USCGC Acacia (WLB-406) facts for kids
USCGC Acacia in 1944
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Builder | Zenith Dredge Company, Duluth, Minnesota |
| Cost | $927,156 |
| Laid down | 16 January 1944 |
| Launched | 7 April 1944 |
| Commissioned | 1 September 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 7 June 2006 |
| Identification |
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| Motto | Ace Of The Lakes |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics as built in 1944 | |
| Class and type | Iris |
| Displacement | 935 tons |
| Length | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Beam | 37 ft (11 m) |
| Draft | 12 feet (3.7 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 Cooper-Bessemer GND-8 Diesel engines |
| Speed | 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) maximum |
| Range | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Complement | 6 officers, 74 enlisted men |
| Armament |
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The USCGC Acacia (WAGL-406/WLB-406) was a special ship used by the United States Coast Guard. She was an Iris-class buoy tender, which means her main job was to take care of buoys. Buoys are floating markers that help ships know where to go and avoid dangers.
But Acacia could do much more! She was like a multi-tool ship. She could break ice, rescue people, fight fires, carry supplies, and even help clean up oil spills. For most of her 62 years, she worked on the Great Lakes. After she finished her service, she became a museum ship in Manistee, Michigan, so people can still visit her today.
Contents
Building the Acacia
The Acacia was built at the Zenith Dredge Company shipyard in Duluth, Minnesota. Her construction started on January 16, 1944. She was launched into the water on April 7, 1944. Finally, she officially joined the Coast Guard on September 1, 1944.
She was one of the last of 39 similar ships built. Her original cost was about $927,156. The Acacia's hull was made of strong steel plates. She was 180 feet (55 m) long, 37 feet (11 m) wide, and went 12 feet (3.7 m) deep in the water. She weighed about 935 tons. Over time, as new equipment was added, her weight increased to 1,025 tons.
Ready for Ice
Acacia was built to break light ice. Her hull had an "ice belt" of thicker steel around the waterline. This protected her from getting holes when breaking ice. Her front part, called the bow, was also made strong and shaped to ride over ice. This way, the ship's weight could crush the ice.
How She Moved
The Acacia had one large propeller, about 8.5 feet (2.6 m) wide. It was powered by a special system called a diesel-electric system. Two powerful diesel engines made electricity. This electricity then powered an electric motor, which turned the propeller.
The ship could carry a lot of fuel, about 28,875 US gallons (109,300 L). This allowed her to travel for a long time without needing to refuel. She could go about 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) at 13 knots (about 15 miles per hour). She also had tanks for fresh water. She could stay at sea for about 21 days.
Crew and Equipment
When she was first built during wartime, Acacia had a crew of 6 officers and 74 enlisted people. Later, this number was reduced.
She also had a large crane, called a cargo boom, that could lift up to 20 tons. This was very useful for moving buoys and other heavy items.
Ship's Weapons
When she was first built, Acacia had some weapons. She had a 3-inch gun and two 20mm guns. These were carried on the Great Lakes because of a special agreement during World War II. After the war, these weapons were removed because of a treaty that kept the lakes mostly free of military ships.
Later, in 2006, Acacia and other Coast Guard ships on the Great Lakes were given new machine guns. This was done to help with stopping smuggling and other threats. This decision was made after talking with the Canadian government.
Acacia's Busy Life
Acacia's first home was in Detroit, Michigan. Her main job was to take care of the buoys. This meant a lot of work because of the ice on the Great Lakes. In the fall, she would pick up buoys to protect them from the ice. Then, in the spring, she would put them back out after the ice melted.
Breaking Ice
One of Acacia's most important jobs was breaking ice. She did this throughout her career. Sometimes, she would free ships that got stuck in the ice. For example, in 1945, she freed a freighter called James Watt that was stuck in Lake Erie. She freed it in just 30 minutes!
She also helped by leading other ships through the ice, making a clear path for them. This could be risky. In 1954, another ship accidentally hit Acacia's back while following her through the ice. Both ships were damaged. Acacia also cleared ice from shipping lanes in places like Lake Erie and the Straits of Mackinac.
Helping in Rescues
Acacia was involved in many search and rescue missions. In 1951, she helped the freighter George F. Rand after it crashed and started to sink. She provided emergency pumps to keep it afloat.
In 1956, she towed a disabled freighter, George Hindman, that was blocking ship traffic. A sad mission was in 1966, when she searched for the crew of the freighter Daniel J. Morrell that sank in a storm on Lake Huron. She found eight bodies. In 1971, she rescued 16 people from a ship called Trans Michigan after it crashed.
Moving Home Ports
In 1958, Acacia's home port changed to Port Huron, Michigan. She continued her work with buoys and icebreaking. She often helped with "Operation Coal Shovel," breaking ice for coal ships going to Detroit.
In 1975, Acacia went to Maryland for a big upgrade. Her engines were fixed, and new electrical systems were installed. They also added a bow thruster to help her move better. This renovation cost over $9 million.
After her upgrade, Acacia moved to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in 1976. Her duties remained similar, focusing on buoys and icebreaking in the heavy seasonal ice.
In 1979, she moved again to Grand Haven, Michigan. She was still responsible for many buoys across Lake Michigan. While there, she even helped release 400,000 young lake trout into Lake Michigan in 1984. This was done to help the fish population grow.
Caribbean Adventures
For a few months in 1987-1988, Acacia was sent to the Caribbean Sea. During this time, she stopped a wooden boat carrying 88 people from Haiti who were trying to reach Florida. These people were returned to Haiti. She came back to Grand Haven in April 1988.
In 1989, Acacia helped when another Coast Guard ship, the USCGC Mesquite, got stuck off the Keweenaw Peninsula in Lake Superior. Acacia helped stabilize the wreck and contain an oil spill. She received an award for her efforts.
Because the Mesquite was destroyed by storms, Acacia was moved to Charlevoix, Michigan in 1990 to take her place.
In 1994, Acacia was sent to the Caribbean again. This time, she helped with a crisis where many people were leaving Cuba in small boats. She was then asked to help with an operation in Haiti, where she surveyed and marked major ports. She earned an award for her work in Haiti. She returned to Charlevoix in November 1994.
Acacia was officially retired on June 7, 2006. She was the very last of her type of buoy tender to be retired after 62 years of service.
Acacia as a Museum
Right after she was retired, Acacia was given to a group that wanted to turn her into a maritime museum in Chicago. She was in full working order, with only her machine guns removed. However, they couldn't find a good place to dock her in Chicago.
Later, the ship was transferred to another group in Manistee, Michigan. On October 16, 2009, Acacia sailed under her own power to Manistee. There, she became part of the SS City of Milwaukee National Historic Landmark museum. The Acacia was officially opened as a museum ship on August 13, 2011. Visitors can now explore her and learn about her amazing history.
Images for kids
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USCGC Acacia in Charlevoix in 2001
