M/V Christmas Seal was a Canadian medical ship operating in Newfoundland from 1947 until 1970. Formerly a United States air-sea rescue vessel during World War II, she later served as an oceanographic research platform before sinking in 1976.
The vessel was built by the Casey Boat Building Company Inc., of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, in early 1943,[2] as a 104-foot (32 m) Design 235 U.S. Army Air Force crash rescue boat, and designated P-102.[3] As the largest of the crash boats the Design 235-class were equipped with emergency medical facilities which could accommodate up to 23 people, which the crew of 12 were all cross-trained to operate.[1] Under the name USCB Shearwater, the United States Crash Boat operated from the Naval Air Station Argentia until 10 September 1947, when she was purchased by the Newfoundland Tuberculosis Association for US$5,000 and converted into a floating clinic.[4]
Since the purchase of the boat was funded by the sale of Christmas Seals, she was renamed M/V Christmas Seal. From 1947 the vessel sailed to isolated outports on the coast of Newfoundland, screening residents for tuberculosis, which was a leading cause of death on the island.[5]
Under the command of Captain Peter Troake from 1950, the ship was fitted to provide chest X-rays, and also carried out vaccinations for TB and polio, and tested for diabetes. Doctors, nurses, technicians, and health educators staffed the vessel in addition to the operating crew[4] The ship also provided general health education in the form of leaflets, talks and film shows, as well as providing emergency medical evacuations. A measure of the success of Christmas Seal can be seen in mortality rates; in 1947 there were 500 deaths from TB in the province, in 1958 it was 64. By 1970, the decline in rates of infection, and the improvements in road access on the island, meant that the services of Christmas Seal were no longer required. She was sold to a Lewisporte man who later chartered her to the Bedford Institute of Oceanography.[5]
On the morning of 13 May 1976 Christmas Seal sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia,[6] but after three hours[7] suffered an explosion in her engine room. The coast guard and several nearby ships responded to their mayday signal, and the crew of eight were rescued, with only one man slightly injured. The ship burned and eventually sank.[6]
In 2006 wood salvaged from Christmas Seal was contributed to the construction of the Six String Nation[8] project. Part of that material now serves as kerfing on the interior of Voyageur, the guitar at the heart of the project.[9]
^ abFowler, Chuck (2009). "Bill Somers' Military Service, The World War II Crash Rescue Boat Years". Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^Colton, Tim (2011). . shipbuildinghistory.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^Jackson, Ramon (2012). . patriot.net. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^ ab"Captain Peter Troake". Lung Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
^ abMcPhal, Jennifer; Zymantas, Jennifer (2009). "The Ship of Health: The Story of the M.V. Christmas Seal" (PDF). University of Calgary. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^ abRoscoe, Spurgeon G. (16 October 2007). "Radio Stations Common? Not This Kind" (PDF). coastalradio.org.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^"Biennial Review 1975/76" (PDF). Bedford Institute of Oceanography. 1976. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^"Canadian Guitar". CBC Television. 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^Jowi., Taylor (2009). Six string nation : 64 pieces, 6 strings, 1 Canada, 1 guitar. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN9781553653936. OCLC 302060380.
Fighting Tuberculosis in Newfoundland and Labrador
104-Foot Rescue Boat, aka Type I, Design 235, Production Run of 158
November 23, 2023
christmas, seal, christmas, seal, canadian, medical, ship, operating, newfoundland, from, 1947, until, 1970, formerly, united, states, rescue, vessel, during, world, later, served, oceanographic, research, platform, before, sinking, 1976, historyunited, states. M V Christmas Seal was a Canadian medical ship operating in Newfoundland from 1947 until 1970 Formerly a United States air sea rescue vessel during World War II she later served as an oceanographic research platform before sinking in 1976 HistoryUnited StatesNameUSCB Shearwater P 102 NamesakeShearwaterBuilderCasey Boat Building Company Inc Fairhaven MassachusettsCompletedMarch April 1943Commissioned1943Decommissioned1947FateSold 10 September 1947CanadaNameM V Christmas SealOwnerNewfoundland Tuberculosis AssociationAcquired10 September 1947Nickname s The Ship of HealthFateSold 1970 Caught fire and sank 1976General characteristics as built 1 Class and typeDesign 235 crash rescue boatLength104 ft 32 m Propulsion3 625 hp 466 kW Kermath V12 engines 3 screwsSpeed18 knots 33 km h 21 mph Complement12 Contents 1 Ship history 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksShip history editThe vessel was built by the Casey Boat Building Company Inc of Fairhaven Massachusetts in early 1943 2 as a 104 foot 32 m Design 235 U S Army Air Force crash rescue boat and designated P 102 3 As the largest of the crash boats the Design 235 class were equipped with emergency medical facilities which could accommodate up to 23 people which the crew of 12 were all cross trained to operate 1 Under the name USCB Shearwater the United States Crash Boat operated from the Naval Air Station Argentia until 10 September 1947 when she was purchased by the Newfoundland Tuberculosis Association for US 5 000 and converted into a floating clinic 4 Since the purchase of the boat was funded by the sale of Christmas Seals she was renamed M V Christmas Seal From 1947 the vessel sailed to isolated outports on the coast of Newfoundland screening residents for tuberculosis which was a leading cause of death on the island 5 Under the command of Captain Peter Troake from 1950 the ship was fitted to provide chest X rays and also carried out vaccinations for TB and polio and tested for diabetes Doctors nurses technicians and health educators staffed the vessel in addition to the operating crew 4 The ship also provided general health education in the form of leaflets talks and film shows as well as providing emergency medical evacuations A measure of the success of Christmas Seal can be seen in mortality rates in 1947 there were 500 deaths from TB in the province in 1958 it was 64 By 1970 the decline in rates of infection and the improvements in road access on the island meant that the services of Christmas Seal were no longer required She was sold to a Lewisporte man who later chartered her to the Bedford Institute of Oceanography 5 On the morning of 13 May 1976 Christmas Seal sailed from Halifax Nova Scotia 6 but after three hours 7 suffered an explosion in her engine room The coast guard and several nearby ships responded to their mayday signal and the crew of eight were rescued with only one man slightly injured The ship burned and eventually sank 6 In 2006 wood salvaged from Christmas Seal was contributed to the construction of the Six String Nation 8 project Part of that material now serves as kerfing on the interior of Voyageur the guitar at the heart of the project 9 See also editList of World War II vessel types of the United States Rescue Boats Crash boats of World War 2References edit a b Fowler Chuck 2009 Bill Somers Military Service The World War II Crash Rescue Boat Years Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society Retrieved 21 September 2012 Colton Tim 2011 US Army Rescue Boats P shipbuildinghistory com Archived from the original on 20 October 2012 Retrieved 21 September 2012 Jackson Ramon 2012 Army FP FS Vessels patriot net Archived from the original on 12 February 2012 Retrieved 21 September 2012 a b Captain Peter Troake Lung Association of Newfoundland and Labrador 23 September 2016 Retrieved 25 August 2019 a b McPhal Jennifer Zymantas Jennifer 2009 The Ship of Health The Story of the M V Christmas Seal PDF University of Calgary Retrieved 21 September 2012 a b Roscoe Spurgeon G 16 October 2007 Radio Stations Common Not This Kind PDF coastalradio org uk Retrieved 21 September 2012 Biennial Review 1975 76 PDF Bedford Institute of Oceanography 1976 Retrieved 21 September 2012 Canadian Guitar CBC Television 2012 Retrieved 21 September 2012 Jowi Taylor 2009 Six string nation 64 pieces 6 strings 1 Canada 1 guitar Vancouver Douglas amp McIntyre ISBN 9781553653936 OCLC 302060380 External links editM V Christmas Seal entering Twillingate Harbour Fighting Tuberculosis in Newfoundland and Labrador 104 Foot Rescue Boat aka Type I Design 235 Production Run of 158 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title MV Christmas Seal amp oldid 1176464906, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
