Blackthorn capsized after being ripped open by Capricorn's anchor, killing 23 of her crew, including Seaman Apprentice Billy Flores who was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal. [1] [2] [3] Like her sister ships, she is equipped for coastal security patrols, interdiction of drug and people smugglers, and search and rescue. Blackthorn's preliminary design was completed by the United States Lighthouse Service and the final design was . 1 May 1948 - 28 Jan 1980. Burial Details Unknown . Today we remember and honor his sacrifice and all the lives lost during this terrible accident. Today marks the 41st anniversary of the sinking of the 180 buoy tender, US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) BLACKTHORN. The anchor of the CAPRICORN became snagged and embedded in the port side of the BLACKTHORN. Shortly after the collision, Blackthorn capsized, killing 23 of her crew. USCGC BUCKTHORN (WLI-642) The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter BUCKTHORN (WLI-642) is a 100' Inland Buoy Tender and is the oldest cutter on the Great Lakes. But I put it in Gods hands. This mission is absolutely critical to facilitating commerce safely. All but one of the original tenders, the USCGC Ironwood (WLB-307), were built in Duluth. The USCGC Blackthorn capsized which resulted in the death of 23 Coastguardsmen. The Blackthorn collision provided the impetus for the establishment of the . Despite the Blackthorn's evasive action, a collision occurred. The Blackthorn sank after colliding with the tanker Capricorn on Jan. 28, 1980, in the biggest peacetime disaster in Coast Guard history. An Iris-class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota. Unable to make radio contact with Blackthorn, Capricorn's pilot blew two short whistle blasts to have the ships pass starboard-to-starboard. The marine board found evidence of violation of various navigation laws on the parts of Capricorn's master and pilot. Sources cite both "Willy" and "Billy" as nicknames, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FuQnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PVoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5487%2C4950715, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FuQnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PVoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6801,5003607, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UWdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5047,2072390&hl=en, "Skipper Pleads Fifth Amendment; Attorney Requests Immunity", http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UmdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7108,2497103&hl=en, "Getting his due Coast Guard hero receives honor posthumously", http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ST&s_site=dfw&p_multi=ST&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9298B7BF1FC5&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM, http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.star-telegram.com%2F2011%2F11%2F26%2F3552733%2Fnew-coast-guard-cutter-bears-name.html&date=2011-12-02, National Park Service Report on the 180-foot (55m) buoy tenders, "U.S. Coast Guard Sea-going & Coastal Buoy Tenders, 1939-2000", http://www.uscg.mil/history/WEBCUTTERS/WLB_Photo_Index.asp, Article about 20th Anniversary of the sinking, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation, Duluth, Minnesota, 8,000nmi (15,000km; 9,200mi) at 13kn (24km/h; 15mph). The anchor became embedded in the Blackthorn's hull and ripped open the port side above the water line. [7][8] His actions saved a number of lives during the accident. Although 27 crewmen . List of United States Coast Guard cutters; References. A memorial ceremony honoring the lives lost . Blackthorn was one of 39 original 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942 and 1944. As a result of the impact, the port anchor of Capricornbecame imbedded in Blackthorn'sport side. The Commandant also acted on various safety recommendations made by the marine board concerning training and equipment aboard Coast Guard vessels, and navigation considerations in Tampa Bay. After less than ten minutes, the vessel was sunk, 23 of its crew of 50 lost. SA Flores, who had been out of boot camp just one year, opened the life jacket locker as Blackthorn capsized, securing its hatch open with his belt, and made sure that his shipmates were able to access and use the life jackets. The. [1][2][3] USCGC White Sumac (WLM-540) at anchor as Coast Guard and Navy divers assemble on the deck of the buoy tender to prepare to dive on the sunken cutter USCGC Blackthorn. About 2021 E.S.T., on January 28, 1980, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter BLACKTHORN and the U.S. tankship CAPRICORN collided in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 19791980, Blackthorn underwent a major overhaul in Tampa, Florida. After two land assignments, he was assigned to the USCGC Blackthorn, a buoy tender. The Alexander Hamilton was initially stationed in Oakland, California and performed patrols to the Bering Sea. 2 mousetrap launchers (1944). There is a memorial service being held in St. Petersburg, Florida this morning for the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn. 9,371 were here. Blackthorn was 180'x37'x12' with a maximum cruising speed of 13 knots powered by a single screw. Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation. Blackthorn was one of 39 original 180-foot (55 m) seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942-1944. ST. PETERSBURG When officials commemorate an act of heroism, or a tragedy, or both, they almost always cite the numbers. On Jan. 28, 1980, the USCGC Blackthorn, a 180-foot seagoing buoy tender, collided with a tanker and sank near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The U.S. Coast Guard held a. All but one of the original tenders, USCGCIronwood(WLB-297), were built in Duluth. Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1980, Sources cite both "Willy" and "Billy" as nicknames, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation, "Skipper Pleads Fifth Amendment; Attorney Requests Immunity", "Getting his due Coast Guard hero receives honor posthumously", "New Coast Guard cutter bears name of Benbrook man who saved others", "Mexican American hero of WWI up for Texas' highest military honor", National Park Service Report on the 180-foot (55m) buoy tenders, "U.S. Coast Guard Sea-going & Coastal Buoy Tenders, 1939-2000", Article about 20th Anniversary of the sinking, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter BLACKTHORN, Galveston, Galveston County, TX, List of cutters of the United States Coast Guard, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USCGC_Blackthorn&oldid=1149906296, Historic American Engineering Record in Texas, Articles lacking in-text citations from January 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [1][2][3] Sort By. And 23: the number of lives lost aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn after it collided with a passing 605-foot oil tanker in the waters of Tampa Bay. He drowned about 15 feet away from me, remembered Jeff Huse, a survivor of the Blackthorn. In 1979-1980, Blackthorn underwent a major overhaul in Tampa, Florida. The Blackthorn lost 23 of her 50 crew during a collision with the tanker S.S. Capricorn . Twenty-seven of the 50 Blackthorn crew members were rescued. Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of the Blackthorn Cutter colliding with the tanker vessel Capricorn near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Jan. 28, 1980, resulting in the deaths of 23 of the 50 Blackthorn crewmembers. General characteristics Class & type: Iris Displacement: 935 long tons (950 t) Length: 180 ft (55 m) Beam: 37 ft (11 m) The vessels collided nearly head on, and as a result, Capricorn's port anchor became embedded in Blackthorn's port side. His father, Richard, served in the Air Force. Example video title will go here for this video. Blackthorn was initially assigned to the Great Lakes for ice-breaking duties, but after only a few months, she was reassigned to San Pedro, California. Like the rest of the service's aging fleet, Blackthorn underwent numerous overhauls during its. Thirty years ago tonight, having just completed a 3 month overhaul, the Blackthorn was outward bound from Tampa Bay. She currently serves as an artificial reef for recreational diving and fishing. Several crew members who had just reported aboard tried to escape and in the process trapped themselves in the engine room. On January 28th, 1980, the USCGC Blackthorn was outbound from Tampa Bay, having just completed a total refit, as the tanker Capricorn was inbound. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla Exactly 42 years ago, 23 crew members aboard the U.S Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn lost their lives after colliding with a tanker in Tampa Bay. The marine board found evidence of violation of various navigation laws on the parts of Capricorn's master and pilot. He allowed even more jackets to float to escaping crew members by propping open a locker door with his own belt. Skip past search results. Families of crew members of the Coast Guard . 27 crew members survived. the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Blackthornand the U.S. tankship Capricorncollided in Tampa Bay near the junction of Cut 'A' and Mullet Key Channels. Blackthorn was initially assigned to the Great Lakes for ice-breaking duties, but after only a few months, she was reassigned to San Pedro, California and served in San Pedro for several years before being brought into the Gulf Coast region to serve in Mobile, Alabama then Galveston, Texas. Ensign John Ryan had the conn. One day, his group hopes to include 24 statues in total, Jolly said. SA Flores paid the ultimate price after locating the life jacket locker, ensuring all survivors in the water received a life jacket, and staying with the sinking ship determined to save the lives of his shipmates trapped in the sinking hull. My family got a phone call from a neighbor that said 'hey are you watching the morning news,' he recounted. At approximately 8:21 p.m. on Jan. 28, 1980, USCGC Blackthorn collided with the U.S. tankship Capricorn in Tampa Bay waters near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the Coast Guard explains. Blackthorn: 27 Mar 1944 : WAGL-392 Bramble: 22 Apr 44 : WAGL-393 Firebush: 20 Jul 1944 : WAGL-394 Hornbeam: 14 Apr 1944 : WAGL-395 Iris: 11 Aug 1944 : WAGL-396 Mallow: 6 Jun 1944 : WAGL-397 Mariposa: 1 Jul 1944 : WAGL-398 Redbud: 2 May 1944 : WAGL-399 Sagebrush: 1 Apr 1944 : WAGL-400: Salvia: 19 Feb 1944 : WAGL-401: Sassafras: 23 May 1944 . The remarks as prepared can be found below. (On Tuesdays anniversary, the Coast Guard will remember the tragedy with its own event.) WASHINGTON Today, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf and U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz delivered remarks at the United States Coast Guard memorial service for the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn in St. Petersburgh, Florida. Its a surreal fact made stranger by Bobby and Billys striking resemblance. 7 and the Propeller Club - Port of Detroit at a memorial service held on the 30th Anniversary of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn disaster. From the official U.S. Coast Guard history on Blackthorn: "Blackthorn was outward bound from Tampa Bay on the night of 28 January 1980. For years after the accident, Clutter pushed for the Coast Guard to honor Flores. Richard Flores, one year older than Billy, has seen his son Bobby, a high school senior in Texas, grow older than his heroic brother. Perhaps he gave his own life preserver to a colleague in need. They realize, just as the crew of cutter Blackthorn did 40 years ago, that when that last line is cast off the pier, or that aircraft leaves the deck, or that inspector steps foot on that commercial ship, or that team goes over the gunnel to conduct that boarding, that they are entering into a dangerous, and what can often be an unforgiving environment; regardless of the weather. In 2000 he was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal, the service's highest award for heroism in peacetime. The U.S.C.G. Unable to make radio contact with Blackthorn, Capricorn's pilot blew two short whistle blasts to have the ships pass starboard-to-starboard. Oakland, California and performed patrols to the Bering Sea list of United Lighthouse... Cite the numbers the morning news, ' he recounted from Tampa Bay of various navigation on... And 1944 make radio contact with Blackthorn, Capricorn 's master and pilot in need Clutter! 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