:USCGC Bristol Bay
{{Short description|Bay-class tugboat of the United States Coast Guard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:Bristol Bay closes the season (11980687153).jpg | Ship caption = USCGC Bristol Bay }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = United States | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United States|coast guard}} | Ship name = Bristol Bay | Ship namesake = Bristol Bay | Ship owner = | Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = | Ship sponsor = | Ship christened = | Ship completed = 1978 | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = 1979 | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship renamed = | Ship reclassified | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship homeport = Detroit, Michigan | Ship identification = *{{IMO|8635150}}
| Ship motto = | Ship nickname = | Ship honors = See Awards | Ship captured = | Ship fate = | Ship status = Active | Ship notes = | Ship badge = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header = |Header caption = |Ship class ={{sclass2|Bay|tugboat}} |Ship displacement=*{{convert|662|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} |Ship length={{convert|42.7|m|ft|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|11.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draught={{convert|3.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship ice class= |Ship propulsion= *2 × Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines
|Ship speed={{convert|14.7|kn}} |Ship range=*{{convert|1500|nmi|abbr=on}} at 14.7 knots
|Ship endurance= |Ship complement=3 officers and 14 enlisted |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=2 × M240 machine guns |Ship armor= |Ship notes= }} |
USCGC Bristol Bay (WTGB-102) is the second vessel of the {{sclass2|Bay|tugboat}}s built in 1978 and operated by the United States Coast Guard.{{Cite web|title=CGC BRISTOL BAY|url=https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/District-9/Ninth-District-Staff/Prevention-Division/Cutters/BRISTOL-BAY/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil}} The ship was named after the body of water formed by the Alaskan peninsula, which emptied into the Bering Sea.{{Cite web|title=BRISTOL BAY History|url=https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/District-9/Ninth-District-Staff/Prevention-Division/Cutters/BRISTOL-BAY/History/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil}}
Design
{{Main|Bay-class tugboat}}
The 140-foot Bay-class tugboats are operated primarily for domestic ice breaking duties. They are named after American bays and are stationed mainly in the northeast United States and the Great Lakes.
WTGBs use a low pressure air hull lubrication or bubbler system that forces air and water between the hull and ice. This system improves icebreaking capabilities by reducing resistance against the hull, reducing horsepower requirements.
Construction and career
Bristol Bay was built by the Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., in Tacoma, Washington in 1978. She was commissioned in Detroit, Michigan, 1979.
In August 1991, Bristol Bay became the first Bay-class tugboat to receive a barge specially designed to perform aids to navigation work. The {{convert|120|ft|adj=on}} barge works with the ship to service more than 160 aids to navigation each year.
{{USCGC|Hollyhock|WLB-214|6}} and Bristol Bay were deployed for ice breaking at the St. Clair River, on 25 February 2019.{{Cite web|last=Ervin|first=Jeremy|title=Breaking ice aboard the Hollyhock|url=https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2019/02/21/breaking-ice-aboard-hollyhock/2914090002/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=Times Herald|language=en-US}}
On 3 February 2021, Bristol Bay and {{ship|CCGS|Griffon}} were both dispatched to break up ice at the St. Clair River.{{Cite web|last=Fitzgerald|first=Brian Wells and Laura|title=UPDATE: Two more icebreakers deployed to help relieve St. Clair River flooding|url=https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2021/02/03/icebreakers-deployed-help-relieve-st-clair-river-flooding/4369469001/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=Times Herald|language=en-US}} On 25 January 2022, Bristol Bay and {{ship|CCGS|Samuel Risley}} freed the lake freighter Assiniboione after the freighter was stuck in ice on the St. Clair River.{{Cite web|last=Barghouthi|first=Hani|title=Freighter freed from ice on St. Clair River as minor flood advisory continues|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/01/25/st-clair-river-ice-minor-flood-advisory-algonac-state-park/9213419002/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=The Detroit News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2022-01-25|title=Coast Guard busy assisting ships in St. Clair River|url=https://blackburnnews.com/sarnia/sarnia-news/2022/01/25/coast-guard-busy-assisting-ships-st-clair-river/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=BlackburnNews.com|language=en-US}}
In January 2025, Bristol Bay was deployed to help free the Manitoulin after she became icebound near Buffalo.{{cite news | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/24/coast-guard-free-manitoulin-lake-erie/77927782007/ | title = U.S. Coast Guard works to break ice around massive Canadian ship trapped on Lake Erie | last = Ardrey | first = Taylor | date = 24 Jan 2025 | publisher = USA Today | access-date = 24 Jan 2025 | language = en }}
Awards
- Coast Guard Unit Commendation
- Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation
- Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation
- National Defense Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Humanitarian Service Medal
- Transportation 9-11 Ribbon
- Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon
- Coast Guard Sea Service Medal
References
{{Refbegin}}
- [https://www.uscg.mil/ United States Coast Guard home page]
- [http://www.uscg.mil/reserve/magazine/mag1997/aug1997/wtgb.htm United States Coast Guard Reservist Magazine]
{{Refend}}
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Bristol Bay (tugboat, 1979)}}
- [https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/District-9/Ninth-District-Staff/Prevention-Division/Cutters/BRISTOL-BAY/History/ United States Coast Guard: Bristol Bay]
- [https://coastguard.togetherweserved.com/uscg/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=PublicUnitProfile&type=Unit&ID=12307 TogetherWeServed: Bristol Bay Crew Members]
{{Bay-class tug}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bristol Bay (WTGB-102)}}