 she was open to the public for the first time. The ship now open for dockside tours and also makes educational and historical cruises out of Jack London Square in Oakland CA.
Engines are Enterprise DMG-26, 6 cylinder diesels, 440HP @400 RPM, direct reversible with pilot house (Westinghouse Airbrake) control. The engines were donated by Crowley Maritime Corp. (came from the tug RETRIEVER)
Electrical power provided by two (2) Northern Lights 60 KW AC generators. A three cylinder Lister drives the emergency generator
The vessel is operated by “The Association for Preservation of the Presidential Yacht POTOMAC” under the Port of Oakland.
Historical notes:
During WWII the 165’s saw strenuous use as ASW, convoy, SAR and various other assignments. Typical armament consisted of two 3in/50cal, two 20mm/80cal, two depth charge gravity racks, and two “Y” guns, two Mousetraps.
On 6.26.42 CGC ICARUS (W-110) engaged U-352in the Cape Hatteras area, sinking her with gunfire and depth charges, taking 32 prisoners. This was the second U-boat sunk by a U.S. Naval vessel in WWII
In June of 1942 CGC THETIS (W-115) engaged and sank U-157
22 March 2001
Information on the Circle Line vessels was contributed by Chief Engineer Brian Bailey of M/V CIRCLE LINE XI (ex CALYPSO) who advises the imminent sale of Circle Line to rival Arthur Imperator’s New York Waterways Company. This could possibly mean the retirement of their five old CG cutters, replaced by perhaps more modern vessels.
Information on M/V POTOMAC (ex CGC ELECTRA) was furnished by Chief Engineer Kevin Kilduff of San Francisco, CA
17 January 2003
The recent discovery of the sunken hulk of CGC HERMES thanks to William Bennett of Vallejo, CA
Information on the remaining vessels was furnished by Historian of Vessels of USCG/USRCS/USLHS D.R. Peterson USCG Ret of Suisun, CA
Other substantial contributions by John Young USCGR (Ret) of Pearl River, New York and Harrison Ochs of Kirkwood, MO.
Thanks to the many 165 sailors contributing valuable bits and pieces that helped put this project together.
This project is ongoing and there is much yet to be accomplished. Of particular importance is the search and discovery as to the present status of;
ATALANTA, AURORA, DAPHNE, DIONE and GALATEA
They are presently listed as “unknown” and any clues as to their disposition are most certainly welcome.
Written, edited and published by Jim Gill USCG Ret., (crewmember, CGC CYANE- 1942) Maritime/USCG researcher/writer. Address corrections, additions and comments to;
As noted at top of page one, the earlier ships of the class (built 1931-33) had two stacks. The later (improved) ships (built 1934) had one stack. The “as built” displacement for the two stackers was 337 tons and for the one stackers, 334 tons. The engineering details which prompted the change in design and the specifications that resulted in the three ton difference in displacement are unknown to this writer.
To make the problem even more difficult to understand, most of the 1934 group (one stack) were modified in later years to include two stacks. Again, there is no readily available source to determine the reasons for this change. There were other confusing configurations. The second stack added to PANDORA for instance did not match the original as did the other ships. The second stack added to PATOMAC (ex ELECTRA) housed an elevator (for President Roosevelt). In the rebuilt version of PATOMAC this elevator is electric powered while in the original it was hand operated.
By the end of the 1950’s all surviving ships of this class were rated at 370 tons displacement.
Information on the Circle Line vessels was contributed by Chief Engineer Brian Bailey of M/V CIRCLE LINE XI (ex CALYPSO) who advises the imminent sale of Circle Line to rival Arthur Imperator’s New York Waterways Company. This could possibly mean the retirement of their five old CG cutters, replaced by perhaps more modern vessels.
Information on M/V POTOMAC (ex CGC ELECTRA) was furnished by Chief Engineer Kevin Kilduff of San Francisco, CA
Information on the remaining vessels was furnished by Historian of Vessels of USCG/USRCS/USLHS D.R. Peterson USCG Ret of Suisun, CA
Other substantial contributions by John Young USCGR (Ret) of Pearl River, New York and Harrison Ochs of Kirkwood, MO.
This document written, edited and published by Jim Gill USCG Ret., (crewmember, CGC CYANE- 1942) President Lightship Sailors Association, Maritime/USCG researcher/writer. Address corrections and additions to;
Jim Gill
642 Marina Parkway #63
Chula Vista, CA 91910
619-427-8501
email: pdp@cts.com
Copyright 2003 United States Coast Guard Lightship Sailors by MGM IMAGING . All rights reserved.
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