Category Archives: littoral

Warship Wednesday, March 13, 2024: SEAL Time Capsule

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Here at LSOZI, we take off every Wednesday to look at the old steam/diesel navies of the 1833-1954 period and will profile a different ship each week. These ships have a life, a tale all their own, which sometimes takes them to the strangest places.- Christopher Eger

Warship Wednesday, March 13, 2024: SEAL Time Capsule

Sorry about the short WW this week. I’m currently in the midst of a 17-day work trip to Europe visiting iconic old-world gunmakers for factory tours. We’ll be back to our regular format next week!

330-PSA-61-63 (USN 1066434)

Official caption for the above photograph, released 61 years ago today, 13 March 1963

U.S. Navy frogmen have the capability of being air-dropped into coastal waters, fully equipped to perform any of their various missions. After landing in the water, they abandon their parachutes, take to the underwater environment, and upon completion of their tasks are picked up by anyone of a variety of methods including aerial, high-speed surface, or submarine retrieval.

The first two U.S. Navy Sea, Air, and Land Teams, commonly known as SEALs, were stood up under orders from JFK– himself a WWII Navy man– in January 1962, with one based on the West Coast at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California, and another on the East Coast at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia. Drawn from the Navy’s preexisting underwater demolition teams dating back to WWII, the plankowners of SEAL Team ONE and TWO only numbered 60 frogmen each.

While they would soon face their first test in Vietnam, they got to show off for the cameras in the Virgin Islands in March 1963 for this set of interesting photos showing off a lot of classic gear including what look to be Sportsways Hydro Twin regulators long before Draeger units were a thing, round facemasks, and slab-sided early XM16s complete with waffle mags.

The sub used in the exercise was the old USS Sealion (APSS-315), which earned five battle stars during World War II and then spent almost the entire period from 1954 to 1967 in a series of such exercises with Marines, Underwater Demolition Teams, SEALs, Beachjumper units; and, on occasion, Army units ranging from the Virginia coasts to the Caribbean.

U.S. Navy Frogmen on training exercises at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, leave the submerged submarine USS Sealion through the forward escape trunk carrying their demolition equipment, proceed to the beach as the spearhead forces of an amphibious assault, and after their mission is accomplished, rendezvous with the submarine and reenter through the escape trunk. 330-PSA-61-63 (USN 1066438)

U.S. Navy Frogmen on training exercises at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, leave the submerged submarine USS Sealion through the forward escape trunk carrying their demolition equipment, proceed to the beach as the spearhead forces of an amphibious assault, and after their mission is accomplished, rendezvous with the submarine and reenter through the escape trunk. 330-PSA-61-63 (USN 1066431)

“US Navy SEAL holding a rifle near a shack, during a military demonstration at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands,” by Marion S Trikosko. U.S. News & World Report Magazine Photograph Collection (Library of Congress). LC-U9-9190- 21

“US Navy SEALs wearing and holding aquatic equipment during a demonstration at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands” by Marion S Trikosko. U.S. News & World Report Magazine Photograph Collection (Library of Congress). LC-U9-9194- 29

“US Navy SEALs training on a boat and rubber raft at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands,” by Marion S Trikosko. U.S. News & World Report Magazine Photograph Collection (Library of Congress). LC-U9-9194- 29

Catch you guys next week!

Ships are more than steel
and wood
And the heart of burning coal,
For those who sail upon
they know
That some ships have a
soul.

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60 Years of Getting it Done

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The 71-member crew of 210-foot U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Reliance (WMEC 615) returned to their homeport at Pensacola– where the aging class is being collected– on Saturday following a 57-day counterdrug patrol that ranged into the Eastern Pacific Ocean under 4th Fleet/JIATF-South control.

And the 59-year-old (not a misprint) cutter bagged a narco sub, which continues to be a thing in those waters.

The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Reliance (WMEC 615) interdicts a low-profile vessel carrying more than $5 million in illicit narcotics in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, on Feb. 15, 2024. Patrolling in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Reliance crew stopped two drug trafficking ventures, detaining six suspected traffickers and preventing nearly 4,000 pounds of cocaine and 5,400 pounds of marijuana, worth more than $57 million, from entering the United States. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Reliance)

Commissioned in Galveston in 1964 Reliance is the leader of her 16-ship class, of which four have been retired in recent years– only to see those old hulls transferred to overseas allies.

This black and white photo shows newly the commissioned Reliance (WMEC-615) in the mid-1960s with an HH-52 Sea Guard helicopter landing on its pad and davits down with one of its small boats deployed. Notice the lack of smokestack and paint scheme pre-dating the Racing Stripe or “U.S. Coast Guard” paint schemes. She has a 3″/50 forward as well as 20mm cannons for AAA work and weight and space for ASW Mousetraps, a towed sonar, and Mk.32 ASW tubes, although they were never fitted. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

As noted by the USCG:

In addition, the cutter made port calls in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama for the first time in the ship’s 59-year history. The cutter also crossed into the Southern Hemisphere, prompting a time-honored equatorial crossing tradition for the Reliance crew. Before returning to Pensacola, the crew conducted aviation training with aircraft from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile and steamed in formation with Coast Guard Cutter Diligence (WMEC 616) to commemorate the cutters’ upcoming 60th anniversaries this summer.

Not a bad looking 40 year old

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How about this great image during the magic hour?

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa (WMEC 902) transits the Florida Straits, on Feb. 4, 2024, while supporting Operation Vigilant Sentry. Tampa is homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Brodie MacDonald)

Tampa, a 270-foot Famous (Bear)-class cutter, was commissioned on 16 March 1984 putting her within striking distance of the big four-oh. Of note, her class is the last in U.S. service to carry the classic 1970s MK75 OTO Melera 76mm/62 cal mount.

She recently returned home Tuesday, following a 77-day maritime safety and security patrol in the Florida Straits.

“CGC Tampa has gracefully completed a multitude of missions throughout her 40 years of service,” said Cmdr. Walter Krolman, commanding officer of Tampa. “From mass migration rescues to participating in multi-nation military exercises and conducting counterdrug operations, Tampa continues to prove her motto, “Thy way is the sea, thy path in the great waters.”

Welcome aboard, John L. Canley

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Marines and Sailors at Naval Base Coronado participated in commissioning ceremonies for the giant new 100,000-ton ton expeditionary mobile base USS John L. Canley (ESB 6), on Feb 17.

This is the first ship to be named after Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Maj. John L. Canley, Ret., for his actions during the Battle of Hue City in 1968.

Canley (ESB-6) is the fourth Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base (ESB) and is envisioned to support low-intensity missions in remote areas as a sort of modernization of the old Mobile Sea Bases Hercules and Wimbrown 7 from the Prime Chance era. As such, they can support MCM assets, USCG patrol boats, Army aviation types, and all flavors of Marines and Navy special warfare units.

They carry the 4th largest flight deck in the U.S. Navy, as part of a huge mission bay. 

Check out this tour: 

Class leader Lewis B. Puller was home to the SEALs who lost their lives late last month while interdicting stateless dhows smuggling rocket parts to Yemen.

16th Independence-variant LCS to join the Pacific fleet Soon

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The future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) returning to Mobile on 31 January from her sea trials (Austal)

Austal just recently announced that the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) has returned pier side after successfully completing acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico for the U.S. Navy.

Via Austal:

During acceptance trials, comprehensive testing is conducted on the ship’s major systems and equipment in order to demonstrate their successful operation and mission readiness. The U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey participates throughout the trials to validate the quality of construction and compliance with Navy requirements.

Once Kingsville leaves for the Pacific– where the Indy variants are located, the more troubled Freedom variants are based in Florida and basically don’t have a mission other than the occasional 4th Fleet deployment– Austal will only have the future USS Pierre (LCS 38) as the final Independence-variant under construction. Pierre will be christened this spring.

Of the 19 planned Indys, the first two hulls (Independence LCS-2, and Coronado, LCS-4) were decommissioned in 2021-22 after just 11 years and 9 years of service, respectively.

Steadfast, departing

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The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623), the 9th Reliance-class 210-foot cutter built, had a very long career.

Laid down in the midwest at the American Ship Building Company of Lorain, Ohio, on 2 May 1966, she commissioned 7 October 1968– the same year as the Tet Offensive.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast side-launched at the American Shipbuilding Company, Lorain 1967

Following an extensive refit in 1994 that aimed to add another 20-25 years to her service, she made it an additional 30 and was just decommissioned over the weekend.

The crew aboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) stands in formation on the ship’s flight deck while underway off the coast of Central America Memorial Day, 2022. An embarked MH-65 Dolphin helicopter detachment crew from Air Station Port Angeles hovered overhead for the photo in recognition of the day of remembrance. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Brad O’Brien)

Originally home-ported in St. Petersburg, Florida for her first 24 years, she shifted to Astoria, Oregon for the second half of her career.

The service put her to bed on Saturday. 

Five prior Commanding Officers of USCGC Steadfast (WMEC 623) attended the ceremony over the weekend

As noted by the service:

Since commissioning in 1968, she has completed over 340 Search and Rescue cases, interdicted over 1.6 million pounds of marijuana and 164,000 pounds of cocaine, seized over 80 vessels, and stopped over 3,500 undocumented migrants from entering the United States. Steadfast was the first and is one of only two cutters, awarded the gold marijuana leaf, symbolizing one million pounds of marijuana seized. Legend holds Steadfast was named “El Tiburon Blanco” (Spanish for “The White Shark”) by Caribbean drug smugglers in the 1970s for being such a nemesis to their illegal drug operations. To this day, the crew uses the symbol of “El Tiburon Blanco” as one of their logos to epitomize Steadfast’s assertive law enforcement posture.

Steadfast is a multi-mission platform and is under the Operational Command of the Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander. As a Coast Guard resource, Steadfast deploys in support of Coast Guard Districts 11 and 13 as well as Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South (JIATF-S). During deployments, Steadfast patrols along the western seaboard of the United States, Mexico, and North and Central America conducting search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, living marine resource protection, and Homeland Defense operations.

In her years of service, Steadfast has been awarded the Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbons for Campaign Caper Focus and for Operation Martillo, 8 Coast Guard Excellence Ribbons, 5 Coast Guard Unit Commendation Awards, and 4 Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendations. In July 2019, Steadfast broke the record for the most cocaine seized during a single deployment among all 15 cutters of her same class and size.

In all, Steadfast served 55 years, 3 months, and 26 days. Not a bad run.

She is the fourth of 16 Reliance class cutters to get the ax, and will probably be sent overseas as military aid as two of her sisters have already been.

A view of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast at sunrise off the coast of San Diego, California., Dec. 2, 2019. The crew of the Steadfast was transiting north to their homeport of Astoria, Oregon, following a 60-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan O’Connor.)

Waving the White Duster, with shades of Fletcher Christian

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Resplendent in her disruptive camouflage, the Royal Navy’s Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel, HMS Tamar (P-233), recently arrived for a visit to the remote Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands. The sole remaining British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean, some of the islands’ population of fewer than 50 people can trace roots to the mutineers of HM Armed Vessel Bounty, which they burned there in what is now known as “Bounty Bay” in 1790.

It made for great imagery, and you can see why the men of the Bounty chose the place to settle.

The Rivers, designed for maritime constabulary roles such as conducting anti-piracy, counter-terrorism, and anti-smuggling tasks– allowing more capable destroyers and frigates to be retasked– have been busy showing the flag in remote parts of the world. The class consists of the three first 1,700-ton/260-foot flight Batch I vessels (Tyne, Severn, and Mersey) and five larger and improved 2,000-ton/296-foot Batch 2 vessels (Forth, Medway, Trent, Tamar, and Spey).

With small (28 in Batch 1, 45 in Batch 2) crews, their main armament is slight, being a simple 20mm/30mm forward and a few pintle-mounted .50 cals and GPMGs. The Batch 2s also have the ability to embark a Merlin/HH-60-sized helicopter (although not hangar it), UUV and UAV dets, and a platoon-sized element of Royal Marines. 

In my opinion, this (or the RCN’s Kingston class MCDVs) would have been a better and far cheaper way for the U.S. Navy to go to scratch the LCS itch, putting all the money saved towards actual frigates, a role the LCS falls short of filling. For reference, a Batch 2 River costs about $175 million per hull, while the LCS runs $500-600 million. Oof. 

Also in Guyana and South Georgia

Anyway…

The Batch 2s have been punching above their weight class lately with HMS Trent (P224) diverted from her traditional West Indies Station Ship role hunting drugs smugglers in the Caribbean to visit Guyana “as part of the UK’s unequivocal backing to the South American nation and its territorial integrity” in its tense crisis with neighboring Venezuela.

The RN made sure to release images of Trent’s embarked Royal Marines at play, her .50 cals loaded with belts of ammo ready to go, and visiting Guyanan military personnel shown on the stern, framed by a pair of guns and the White Duster.

Subtle warning.

HMS Trent

Similarly, sistership HMS Forth (P222) is back on South Atlantic patrol after a yearlong refit. She is currently working with scientists in South Georgia, a Falkland Islands War battlefield studying bird flu there. 

HMS Forth at East Cove with RRS Sir David Attenborough

Summer in South Georgia

South Georgia wildlife enjoying the summer with HMS Forth in the distance

Closing out related news for the class, check out this video of HMS Mersey, the third River to receive a WWII-style Western Approaches camo scheme during refit at Falmouth.

Those wacky Army sea mines

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The beautiful and brand new 188-foot 1,300-ton U.S. Army Mine Planter No. 16, Col. George W. Ricker, at New Orleans’s Pauline Street Wharf, 14 May 1943. She arrived at the New Orleans Port of Embarkation from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, on 11 May 1943 from her builder, Marietta Manufacturing Co. She only served the Army for a year before the Navy picked her up and commissioned her as the Minesweep Gear and Repair Ship, USS Planter (ACM 2), in April 1944. Struck from the Naval Register on 23 December 1947, she was sold to commercial interests and was still in use as a fishing trawler into the 1970s. Official U.S. Army Photograph 298-1-43 via the WWII Museum.

Lost in the sauce when it comes to U.S. mine warfare in World War II is the Army’s sea mine planting efforts during the conflict.

Brainstormed by the Army as early as 1866 from experience gained against Confederate “torpedoes” in the Civil War, by 1876 an experimental defensive minefield was sown at Fort Mifflin in Pennsylvania. This led to an explosion (pun intended) in floating Army minefields during the Endicott Period of coastal defense.

By the Spanish-American War, at least 28 harbors and coastal chokepoints had Army-controlled electric submarine mines installed.

Mine 1919 Fort Pickens, outside of Pensacola. Typically 45 mines in seven groups were planted there between 1917-18

This only continued to grow and, after Army sea mines were transferred from the Corps of Engineers to the Artillery Corps, leading to the dedicated Coast Artillery Corps in 1907, the branch even kicked off an Army Mine Planter Service in 1918. At least 37 large planters, typically named after colonels and generals, were used by the AMPS during this period as well as twice as many “junior mine planters”, or “pup planters.”

Army-controlled submarine nets, mines, and shore batteries protected the entrance to San Francisco Bay May 1942 Ft. Cronkite. Of note, Fort Funston with its modern 16-inch guns, is not listed

By the time WWII came, the Coastal Artillery controlled 27 Harbor Defense Commands with minefields, at least five of them overseas in Hawaii, the Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Speaking of which, USAMP Col. George F.E. Harrison and USAJMP Neptune sowed Army minefields at Manila Harbor in 1941 to help block the Japanese advance. Both planters were sunk during the Luzon campaign, with Harrison earning a Navy battle star.

The 704-ton, 172-foot USAMP Col. George F.E. Harrison moored pierside at Ilollo, Panay, Philippine Islands, 2 February 1933. Sunk by Japanese dive bombers in May 1942, she was later raised and would serve as the Japanese Imperial Navy cable ship IJN Harushima, only to be sent to the bottom again, this time by American dive bombers, in 1945. U.S. Army Signal Corps photo # 331549, U.S. National Archives 111-SCA-Album-2986.

On 7 December 1941, the Army had approximately 5,000 controlled mines on hand for harbor defense and during the war would sow 7,320 (3,569 contact and 3,751 magnetic) domestically along with 1,847 mines ex-CONUS.

That doesn’t even count the no less than 12,000 air-dropped offensive mines laid by the USAAF in the Pacific during the war, which is a whole different story.

Operation Starvation. Loading aerial mines on a B-29 of the 468th Bomb Group, 24 January 1945. (NARA)

Via Navweaps: 

By 1945, the Army Air Force was devoting considerable resources to the mining role, with 80 to 100 B-29s based at Tinian being used to mine the home waters around Japan. These B-29s could carry seven 2,000 lbs. (907 kg). or twelve 1,000 lbs. (454 kg) mines. “Operation Starvation” started in March 1945 and continued until early August with 4,900 magnetic, 3,500 acoustic, 2,900 pressure, and 700 low-frequency mines being laid. These mines sank 294 ships outright, damaged another 137 beyond repair, and damaged a further 239 that could be repaired. In cargo tonnage, the total was 1.4 million tons lost or damaged which was about 75% of the shipping available in March 1945.

With the Army’s airborne minedropping capability going in 1947 to the newly established USAAF (which still maintains the little talked about skillset), and the disbandment of the Coastal Artillery branch soon after, when the defunct AMPS was fully zeroed out on paper on 22 January 1954– 70 years ago today– it closed the Big Green’s 88-year run with sea mines.

Just taking my drone boat for a walk

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Just walking around the Gulfport harbor on the weekend– back when it was 70 degrees just a week ago– and spied this, now increasingly familiar, scene: an Ocean Aero Triton Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle (AUSV), with its recycled USCG 26ft RB-S chase boat (note the red showing through on the sides) and the replica of the old Ship Island lighthouse on the west horizon. The new (post-Katrina) Coast Guard station is to the left. 

(Photo by Chris Eger)

Ocean Aero is based at the port, nestled in among the banana boat facilities, and tests its production Triton AUSVs from the harbor before packing them up for delivery.

They typically run them 2 at a time, which leaves open the possibility of drone boat races? I think they should keep that in mind. I grew up with the submarine races in Pascagoula back when Ingalls was making Sturgeon-class hunter-killers and that was a blast.

Prosperity Guardian Goes on the Offensive (Well, Not Officially)

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Statement via CENTCOM (emphasis mine):

On Jan. 11 at 2:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces, in coordination with the United Kingdom, and support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain conducted joint strikes on Houthi targets to degrade their capability to continue their illegal and reckless attacks on U.S. and international vessels and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This multinational action targeted radar systems, air defense systems, and storage and launch sites for one way attack unmanned aerial systems, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

Since Oct. 17, 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have attempted to attack and harass 27 ships in international shipping lanes. These illegal incidents include attacks that have employed anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. These strikes have no association with and are separate from Operation Prosperity Guardian, a defensive coalition of over 20 countries operating in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden.

“We hold the Houthi militants and their destabilizing Iranian sponsors responsible for the illegal, indiscriminate, and reckless attacks on international shipping that have impacted 55 nations so far, including endangering the lives of hundreds of mariners, including the United States,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander. “Their illegal and dangerous actions will not be tolerated, and they will be held accountable.”

The release came with images of an F-18E making a night cat from (likely) the Ike which is deployed to the region, and what looks like a TLAM lifting off from a DDG.

The F-18E looks to be “Canyon 400” the CAG bird of the “Gunslingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105, part of CVW-3 based out of NAS Oceana

For reference, Carrier Strike Group (CCSG) 2 currently includes the flagship Nimitz carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), the Tico cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), Burkes USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Laboon (DDG 58), and USS Mason (DDG 87) of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22, and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 with nine embarked squadrons.

Known as the “Battle Axe,” CVW-3 dates back to the old USS Saratoga in 1928 and has an all-Rhino punch from four F-18E squadrons (VFA-32, VFA-83, VFA-105, and VFA-131).

Meanwhile, the Brits chipped in some strikes made by RAF Typhoons flying 3,200-mile round-trip sorties out of Akrotiri, Cyprus, with the combined target count reportedly being 60 sites across 16 locations by both the USN and RAF with 150 munitions employed.

The use of Typhoon is rare, as the RAF only has five squadrons and usually devotes these modern fighters to air defense (MoD image)

From the MoD statement: 

Four RAF Typhoon FGR4s, supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker therefore used Paveway IV guided bombs to conduct precision strikes on two of these Houthi facilities. One was a site at Bani in north-western Yemen used to launch reconnaissance and attack drones. A number of buildings involved in drone operations were targeted by our aircraft.

The other location struck by our aircraft was the airfield at Abbs. Intelligence has shown that it has been used to launch both cruise missiles and drones over the Red Sea. Several key targets at the airfield were identified and prosecuted by our aircraft.

As for the locals, they say 73 sites were hit, with about a dozen casualties, all among their fighters, and they had been given a 2-3 hour warning before the raid. Following much smack talk and lots of public rallies in the Houthi areas, it is possible an effort may be made against the American and allied bases in nearby Djoubuti in the Horn of Africa. 

BTW, the strikes on Houthiland came within hours of the Iranian Navy seizing the Greek-owned and Marshall Islands-flagged tanker St Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman.

A Very “Greyhound Moment”

This TLAM and Rhino blitz against targets ashore in Houthiland comes two days after what has been described as a “Convoy Battle” that saw the Iranian-backed rebels launch a “complex attack” that included 18 one-way attack drones (OWA UAVs), two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile shot down by the Ike’s combined carrier group and the Royal Navy’s HMS Diamond (D34).

Sal Mercogliano – maritime historian at Campbell University– richly detailed in his What’s Going on With Shipping podcast just what that was like from the feedback he has gotten from his contacts in the region.

There is also a bit of chatter that an Iranian merchant ship loitering in the area (Behshad) is actually a floating covert Revolutionary Guard seabase that is feeding targeting information to the Houthi. Behshad has been in the Red Sea since 2021 off Eritrea’s lawless Dahlak archipelago and had arrived there to apparently relive the Saviz, another suspected Iranian spy vessel that had been mysteriously damaged in an attack that some blamed on the Israelis.

If you aren’t listening to Mercogliano’s podcast and are interested in what is going on with the Houthi naval war, you are missing out.

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