USCGC Aspen (WLB-208) is the eighth cutter in the Juniper-class 225 ft (69 m) of seagoing buoy tenders. She is under the operational control of the Commander of the Eleventh U.S. Coast Guard District and is home-ported at Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco, California. Her primary area of responsibility is the coastal waters, river bars and high seas from the California–Oregon border to San Diego, California. Aspen conducts heavy lift aids-to-navigation operations, and law enforcement, homeland security, environmental pollution response, and search and rescue as directed.[1]
USCGC Aspen was built by the Marinette Marine Corporation in Wisconsin and launched on 21 April 2001. She has a length of 225 ft (69 m), a beam of 46 ft (14 m), and a draft of 13 ft (4.0 m). Aspen is propelled by two Caterpillar diesel engines rated at 3,100 horsepower, and has a top speed of 16 knots.[1] She has a single controllable-pitch propeller, which along with bow and stern thrusters allow the ship to be maneuvered to set buoys close offshore and in restricted waters. A dynamic global positioning system coupled with machinery plant controls and a chart display and information system allow station-keeping of the ship within a five-meter accuracy of the planned position without human intervention.[2][3]Aspen is also equipped with an oil-skimming system known as the Spilled Oil Recovery System (SORS) which is used in her mission of maritime environmental protection.[3] The cutter has a 2,875 square foot buoy deck area with a crane used for servicing large ocean buoys.[2]
Missionedit
USCGC Aspen is a seagoing buoy tender with her primary mission being the servicing of aids-to navigation buoys in her area of responsibility (AOR). She services over 100 navigation buoys in her AOR as well as several National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data collection buoys. Aspen's other missions include maritime law enforcement, homeland security, ensuring the security of ports and waterways, maritime environmental response, as well as search and rescue duties.[1]
Historyedit
Aspen was built to replace USCGC Buttonwood, a 180 ft (55 m) Mesquite-class buoy tender, in her area of operations. Buttonwood was decommissioned 28 June 2001 after 58 years of service.[3] In 2009, Aspen seized 16,000 lb (7,300 kg) of marijuana and arrested four suspected smugglers from a go-fast boat off the coast of Baja California, which as at the time the third largest marijuana seizure in Coast Guard history and the first by a Juniper-class cutter. Aspen was deployed to the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. During her time on scene, Aspen transited over 13,000 mi (21,000 km) and recovered over 138,000 US gal (520,000 L) of spilled crude oil. She recovered over 35 bales of marijuana of the coast of Baja California and returned thirteen illegal immigrants to Mexico in 2011. In July 2012, she seized 341 bales of marijuana weighing 7,400 lb (3,400 kg) with a street value in excess of US$ 6.7 million. In 2012, USCGC Aspen recovered two (NOAA) specialized ocean wave glider buoys worth US$ 750,000 and serviced 7 other NOAA buoys. She also serviced 44 navigational buoys and helped Coast Guard Station Golden Gate with 25 hours of small boat response time.[1]
The original Aspenedit
The original Aspen was a 126 ft (38 m) buoy tender that was built by Craig Shipbuilding of Toledo, Ohio and commissioned by the U.S. Lighthouse Service on 8 May 1906. She serviced aids-to-navigation on the Great Lakes and brought supplies lighthouse keepers located in remote areas. When the tender was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1942 it was home-ported in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and designated WAGL-204. She carried a crew of 2 officers and 23 men in 1942 and was decommissioned by the Coast Guard on 25 January 1947.[3][4]
Citationsedit
^ abcde"Coast Guard Cutter ASPEN Snapshot", U.S. Coast Guard
^ abc"225-foot Seagoing Buoy Tender (WLB)", Cutters, Craft & U.S. Coast Guard-Manned Army & Navy Vessels, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
^ abcd"USCGC ASPEN (WLB 208) - History", Cutters, Craft & U.S. Coast Guard-Manned Army & Navy Vessels, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
"225-foot Seagoing Buoy Tender (WLB)". Cutters, Craft & U.S. Coast Guard-Manned Army & Navy Vessels. U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
"USCGC ASPEN (WLB 208) - History". Cutters, Craft & U.S. Coast Guard-Manned Army & Navy Vessels. U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
"Coast Guard Cutter ASPEN Snapshot" (PDF). U.S. Coast Guard. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
Scheina, Robert L. (1982). U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft of World War II. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland. ISBN978-0-87021-717-3.
Further readingedit
Tlapa, Gregory (Spring 2011). "The "Black Hull" Fleet" (PDF). Proceedings. U.S. Coast Guard. pp. 10–15. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
April 16, 2024
uscgc, aspen, eighth, cutter, juniper, class, seagoing, buoy, tenders, under, operational, control, commander, eleventh, coast, guard, district, home, ported, yerba, buena, island, francisco, california, primary, area, responsibility, coastal, waters, river, b. USCGC Aspen WLB 208 is the eighth cutter in the Juniper class 225 ft 69 m of seagoing buoy tenders She is under the operational control of the Commander of the Eleventh U S Coast Guard District and is home ported at Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco California Her primary area of responsibility is the coastal waters river bars and high seas from the California Oregon border to San Diego California Aspen conducts heavy lift aids to navigation operations and law enforcement homeland security environmental pollution response and search and rescue as directed 1 USCGC Aspen WLB 208 USCGC Aspen in 2006 HistoryUnited StatesNameUSCGC AspenOperatorUnited States Coast GuardBuilderMarinette Marine Corporation Marinette Wisconsin U S 1 Launched21 April 2001Commissioned24 January 2002HomeportSan Francisco California U S IdentificationHull number WLB 208 IMO number 9259147 MMSI number 303865000 Callsign NTUGMotto Superior Technology Superior Performance Statusin active serviceBadgeGeneral characteristicsClass and typeJuniper class sea going buoy tender 2 Displacement2 000 tons full load Length225 ft 69 m Beam46 ft 14 m Draft13 ft 4 0 m Propulsion2 x 3 100 hp 2 300 kW Caterpillar diesel enginesSpeed16 knots 30 km h 18 mph Complement7 officers 42 enlistedArmament2 x 50 caliber heavy machine guns Contents 1 Construction and characteristics 2 Mission 3 History 3 1 The original Aspen 4 Citations 5 References 6 Further readingConstruction and characteristics editUSCGC Aspen was built by the Marinette Marine Corporation in Wisconsin and launched on 21 April 2001 She has a length of 225 ft 69 m a beam of 46 ft 14 m and a draft of 13 ft 4 0 m Aspen is propelled by two Caterpillar diesel engines rated at 3 100 horsepower and has a top speed of 16 knots 1 She has a single controllable pitch propeller which along with bow and stern thrusters allow the ship to be maneuvered to set buoys close offshore and in restricted waters A dynamic global positioning system coupled with machinery plant controls and a chart display and information system allow station keeping of the ship within a five meter accuracy of the planned position without human intervention 2 3 Aspen is also equipped with an oil skimming system known as the Spilled Oil Recovery System SORS which is used in her mission of maritime environmental protection 3 The cutter has a 2 875 square foot buoy deck area with a crane used for servicing large ocean buoys 2 Mission editUSCGC Aspen is a seagoing buoy tender with her primary mission being the servicing of aids to navigation buoys in her area of responsibility AOR She services over 100 navigation buoys in her AOR as well as several National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA data collection buoys Aspen s other missions include maritime law enforcement homeland security ensuring the security of ports and waterways maritime environmental response as well as search and rescue duties 1 History editAspen was built to replace USCGC Buttonwood a 180 ft 55 m Mesquite class buoy tender in her area of operations Buttonwood was decommissioned 28 June 2001 after 58 years of service 3 In 2009 Aspen seized 16 000 lb 7 300 kg of marijuana and arrested four suspected smugglers from a go fast boat off the coast of Baja California which as at the time the third largest marijuana seizure in Coast Guard history and the first by a Juniper class cutter Aspen was deployed to the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill During her time on scene Aspen transited over 13 000 mi 21 000 km and recovered over 138 000 US gal 520 000 L of spilled crude oil She recovered over 35 bales of marijuana of the coast of Baja California and returned thirteen illegal immigrants to Mexico in 2011 In July 2012 she seized 341 bales of marijuana weighing 7 400 lb 3 400 kg with a street value in excess of US 6 7 million In 2012 USCGC Aspen recovered two NOAA specialized ocean wave glider buoys worth US 750 000 and serviced 7 other NOAA buoys She also serviced 44 navigational buoys and helped Coast Guard Station Golden Gate with 25 hours of small boat response time 1 The original Aspen edit The original Aspen was a 126 ft 38 m buoy tender that was built by Craig Shipbuilding of Toledo Ohio and commissioned by the U S Lighthouse Service on 8 May 1906 She serviced aids to navigation on the Great Lakes and brought supplies lighthouse keepers located in remote areas When the tender was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1942 it was home ported in Sault Ste Marie Michigan and designated WAGL 204 She carried a crew of 2 officers and 23 men in 1942 and was decommissioned by the Coast Guard on 25 January 1947 3 4 Citations edit a b c d e Coast Guard Cutter ASPEN Snapshot U S Coast Guard a b c 225 foot Seagoing Buoy Tender WLB Cutters Craft amp U S Coast Guard Manned Army amp Navy Vessels U S Coast Guard Historian s Office a b c d USCGC ASPEN WLB 208 History Cutters Craft amp U S Coast Guard Manned Army amp Navy Vessels U S Coast Guard Historian s Office Scheina p 142References edit 225 foot Seagoing Buoy Tender WLB Cutters Craft amp U S Coast Guard Manned Army amp Navy Vessels U S Coast Guard Historian s Office Retrieved 30 March 2014 USCGC ASPEN WLB 208 History Cutters Craft amp U S Coast Guard Manned Army amp Navy Vessels U S Coast Guard Historian s Office Retrieved 31 March 2014 Coast Guard Cutter ASPEN Snapshot PDF U S Coast Guard Retrieved 30 March 2014 Scheina Robert L 1982 U S Coast Guard Cutters amp Craft of World War II Naval Institute Press Annapolis Maryland ISBN 978 0 87021 717 3 Further reading editTlapa Gregory Spring 2011 The Black Hull Fleet PDF Proceedings U S Coast Guard pp 10 15 Retrieved 2 April 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USCGC Aspen amp oldid 1203262261, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
