 USCGCSalvia underway in 1971. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USCGCSalvia (WLB-400) |
| Namesake | Salvia, the largestgenus of plants in themint family |
| 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 Carolina diver who died in an accident |
| Acquired | 2020 |
| Fate | Scuttled asartificial reef 24 July 2020 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & 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 |
|
| Complement |
|
| Armament |
|
USCGCSalvia (WLB-400) was aUnited States Coast GuardIris-classbuoy tender in commission from 1944 to 1991. She operated in theGreat Lakes and along theUnited States Gulf Coast during her career. Sold and renamedBrian Davis in 2020 for use as a memorial vessel, she wasscuttled as anartificial reef in 2020.
Salvia was constructed by the Zenith Dredge Corporation atDuluth,Minnesota.Launched on 19 September 1943, she wascommissioned on 19 February 1944.[1]
TheIris-class buoy tenders were constructed after theMesquite-class buoy tenders.Salvia cost $923,995 to construct and had an overall length of 180 feet (55 m). She had abeam of 37 feet (11 m) and adraft of 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 twoWestinghouse generators which were driven by two CooperBessemer GND-8 four-cycle diesel engines. She had a single screw.[1]
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.[1]
| International radio call sign of USCGCSalvia (WLB-400)[1] | |||
 |  |  |  |
| November | Oscar | Delta | Sierra |
Aftercommissioning,Salvia was assigned toaid-to-navigation (ATON) andicebreaking duties 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 II in 1945.[1]
After the war,Salvia washomeported inMobile,Alabama, and continued to perform general ATON duties. In April 1951 she was disabled inCalasieu Pass nearCameron,Louisiana, and was towed back to port by thecutterUSCGC Tampa (WPG-164). In December 1968,Salvia searched for survivors from the lost coastal buoy tenderUSCGC White Alder (WLM-541). She wasdecommissioned on 4 October 1991.[1]
Salvia was used as a training vessel for the United States Navy for a time as well (dates unknown). It was docked at JEB Little Creek while belonging to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2. It was used to train Navy Divers in salvage operations.
By mid-May 2019,Salvia was lying atVirginia Beach, Virginia, in scrap condition, with her engines and most equipment removed, and theGeneral Services Administration had put her up forauction.[2]
In 2020,Salvia was sold for use as a memorial vessel andartificial reef. RenamedBrian Davis in memory of a localdiver, she wasscuttled on 24 July 2020 in southernOnslow Bay offTopsail Beach,North Carolina, about 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) fromTopsail Inlet and 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) fromMasonboro Inlet at34°09.514′N077°25.782′W / 34.158567°N 77.429700°W /34.158567; -77.429700 (Brian Davis/USCGCSalvia), as a part of artificial reef project AR-368.[3][4]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Coast Guard. United States Coast Guard |
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