USCGCSalvia

USCGCSalviaunderway in 1971.
History
United States
Name	USCGCSalvia(WLB-400)
Namesake	Salvia,the largestgenusof plants in themintfamily
Builder	Zenith Dredge Corporation,Duluth,Minnesota
Laid down	24 June 1943
Launched	19 September 1943
Commissioned	19 February 1944
Decommissioned	4 October 1991
Fate	Sold 2020
Badge
United States
Name	Brian Davis
Namesake	Brian Davis, aNorth Carolinadiver who died in an accident
Acquired	2020
Fate	Scuttledasartificial reef24 July 2020
General characteristics
Class and type	Iris-classbuoy tender
Displacement	935 long tons (950 t)
Length	180 ft (55 m)
Beam	47 ft 1 in (14.35 m)
Draft	12 ft (3.7 m)
Propulsion	1 × electric motor connected to 2 Westinghouse generators driven by 2Cooper Bessemer-type GND-8, 4-cycle diesels; single screw
Speed	8.3kn(15.4 km/h; 9.6 mph) cruising 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) maximum
Complement	6 officers 74 enlisted
Armament	1 ×3 inch gun 2 ×20 mm/80 2 ×depth charge tracks 2 ×Mousetraps 4 ×Y-guns

USCGCSalvia(WLB-400)was aUnited States Coast GuardIris-classbuoy tenderin commission from 1944 to 1991. She operated in theGreat Lakesand along theUnited States Gulf Coastduring her career. Sold and renamedBrian Davisin 2020 for use as a memorial vessel, she wasscuttledas anartificial reefin 2020.

Construction and commissioning

Salviawas constructed by the Zenith Dredge Corporation atDuluth,Minnesota.Launchedon 19 September 1943, she wascommissionedon 19 February 1944.

Design

TheIris-class buoy tenderswere constructed after theMesquite-class buoy tenders.Salviacost $923,995 to construct and had an overall length of 180 feet (55 m). She had abeamof 37 feet (11 m) and adraftof up to 12 feet (3.7 m) at the time of construction, although this was increased to 14 feet 7 inches (4.45 m) in 1966. She initially had a displacement of 935 long tons (950 t; 1,047 short tons); this was increased to 1,026 long tons (1,042 t; 1,149 short tons) in 1966. She was powered by one electric motor. This was connected up to twoWestinghousegenerators which were driven by two CooperBessemer GND-8 four-cycle diesel engines. She had a single screw.

TheIris-class buoy tenders had maximum sustained speeds of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph), although this diminished to around 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) in 1966. For economic and effective operation, they had to initially operate at 8.3 knots (15.4 km/h; 9.6 mph), although this increased to 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) in 1966. The ships had a complement of six officers and seventy-four crew members in 1945; this decreased to two warrants, four officers, and forty-seven men in 1966. They were fitted with a SL1 radar system and QBE-3A sonar system in 1945. Their armament consisted of one3 "/50 caliber gun,two20 mm/80 guns, two Mousetraps, two depth charge tracks, and four Y-guns in 1945; these were removed in 1966.

Career

International radio call signof USCGCSalvia(WLB-400)
November	Oscar	Delta	Sierra

Aftercommissioning,Salviawas assigned toaid-to-navigation (ATON)andicebreakingduties in theGreat Lakes.In May 1944, she was assigned to the 5th Coast Guard District and stationed inPortsmouth,Virginia,where she remained until the end ofWorld War IIin 1945.

After the war,SalviawashomeportedinMobile,Alabama,and continued to perform general ATON duties. In April 1951 she was disabled inCalasieu PassnearCameron,Louisiana,and was towed back to port by thecutterUSCGCTampa(WPG-164).In December 1968,Salviasearched for survivors from the lost coastal buoy tenderUSCGCWhite Alder(WLM-541).She wasdecommissionedon 4 October 1991.

Disposal

By mid-May 2019,Salviawas lying atVirginia Beach,Virginia, in scrap condition, with her engines and most equipment removed, and theGeneral Services Administrationhad put her up forauction.

In 2020,Salviawas sold for use as a memorial vessel andartificial reef.RenamedBrian Davisin memory of a localdiver,she wasscuttledon 24 July 2020 in southernOnslow BayoffTopsail Beach,North Carolina,about 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) fromTopsail Inletand 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) fromMasonboro Inletat34°09.514′N077°25.782′W,as a part of artificial reef project AR-368.

See also

• List of United States Coast Guard cutters

External links

• Historic American Engineering Record(HAER) No. AL-199, "U.S. Coast Guard Cutter SALVIA, Mobile, Mobile County, AL",4 data pages