USCGC Gentian (WLB-290)
Encyclopedia
The USCGC Gentian, a Cactus (A) Class buoy tender was built by Zenith Dredge of Duluth, Minnesota. Her keel was laid 3 October 1941, launched 23 May 1942 and commissioned 3 November 1942.
On 26-28 May 1952 assisted following a collision between tanker Michael and motor barge A.C. Dodge in the Delaware River, on 18-21 December 1954 assisted following a collision between tanker Atlantic Capetown and the motor vessel Maya, and on 29 June 1953 assisted following a collision between motor vessels Gulftrader and Sol de Panama 4 miles south of Barnegat Lightship.
On 1 October 1956 Gentian was transferred to Miami, Florida. On 29-30 September 1959 assisted in the hurricane Gracie evacuation of the coastal areas of Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia and on 12-20 March 1960 participated in Operation Big Slam for drug interdiction.
On 15 July 1960 Gentian was transferred to Galveston, Texas. On 9 November 1961 while pursuing the Fishing Islander thought to be a drug smuggler, the Islander turned and rammed the Gentian trying to sink her. The Islander sank while Gentian only sustained superficial damage and arrested the Islanders crew. On 2 September 1976 Gentian was decommissioned and stored at the Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Md.
In the early 1980’s Gentian had major renovations to machinery, living spaces and superstructure under the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). New main General Motors diesels were installed, new generators, propulsion systems, central fluid power system, new vang supported boom system (eliminating the distinctive Cactus (A) Class, “A” frame boom support), marine sanitation system, navigational electronics and more. On 27 July 1983 the mostly brand new Gentian was assigned to Coast Guard Group Fort Macon, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. On 27 November 1984 seized vessel Princess and 17.5 tons of marijuana, and in September 1989 assisted in the Hurricane Hugo
evacuation of the coastal areas of Charleston, South Carolina.
In May 1998 Gentian’s service as a black-hull buoy tender ended. She was temporarily decommissioned, repainted white and refurbished to facilitate longer periods of time at sea. Then in September of 1999 she was recommissioned as WIX-290, and assigned to Miami, Florida where she trained sailors from all over the world. She was known as a Caribbean Support Tender and spent a great deal of time in the Caribbean. Gentian’s final decommissioning came on 23 June 2006 closing out the final chapter for one-eighties in service in the United States Coast Guard. She now serves Columbia as the ARC San Andrés (PO-45).
Career
From December 1942 to January 1944 Gentian was stationed in New York. On 3 February 1944 Gentian was reassigned to Cape May, New Jersey and was used for maintaining navigational aids, search and rescue operations, annual ice breaking on the Hudson River, numerous tows of Coast Guard vessels to the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay, Maryland and law enforcement. On 3 July 1948 she evacuated 42 persons from the disabled Swedish motor vessel Dagmar Salen, twenty miles from the Overfalls lightship and extinguished an out-of-control engine room fire on the ship.On 26-28 May 1952 assisted following a collision between tanker Michael and motor barge A.C. Dodge in the Delaware River, on 18-21 December 1954 assisted following a collision between tanker Atlantic Capetown and the motor vessel Maya, and on 29 June 1953 assisted following a collision between motor vessels Gulftrader and Sol de Panama 4 miles south of Barnegat Lightship.
On 1 October 1956 Gentian was transferred to Miami, Florida. On 29-30 September 1959 assisted in the hurricane Gracie evacuation of the coastal areas of Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia and on 12-20 March 1960 participated in Operation Big Slam for drug interdiction.
On 15 July 1960 Gentian was transferred to Galveston, Texas. On 9 November 1961 while pursuing the Fishing Islander thought to be a drug smuggler, the Islander turned and rammed the Gentian trying to sink her. The Islander sank while Gentian only sustained superficial damage and arrested the Islanders crew. On 2 September 1976 Gentian was decommissioned and stored at the Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Md.
In the early 1980’s Gentian had major renovations to machinery, living spaces and superstructure under the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). New main General Motors diesels were installed, new generators, propulsion systems, central fluid power system, new vang supported boom system (eliminating the distinctive Cactus (A) Class, “A” frame boom support), marine sanitation system, navigational electronics and more. On 27 July 1983 the mostly brand new Gentian was assigned to Coast Guard Group Fort Macon, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. On 27 November 1984 seized vessel Princess and 17.5 tons of marijuana, and in September 1989 assisted in the Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
evacuation of the coastal areas of Charleston, South Carolina.
In May 1998 Gentian’s service as a black-hull buoy tender ended. She was temporarily decommissioned, repainted white and refurbished to facilitate longer periods of time at sea. Then in September of 1999 she was recommissioned as WIX-290, and assigned to Miami, Florida where she trained sailors from all over the world. She was known as a Caribbean Support Tender and spent a great deal of time in the Caribbean. Gentian’s final decommissioning came on 23 June 2006 closing out the final chapter for one-eighties in service in the United States Coast Guard. She now serves Columbia as the ARC San Andrés (PO-45).