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NOAASMcArthur

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This article is about NOAAS McArthur (S 330). For her successor, seeNOAAS McArthur II (R 330).
NOAASMcArthur(S 330) sometime between 1970 and 2003
History
U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey
NameUSC&GSMcArthur(CSS 30)
NamesakeWilliam Pope McArthur(1814–1850), aUnited States Coast Surveyofficerwho pioneeredhydrographic surveywork on theUnited States West Coast
BuilderNorfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Company,Norfolk,Virginia
Laid down15 July 1965
Launched15 November 1965
Sponsored byMrs. Jack K. Bennett
Commissioned15 December 1966
FateTransferred toNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration3 October 1970
NOAA
NameNOAASMcArthur(S 330)
NamesakePrevious name retained
AcquiredTransferred fromU.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey3 October 1970
Decommissioned20 May 2003
HomeportSeattle,Washington
Nickname(s)"Mini-Mac" (aftercommissioningof the largerNOAASMcArthur II(R 330),known as "Big Mac," in May 2003)[1]
FateSold toBlackwater Worldwide2006
NameM/VMcArthur
NamesakePrevious name retained
OwnerAcademi
OperatorAcademi
Port of registryUnited StatesUnited States
Acquired2006
In serviceSeptember 2007
HomeportNorfolk,Virginia
IdentificationIMO number:6602082
StatusActive
General characteristics
(survey ship)
Class and typeMcArthur-classhydrographicsurvey shipS1-MT-70a
Tonnage854gross register tons;207net register tons
Displacement995tons(full load)
Length175 ft (53 m)
Beam38 ft (12 m)
Draft12.1 ft (3.7 m)
Installed power1,600horsepower(2.1megawatts)
PropulsionTwoGeneral Motorsdiesel engines,twin controllable-pitchpropellers,186 tons fuel
Speed12knots
Range6,000 nautical miles at 12 knots
Endurance17 days
ComplementEither 23 (6officersand 17 crew) plus up to 13scientists[2]or 38 (8NOAA Corpsofficers, 3 licensedengineers,and 27 other crew), plus up to 2 scientists[3]
Notes440 kilowattselectrical power;HydroplotPDP 11/34computer
General characteristics
(maritime security ship)
Class and typenone
TypePrivate maritime security ship and training ship
Tonnage854gross register tons;207net register tons
Displacement995 tons (full load)
Length175 ft (53 m)
Beam38 ft (12 m)
Draft12.1 ft (3.7 m)
Installed power1,600horsepower(2.1megawatts)
PropulsionTwoGeneral Motorsdiesel engines, twin controllable-pitch propellers, 186 tons fuel
Speed12knots
Range6,000 nautical miles at 12 knots
Endurance17 days
Boats & landing
craft carried		Threerigid-hulled inflatable boats(RHIBs)
Complement45 (includes 35 private security personnel)
Aircraft carriedTwoMH-6 Little Birdhelicopters

NOAASMcArthur(S 330),was an Americansurvey shipin commission in theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) from 1970 to 2003. Prior to her NOAA career she was in commission in theUnited States Coast and Geodetic Surveyfrom 1966 to 1970 asUSC&GSMcArthur(CSS-30).

In 2007, the ship went into private service with Blackwater Worldwide (later known as Blackwater USA, Xe Services LLC, andAcademi) as the maritime security andtraining shipM/VMcArthur

Construction and commissioning

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Constructed as a "coastal survey ship" (CSS) for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey,McArthurwas laid down on 15 July 1965 by theNorfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock CompanyatNorfolk,Virginia,andlaunchedon 15 November 1965,[4]sponsored by Mrs. Jack K. Bennett.[4]The Coast and Geodetic Survey commissioned her on 15 December 1966 asUSC&GSMcArthur(CSS 30).When the Coast and Geodetic Survey merged with otherUnited States Governmentagencies to form NOAA on 3 October 1970,McArthurbecame part of the NOAA fleet asNOAASMcArthur(S 330).

McArthurhad one sister ship,NOAASDavidson(S 331).

Service history as USC&GS and NOAASMcArthur

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With herhome portatSeattle,Washington,McArthurspent her career operating along theUnited States West Coast,inAlaskanwaters, and in the easternPacific Ocean.She began her career operating as ahydrographic surveyship, but later became primary U.S. West Coastcurrentsurvey vessel. She engaged in measurements ofchemical,meteorological,andbiologicalsampling for several large-scale programs within NOAA. Her work was focused primarily on theexclusive economic zoneof theUnited Statesoff the U.S. West Coast, especially in several of theNational Marine Sanctuariesthere. She also conductedChase Encirclement Stress Studies(CHESS) --marine mammalsurveys throughout the easterntropicalPacific—and took part in theOregon,California,Washington (ORCAWALE) Project in support ofprotected speciesresearch efforts; she also participated in theSustainable Seas Expedition.Thescientistswho carried out research aboardMcArthurcame from many divisions of NOAA, as well as otherUnited States Governmentagencies,U.S. state governmentagencies, andacademia.

On 26 October 1969,McArthurwas docked inKetchikan,Alaska, when a gunman shot a member of her crew,wiperJohn Fleagle, in the back on the pier. Fleagle managed to get aboard the ship and entered the stateroom ofESSA CorpsLieutenant, junior grade,Robert C. Husted, Jr., at approximately 06:00 hours. Husted attended to Fleagle's immediate medical needs and, after determining that the gunman was aboardMcArthurand holding the ship'scaptainandquartermasterat gunpoint, left the ship at considerable risk to his life to run barefoot to theUnited States Coast Guardbase about one-half mile (0.8 km) away to summon an ambulance and police. For his actions, Hustedt received theDepartment of Commerce Silver Medalin 1970.[5]

In 1989, theMcArthurbecame the first NOAA ship to be commanded by a woman,Evelyn Fields.Fields thus also became the first woman to command a ship for an extended assignment in any United States uniformed service.[6]

McArthurwasdecommissionedon 20 May 2003 at theNOAA Marine Operations Centerat Seattle and replaced in the NOAA fleet by theoceanographicresearch shipNOAASMcArthur II(R 330),which wascommissionedthe same day in a combined ceremony.

M/VMcArthur

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MVMcArthurin 2010

In 2006,McArthurwas sold to Blackwater Worldwide, which converted her for use as atraining shipand private maritime security ship,[7][8][9][10]fitting her to carry twoMH-6 Little Birdhelicopters,threerigid-hulled inflatable boats(RHIBs), and a crew of 45 that includes 35 private security personnel.[11]She entered service with the company in September 2007 asM/VMcArthur,home-ported at Norfolk, Virginia, and repainted with a blue hull and white upper works.

Blackwater Worldwide describedMcArthuras a multipurpose maritime vessel designed to support military andlaw enforcementtraining, peacekeeping, and stability operations around the world.[12]In October 2008, it offeredMcArthur's services to shipping companies, seeking contracts to escortmerchant shipsin waters offSomaliato provide protection against attacks by Somalipirates.[13]However,McArthurwas far too slow to keep up with the ships she was expected to protect.[14]

The whistleblower organizationWikiLeakspublished diplomatic cables that related toMcArthur.[15][16]The cables show that diplomats in the region where Blackwater/Xe/Academi proposed to operateMcArthurto escort merchant ships requested guidance over the extent to which they should support Blackwater's attempts to secure customers forMcArthur.Mark Mazzettiof theNew York Timesnoted

But with theObamaadministration just weeks old, American diplomats inDjiboutifaced a problem. They are supposed to be advocates for American businesses, but this was Blackwater, a company thatSecretary of StateHillary Clintonhad proposed banning from war zones when she was a presidential candidate.

According toWired magazine,civil suits fromMcArthur's civilian crew members caused cancellation of plans to employ her on military missions;[8][9]three civilian crew members filed harassment suits.[17]The fully equipped vessel sat moored in Norfolk, awaiting contracts.[18]

By 2010 the company, renamed Xe Services LLC in 2009 andAcademiin 2011, was offeringMcArthurfor sale. After Blackwater converted her in 2007,McArthurwas said to be worth $15 million (USD), but by 2010 Xe was willing to sell her for $3.7 million.

Notes

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  1. ^NOAA Ship McArthur II / R-330 Welcome aboard Packet - noaa.gov - Retrieved December 27, 2007
  2. ^Per NOAA Marine Operations (athttp://www.moc.noaa.gov/ar1/index.html).
  3. ^PerCombat Fleets of the World 1984/85,p. 987.
  4. ^ab"NOAA Photo Library".www.photolib.noaa.gov.Archived fromthe originalon 28 February 2018.Retrieved17 January2022.
  5. ^NOAA History: Hall of Honor: Commerce Medals Presented For Lifesaving and the Protection of Property 1955-2000
  6. ^"Transformations: Fisheries Science and Technology".
  7. ^ Sharon Weinberger (2007-10-09)."Blackwater Hits the High Seas".Wired magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-02-24.Lost amid the latest brouhaha, was a small report that Blackwater had bought and refurbished the McArthur, a 183-ft. ship that boasts "state of the art navigation systems, full GMDDSS communications, SEATEL Broadband, dedicated command and control bas, helicopter decks, hospital and multiple support vessel capabilities."
  8. ^ab Nathan Hodge (2009-05-14)."Blackwater's Pirate-Fighting Ops Sunk After Discrimination Suits".Wired magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-11-14.Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell did not comment direct on the litigation, but she said one of the employees was terminated for cause. Regarding the discrimination suit, she told Virginian-Pilot the company "does not condone and will not tolerate discrimination of any kind and takes allegations to the contrary very seriously." But she also disclosed that the company is no longer doing counter-piracy work.
  9. ^ab Spencer Ackerman (2011-01-20)."Did Blackwater Founder Fund Somalia's Pirate Fighters? [Updated]".Wired magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-01-22.If Prince really is involved in the Saracen deal, it would update an earlier Blackwater effort to battle pirates off the Somali coast. In 2008, Blackwater announced it was "ready to assist the shipping industry," with a.50-cal-equipped pirate-hunting ship fashioned out of an oceanographic research boat. Alas, those plans got knocked off course as crewmembers began suing the company for discrimination. Did Prince want one more shot at the pirates and the terrorists — and the government paychecks?
  10. ^Bill Sizemore (2007-09-18)."Blackwater showing off new training ship at Nauticus".Norfolk, Virginia: Virginia Pilot. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-11.Retrieved2014-05-29.According to a press release issued by Nauticus, Blackwater's maritime division will operate vessels suitable for training, disaster response, law enforcement, surveillance and security, including anti-terrorism and anti-piracy activities.
  11. ^ Phil Ewing (2008-10-28)."Blackwater: 13 firms want pirate protection".Navy Times.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-01-29.Blackwater CEO Erik Prince said the world's shipping firms are eager for as much protection as possible for their vessels, partly because the U.S. and international warships in the Gulf of Aden haven't done enough to stop or dissuade piracy.
  12. ^ Barry Seper (2008-12-04)."Blackwater Joins Fight Against Sea Piracy".The Washington Times.Archivedfrom the original on 2008-12-06.Formerly a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel, the McArthur was put in service in 1966 and decommissioned in 2003. Reconfigured and modified in 2006, the ship is now considered a Blackwater Worldwide maritime security support craft. Blackwater´s aviation affiliate can provide the helicopters, pilots and maintenance required to support escort missions in the Gulf of Aden.
  13. ^ Louis Hansen (2008-10-18)."Blackwater Sets Sights on Somali Pirates".Virginia Beach: The Virginian-Pilot.Archivedfrom the original on 2008-10-19.For anti-piracy operations, the 14-sailor crew would be supplemented with Blackwater security guards, four rigid-hull inflatable boats and helicopters, Mathews said. Security teams could follow a merchant vessel by air and land.
  14. ^Hooper, Craig (January 7, 2010)."In press: Blackwater's pirate-fighting navy".nextnavy.com.Retrieved29 March2014.
  15. ^ Lauren Frayer (2010-12-01)."WikiLeaks: Blackwater Was Planning to Hunt Pirates".Aol News.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-02-02.That's according to secret U.S. diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks. The cables quote the U.S. ambassador in Djibouti, James Swan, as asking the State Department for "guidance on the appropriate level of engagement with Blackwater." After all, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had proposed banning Blackwater from war zones when she was running for president less than a year earlier.
  16. ^ Mark Mazzetti (2010-11-30)."Blackwater Aimed to Hunt Pirates".New York Times.Washington DC. p. A13.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-12-21.The company's chief executive officer, Erik Prince, was planning a trip to Djibouti for a promotional event in March 2009, and Blackwater was hoping that the American Embassy there would help out, according to a secret State Department cable.
  17. ^ "Blackwater pirate fighting ship sidelined by its own crew".The Maritime Blog. 2009-05-16.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-05-29.Life on board the McArthur was apparently not so good. Blackwater, now re-named Xe, now has three separate harassment claims from crewmembers who sailed aboard the ship on its recent voyage to the Middle East.
  18. ^ "Blackwater's pirate-fighting navy has sunk!".United States Naval Institute. 2010-01-04.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-01-06.And by May 2009, the ship had dissolved into something more akin to Animal House than a buttoned-down pirate fighter. But then what does one expect from a company run by a boss who, after reaping a political windfall, cries like a baby once the going gets hard?

References

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