USCGC Walnut (WLM-252)

Builder: Moore Dry Dock Company, Oakland, California

Length: 174' 10"

Beam: 32'

Draft: 11' 3"

Displacement: 885 tons

Cost: $389,746

Commissioned: 8 July 1939

Decommissioned: 1 July 1982

Disposition: Transferred to Honduras

Machinery: 2 triple-expansion steam engines; 1000 SHP; 2 Babcock & Wilcox watertube boilers; oil-fired; twin propellers (as launched); 2 Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines; 1,350 BHP (1954)

Deck Gear: Steel boom; 20-ton capacity; hydraulic-powered hoist

Performance & Endurance: Max: 10.7 knots (1945); 12 knots (1954) Cruising: 10.0 knots; 2,500 mile range

Complement: 74 (1945);

Armament: 2 x 3-inch guns; 4 x 20-millimeter Oerlikon machine guns; 2 depth charge tracks.

Electronics: SO-1 radar; WEA-2 sonar

The coastal tender Walnut was a steel-hulled, steam-powered twin-screw tender built for the Lighthouse Service in 1939 at Oakland, California. With the transfer of the Lighthouse Service to the Coast Guard in June, 1939, she was commissioned as a Coast Guard cutter on 8 July 1939. She served at Detroit, Michigan, into mid-1941 until she was transferred, as of 1 June 1941, to the 14th District and was based at Honolulu, Hawaii. She arrived there after undergoing a refit at the Coast Guard Yard. In Hawaii, she serviced aids to navigation in local waters and the waters around Midway Island and carried out search and rescue duties when required. She came under naval control in November 1941, when the United States drew closer to war. She was moored at Long Dock on Midway Island when a radio message was received indicating that Pearl Harbor was under attack. She immediately got underway and anchored in Midway Lagoon. A historical pamphlet noted:

"This was the day the WALNUT was to depart for Honolulu, but due to lack of fuel and being unarmed the WALNUT remained at anchor playing the role of Decoy in case any enemy craft should appear. For the rest of the day, the ship's crew worked quickly to extinguish all of the islands aids to navigation, for this was to be Midway's first of many evening black-outs. Then at 9:30 that evening, the first shot was heard. The enemy had arrived! The Japanese attack force consisted of two cruisers and one destroyer, which appeared to be circling the island, while they showered the island and lagoon with mortar shells. During the attack, an U.S. PBY Flying Boat crashed into Midway Lagoon. In response, the WALNUT'S crew immediately launched their small boat, manned by several members of the ship's crew. The small boat quick arrived on the scene and rescued the plane's crew, two of which had been seriously injured in the crash. Meanwhile, enemy shells were falling within 100 ft. of the WALNUT. The attack lasted approximately 30 minutes, and when it was over the ship and crew had endured without any casualties. The next two weeks were fairly quiet and work went on as usual. Due to prevailing circumstances, the WALNUT departed for Honolulu. One evening ad the WALNUT approached their destination, an enemy submarine was sighted at a nearby island, which was on the ship's present course. Luckily, the WALNUT managed to slip past without being noticed and arrived safely in Honolulu."

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Wikipedia