The USCGC North Star was a United States Coast Guard Cutter during the Second World War . It was originally built for the U.S. Interior Department and served in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) before being acquired by the U.S. Navy.
22-688: The North Star was built in 1932 by Berg Shipbuilding Company in Seattle, Washington as a wooden cutter for the U.S. Department of the Interior and was commissioned by the Interior Department in 1932. She served as a support ship during the United States Antarctic Service Expedition from 1939 to 1941. She transported the unique Antarctic Snow Cruiser for the expedition and evacuated members of
44-872: The Bear of Oakland , commissioned as the USS Bear (AG-29) on 11 September 1939. A second ship, the USMS North Star , a 1434-ton wooden ice ship built for the Bureau of Indian Affairs , was supplied by the Department of the Interior. A total of 125 men departed from the United States in the two ships of the United States Antarctic Service Expedition. Most of the men who made up the expedition were solicited from
66-595: The Greenland Patrol . The duties of the Greenland Patrol were varied - protecting convoy routes; ice breaking and passages were found through it for the Greenland convoys; escorting merchant ship; rescuing survivors of submarine attacks; construction and maintenance of aids to navigation; reporting of weather and ice conditions; and conducting air and surface patrols. North Star was involved with
88-562: The Second World War . It was originally built for the U.S. Interior Department and served in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) before being acquired by the U.S. Navy. The North Star was built in 1932 by Berg Shipbuilding Company in Seattle, Washington as a wooden cutter for the U.S. Department of the Interior and was commissioned by the Interior Department in 1932. She served as a support ship during
110-615: The United States Antarctic Service Expedition from 1939 to 1941. She transported the unique Antarctic Snow Cruiser for the expedition and evacuated members of the expedition upon its conclusion early in 1941. She was commissioned as the USCGC North Star (WPG-59) on 15 May 1941 and served on the Northeast Greenland Patrol starting on 1 July 1941. Although the United States was not yet at war,
132-438: The Greenland Patrol. She was especially useful in supporting east Greenland stations between 13 August and 23 September 1942. She was attacked by a German reconnaissance aircraft north of Jan Mayen Island on 23 July 1943. The plane withdrew from the engagement and trailed heavy black smoke as it disappeared over the horizon. North Star also investigated a German outpost at Sabine Island , East Greenland on 31 August. North Star
154-438: The Greenland Patrol. She was especially useful in supporting east Greenland stations between 13 August and 23 September 1942. She was attacked by a German reconnaissance aircraft north of Jan Mayen Island on 23 July 1943. The plane withdrew from the engagement and trailed heavy black smoke as it disappeared over the horizon. North Star also investigated a German outpost at Sabine Island , East Greenland on 31 August. North Star
176-717: The Navy was providing convoy escorts to protect American shipping in the North Atlantic from attacks by German U-boats. The Northeast Greenland Patrol, was organized at Boston and consisted of Coast Guard cutters Northland and the venerable Bear , as well as the North Star . The South Greenland Patrol, consisting of cutters Modoc , Comanche , and Raritan , along with the former United States Coast and Geodetic Survey sailing schooner USS Bowdoin (IX-50) (commanded by legendary Arctic explorer Donald B. MacMillan )
198-485: The broad scope of the objectives and the unpredictable circumstances that always arise in Antarctica , it is remarkable that most of the objectives set for them were met. The expedition also took a M2A2 Light Tank , and a T3E4 Carrier, both of which performed well, but were too heavy for the terrain and were abandoned. The visionary but ill-fated Antarctic Snow Cruiser , a vehicle having several innovative features,
220-468: The capture, on 12 September 1941, of the supposedly neutral Norwegian trawler Buskoe , which was, in fact, serving the Germans by supporting German radio and weather stations in Greenland. The captured trawler and her crew and passengers were transported to Boston by Bear for internment. With the official entry of the United States into the war on 8 December 1941, North Star continued her service with
242-500: The continent of Antarctica during the expedition. Gibbs served as a Mess Attendant 1st Class aboard the USS Bear but also worked as a cook and performed other tasks with the expedition. With international tensions on the rise, it was considered wise to evacuate the two bases rather than relieve the present personnel with new men who would continue to occupy the bases. It was hoped that one day this base would be reoccupied, so much of
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#1732802053659264-606: The discretion of the Secretary of the Navy—;be presented to members of the United States Antarctic Expedition of 1939-1941, in recognition of their valuable services to the nation in the field of polar exploration and science. The following is a partial list of expedition members. USCGC North Star (WPG-59) The USCGC North Star was a United States Coast Guard Cutter during
286-465: The equipment and supplies were left behind as the two ships sailed from West Base on February 1, 1941. The evacuation of East Base was concluded on March 22 and both ships sailed immediately. The USMS North Star arrived in Boston on May 5 and the USS Bear on May 18. On September 24, 1945, Congress directed (Public Law 79-185, 59 Stat. 536) that such number of gold, silver, and bronze medals —at
308-473: The expedition upon its conclusion early in 1941. She was commissioned as the USCGC North Star (WPG-59) on 15 May 1941 and served on the Northeast Greenland Patrol starting on 1 July 1941. Although the United States was not yet at war, the Navy was providing convoy escorts to protect American shipping in the North Atlantic from attacks by German U-boats. The Northeast Greenland Patrol, was organized at Boston and consisted of Coast Guard cutters Northland and
330-522: The military ranks, civilian agencies of government and scientific institutions. A few volunteers were employed by the Department of the Interior for $ 10 per month, food and clothing included. A total of 59 men, divided initially into three groups, wintered in Antarctica. The objectives of the expedition were outlined in an order from President Franklin D. Roosevelt dated November 25, 1939. The President wanted two bases to be established: East Base , in
352-485: The venerable Bear , as well as the North Star . The South Greenland Patrol, consisting of cutters Modoc , Comanche , and Raritan , along with the former United States Coast and Geodetic Survey sailing schooner USS Bowdoin (IX-50) (commanded by legendary Arctic explorer Donald B. MacMillan ) was consolidated with the Northeast Patrol by October 1941 and the consolidated unit was re-designated as
374-484: The vicinity of Charcot Island or Alexander I Land , or on Marguerite Bay if no accessible site could be found on either of the specified islands; and West Base, in the vicinity of King Edward VII Land , but if this proved impossible, a site on the Bay of Whales at or near Little America was to be investigated, and delineation of the continental coast line between the meridians 72 degrees W., and 148 degrees W. In view of
396-487: Was an expedition jointly sponsored by the United States Navy , State Department , Department of the Interior and The Treasury . Although a U.S.-government sponsored expedition, additional support came from donations and gifts by private citizens, corporations and institutions. Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd donated many of the supplies that he had gathered for his own expedition, the largest item being
418-492: Was consolidated with the Northeast Patrol by October 1941 and the consolidated unit was re-designated as the Greenland Patrol . The duties of the Greenland Patrol were varied - protecting convoy routes; ice breaking and passages were found through it for the Greenland convoys; escorting merchant ship; rescuing survivors of submarine attacks; construction and maintenance of aids to navigation; reporting of weather and ice conditions; and conducting air and surface patrols. North Star
440-431: Was involved with the capture, on 12 September 1941, of the supposedly neutral Norwegian trawler Buskoe , which was, in fact, serving the Germans by supporting German radio and weather stations in Greenland. The captured trawler and her crew and passengers were transported to Boston by Bear for internment. With the official entry of the United States into the war on 8 December 1941, North Star continued her service with
462-636: Was reclassified as IX-148 (Miscellaneous Unclassified) on 15 December 1943 and was decommissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard on 13 January 1944. She was transferred to the US Navy on 15 January and placed in reduced commission. She was decommissioned on 15 June 1945 at Seattle and returned to the Department of the Interior on 18 June 1945. She was struck from the U.S. Naval Register on 11 July 1945. United States Antarctic Service Expedition The United States Antarctic Service Expedition (1939–1941) , often referred to as Byrd's Third Antarctic Expedition ,
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#1732802053659484-406: Was used by the expedition but it generally failed to operate as hoped for under the difficult conditions and was eventually abandoned in Antarctica. It was rediscovered in 1958 but has since been presumed to have been lost due to the breaking off and eventual melting of the ice floe it was on. Aboard the USS Bear was George Washington Gibbs Jr. who became the first African-American to set foot on
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