USCGC Courageous (WMEC-622)
USCGC Courageous (WMEC-622)
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Builder: | American Ship Building Company, Lorain, Ohio |
| Laid down: | 14 March 1966 |
| Launched: | 18 March 1967 |
| Commissioned: | 19 April 1968 |
| Decommissioned: | 19 September 2001 |
| Struck: | June 24, 2004 |
| Fate: | Struck, for delivery to Sri Lanka as Samadura P-621. |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 759 tons |
| Length: | 210 ft 6 in (64.16 m) |
| Beam: | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Draught: | 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) max |
| Propulsion: | 2 x V16 2550 horsepower ALCO diesel engines |
| Speed: | max 18 knots; 2,700 mile range |
| Range: | cruise 14 knots; 6,100 mile range |
| Complement: | 12 officers, 63 enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
2 x AN/SPS-64 |
| Armament: | |
| Aircraft carried: | HH-65 Dolphin |
USCGC Courageous (WMEC-622) was a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter. She was built by the American Ship Building Company in Lorain, Ohio and launched on 18 March 1967. She commissioned on 19 April 1968. She was decommissioned 19 September 2001.
The Courageous was built at the American Shipyards in Lorain, Ohio and launched on 18 March 1967. She was delivered to the Coast Guard and commissioned on 19 April 1968. She was initially homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and served there through 1972, conducting search and rescue and law enforcement patrols. On 10 September 1968 she towed the disabled sailboat Ibex 20 miles north of Bimini to Miami. On 6 October 1968 she medevaced a boy suffering from the bends from the F/V M.M. Winter off the coast of Florida. On 21 April 1969 crewmen boarded the German M/V Helga Witt following a request by the Witt's commanding officer concerning armed men on board. The Courageous then escorted the German merchantman to San Juan.
On 29 through 30 April 1969 she assumed duty of on-scene commander following fire on the British tanker Mobile Apex, taking the blazing tanker in tow and took her out of St. Croix, Virgin Islands. The cutter and crew were awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation "for exceptionally meritorious service during the period 29 April to 2 May 1969" for this action. From 11 to 28 July Courageous participated in BOMAX (Barbados Oceanographic and Meteorological Experiment), hosting Coast Guard cadets and scientists. The crew assisted scientists with assembling and launching devices for measuring ocean currents and temperatures. An article on this assignment was published in the August 1969 issue of Popular Science. On 7 August 1969 stood by the M/V Pionyr following its grounding until a commercial tug arrived on scene. On the 30th, Courageous assisted in a medevac from a sailboat 320 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. On 12 October 1970 the cutter once again assisted in a medevac and then towed the F/V Janice Elaine to Miami. On 1 August 1971 Courageous seized the yacht White Cloud near Cuban waters and arrested two for aiding draft evaders.
On 23 December 1971 RCC Miami notified Courageous to undertake a rescue of the 26-foot S/V Ian's Cradle with 4 persons on board, during a severe gale, east of Fort Pierce. The sailing vessel and her crew had attempted to sail to Bimini in other than optimum weather conditions. By the time the request for assistance was broadcast, Ian's Cradle had been dismasted and had lost one person overboard and the remaining three, including an infant, were in mortal danger. The Courageous got underway and located the sailing vessel and after much trouble managed to secure a towline. Due to the worsening of the sea conditions, a helo was requested out of St. Petersburg, and the three survivors on Ian's Cradle were lifted off their vessel to safety. The Ian's Cradle sank ten minutes later. During this rescue, Courageous lost all of her helicopter nets, her long antenna, and sustained other damage.** Unfortunately Courageous sustained another loss when an elevator in the galley collapsed and killed SS3 Dean Renolds in 1973.
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