On 28 January 1980, she collided with the tanker SS Capricorn. His actions saved a number of lives during the accident. Unable to make radio contact with Blackthorn, Capricorn's pilot blew two short whistle blasts to have the ships pass starboard-to-starboard. Every day, the members of DHS face inherent risk in their missions. or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. But George's life was cut short on Jan. 28, 1980 when the USCGC Blackthorn collided with a tanker and sank in the mouth of Tampa Bay. The Blackthorn then navigated to almost mid-channel and resumed course. Concurring with the marine board's determination of the cause, the Commandant emphasized in his "Action" that the failure of the persons in charge of both vessels to ascertain the intentions of the other through the exchange of appropriate whistle signals was the primary contributing cause. 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. The captain was on the bridge, but a junior officer had the conn. Having been overtaken by the Russian passenger ship Kazakhstan, Blackthorn continued almost in mid-channel. Clarification: An earlier version of this story was imprecise about the destination of the Blackthorn. The vessels hit almost head-on, with the Blackthorn running down the port side of the much larger tanker. Sort By. With the officer of the deck confused in regard to the standard operating procedure, Blackthorns Captain issued orders for evasive action. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Frye, a Blackthorn crew member for just 12 days, was below deck on the evening of Jan. 28, 1980, when the . An Iris-class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota. The anchor of the CAPRICORN became snagged and embedded in the port side of the BLACKTHORN. The U.S. Coast Guard held a. Seaman Apprentice Flores died aboard Blackthorn. Range: 8,000nmi (15,000km; 9,200mi) at 13kn (24km/h; 15mph) ^ Return to Top Capricorn subsequently ran aground north of the channel and Blackthorn sank in the channel. After this tragedy, the Coast Guard made critical improvements to service readiness, training, and safety that still echo across the Department today. His father, Richard, served in the Air Force. Each of them is forever a part of the Coast Guards legacy. In 19791980, Blackthorn underwent a major overhaul in Tampa, Florida. It tragically sank at 8:20PM on January 28, 1980, at the entrance to Tampa Bay in Florida, near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Today marks the 41st anniversary of the sinking of the 180 buoy tender, US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) BLACKTHORN. The momentum of the two vessels caused Capricorn's anchor chain to become taut which resulted in the Blackthorn's capsizing. The death toll may likely have been much higher if it weren't for the courage of one crew member whose heroism went unrecognized for over two decades following the tragedy. These matters were referred to the commanders of the Seventh and Eighth Coast Guard Districts for further investigation and appropriate action. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS [1][2][3] Blackthorn's preliminary design was completed by the United States Lighthouse Service and the final design was produced by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth. As Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, I have the great honor to lead the 240,000 men and women of this Department. Having just been overtaken by a brightly lit cruise ship, the Blackthorn had maneuvered into the center of the . For now, the number is 13. His grandfather, Robert, and uncle, Sam, served in the Navy. Additionally, Admiral Hayes pointed out that attempts to establish a passing agreement by using only radiotelephone communications failed to be an adequate substitute for exchanging proper whistle signals. Find your Shipmates on coastguard.togetherweserved.com. USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tender (WLB) which sank in 1980 in a collision near the Tampa Bay Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. [1][2][3] An Iris-class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota. Although 27 crewmen . We remember and we honor the crew of Cutter Blackthorn; both those surviving and those lost. Coast Guardsmen and women today are still performing this vital mission here in the Port of Tampa. And each of them is indelibly stamped into the fabric of our Department. (On Tuesdays anniversary, the Coast Guard will remember the tragedy with its own event.) A lock James Rovolis' brother George was among the crew who lost their lives in the tragedy. And in 2012, the Coast Guard dubbed a vessel the Coast Guard Cutter William Flores. As local politicians and members of Flores family looked on, Brighter Future Florida, a local nonprofit founded by former Congressman David Jolly, unveiled a concrete statue of Flores for its Circle of Heroes underwater monument off the coast of Clearwater. Although refloated, the BLACKTHORN was a total loss. Meanwhile the tanker Capricorn, owned by Kingston Shipping Company and operated by Apex Marine Corporation of New York, was standing (traveling with right-of-way) into the bay. At least one of the passing Capricorn and Blackthorn ships was too close to the center of the channel near the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of the USCGC Blackthorn colliding with the tanker vessel Capricorn near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Jan. 28, 1980. General characteristics Class & type: Iris Displacement: 935 long tons (950 t) Length: 180 ft (55 m) Beam: 37 ft (11 m) Blackthorn). Complement: 48Armament: 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. With the officer of the deck confused in regard to the standard operating procedure, Blackthorn's captain issued orders for evasive action. External links. We cherish and honor the spirit, sacrifice and service of the Blackthorn crew. Blackthorn was one of 39 original 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942 and 1944. Skip past search results. It was the Capricorns 13,500-pound anchor that sealed the Blackthorns fate. These matters were referred to the commanders of the Seventh and Eighth Coast Guard Districts for further investigation and appropriate action. As the Blackthorn capsized, Flores stayed aboard, throwing life jackets to his fellow seamen. U.S. Coast Guard personnel, visitors, and family members of the crew of the 180-foot U.S. Coast Guard vessel Blackthorn listen to speeches honoring those who were lost when the vessel sank on. [1] [2] [3] Like her sister ships, she is equipped for coastal security patrols, interdiction of drug and people smugglers, and search and rescue. The cutter eventually sank into the water. 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. Hes going to come back a man, Richard Flores said. The Blackthorn sank after colliding with the tanker Capricorn on Jan. 28, 1980, in the biggest peacetime disaster in Coast Guard history. NAME: MEMBER STATUS LM denotes Life Member . [1][2][3] It tore into the cutters hull, then pulled the ship down. Letsgetstarted. It is sorted by length down to 65', the minimum length of a USCG cutter. Blackthorn was one of 39 original 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942-1944. The Blackthorn, which was homeported in Galveston, Texas, lost 23 of its 50 crewmembers in the Coast Guard's worst peacetime disaster. 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. Eighteen is how old Flores nephew Bobby Flores is now. The original cost for the hull and machinery was $876,403. He allowed even more jackets to float to escaping crew members by propping open a locker door with his own belt. She now sails with a crew of sixty students and six instructors. Blackthorn (WLB-391)black is one of the most popular wreck dives in the Tampa area. 223K views 2 years ago #Disaster #History On the 28th of January 1980 the USCGC Blackthorn collided with the SS Capricorn and would go down with nearly half her crew. Huse was just one of dozens of Coast Guardsmen and women who gathered Monday to celebrate Flores heroism and to honor the lives lost. To submit applications for TAMPA Purple Hearts, please contact Ms. Nora Chidlow, Coast Guard Archivist, at nora.l.chidlow@uscg.mil or 202-559 . And, perhaps most poignantly, the number 18. Unable to make radio contact with the tender, Capricorns pilot blew two short whistle blasts to have the ships pass starboard-to-starboard. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - On January 28, 1980, the Coast Guard buoy tender Blackthorn passed under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the black of night. On 21 May 1943 the keel was laid, she was launched on 20 July 1943 and commissioned on 27 March 1944. USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot (55 m) seagoing buoy tender (WLB) which sank in 1980 in a collision near the Tampa Bay Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. General characteristics Her primary missions are Aids to . Capricorn began to turn left, but this course would not allow Capricorn and Blackthorn to pass port-to-port, as the rules of navigation generally required. US Coast Guard Historian's Office: 136k: overhead bow view of USCGC White Sumac (WLM-540 . Copyright Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO). Our Coast Guardsmen and women know this reality very well. USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot sea going buoy tender (WLB). 27 crew members survived. This mission is absolutely critical to facilitating commerce safely. The USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot (55 m) seagoing buoy tender (WLB) which sank in 1980 in a tragic collision near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge of Tampa Bay, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. The item Marine casualty report : USCGC Blackthorn, SS Capricorn, collision in Tampa Bay on 28 January 1980 with loss of life, U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Board of Investigation report and commandant's action represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Indiana State Library. USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot (55 m) seagoing buoy tender (WLB) which sank in 1980 in a collision near the Tampa Bay Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. 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. On January 28, 1980, USCGC BLACKTHORN sank in Tampa Bay and 23 Coast Guard personnel lost their lives after colliding with the the 600 tanker S.S. CAPRICORN. The Blackthorn sank, taking 23 crewmen with her. USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot (55m) seagoing buoy tender (WLB) which sank in 1980 in a collision near the Tampa Bay Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. The List of United States Coast Guard Cutters is a listing of all cutters to have been commissioned by the United States Coast Guard during the history of that service. 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