USCG Eagle

[chrishoon]

I was reading this article on the Eagle and I was curious was it a common practice to recommission enemy ships thanks in advance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_Eagle_(WIX-327)

 

chris

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Except for emergency or evaluative/testing purposes I can't say that I would say it was SOP. But the Reina Mercedes at the USNA Annapolis was a Spanish vessel captured in the Spanish-American war. There were others, but not really a lot after 1898 aside from those we tested, such as submarines.

 

 

Now we have used vessels that were seized during wartime, such as several ex-German ocean liners which became naval transports in WWI.

[chrishoon]

Except for emergency or evaluative/testing purposes I can't say that I would say it was SOP. But the Reina Mercedes at the USNA Annapolis was a Spanish vessel captured in the Spanish-American war. There were others, but not really a lot after 1898 aside from those we tested, such as submarines.

 

 

Now we have used vessels that were seized during wartime, such as several ex-German ocean liners which became naval transports in WWI.

 

ok cool thanks for the info

[PaulR]

I have a photo somewhere(original) of the CGC EAGLE when it was the HORST WESSEL.

[sigsaye]

Back in the 19th century, it was very much common practice. You were much better off to capture rather than sink an enemy vessel. First off, there was prize money to be made selling the ship to your government, which would then turn it around and commission it into its service. This was very practicable as most ships were pretty much the same, sails were sails, most weapons were common caliber. As technology improves, you see that it becomes not so easy to incorporate enemy vessels into your fleet. Merchant ships, yeah, to a point, depending on the condition and type of propulsion plant. Eventually, by WW2, very little is the same with Naval combat vessels, to the point that even stripping out and replacing various systems is not economical. It reached the point where it wasn't economical to put a lot of money into repairing many of our own vessels, much less a "OneOf".

 

But sailing ships of the type like Eagle are relatively simple. Her auxiliary systems were designed to be easily replaced and were changed over to American systems when she was first brought over and have been constantly upgraded.

[RustyCanteen]

And sometimes the reverse is true; our ships have been commissioned in enemy navies during wartime. Such as the USS Stewart (DD-224), an oiler, and several smaller yard vessels. Not forgetting a couple of river patrol boats like the Wake & Luzon. Some of those we got back at the end of the war, others were casualties of war. If you go through the list of IX (miscellaneous) vessels you will find some of the ones seized or captured by the USN.

 

Adding to what Steve has said, another consideration for capturing or seizing a vessel is the potential for intelligence purposes, as with the U-505.

[Teamski]

I think that this just happened to be a case of being in the right place at the right time. Several German training ships that were built in the 1930's were taken over as war trophies (aka reparations) after WWII and recommissioned into several allied nations' navies. I believe the US and USSR each got one and if I recall, several others were also appropriated. In the 20th Century, this wasn't a "normal" practice. People just happen to know a good ship when they see one.

 

-Ski

[29navy]

Kind of was a general practice to grab a ship when you could get one. In WWII, look at the French Ships Normandie becoming the USS Lafayette and Marchal Joffre becoming the USS ROCHAMBEAU. Here'a a list - http://www.usmm.org/foreign.html

[sigsaye]

Yes, but notice, they are civilian ships, merchant cargo and passenger ships.

[Dave]

Yes, but notice, they are civilian ships, merchant cargo and passenger ships.

 

Wow...looking through the list of former Italian ships, it reads like a who's-who of merchant vessels who were sacrificed on arduous convoy duty:

 

Ballot - ran aground after reaching the USSR; the Armed Guard officer and a handful of others remained onboard in double-digit below zero temperatures without heat and without utilities for a week while it was unloaded.

Africander - sunk during the transit to the USSR

Stone Street - sunk crossing Atlantic after returning from the USSR at the end of a four day running gun battle with a U-boat. The master was taken as a POW; the others onboard were taken onto the U-boat and later released

Troubadour - Several near mutinies onboard during it's transit to the USSR

Raceland - Torpedoed enroute the USSR; originally thought to have gone down with all hands...and the survivors may have preferred that as most froze to death in lifeboats awaiting rescue that never happened...

White Clover - made it to the USSR while dodging torpedoes. The master was one of the few Merchant Marine recipients of a Soviet award.

Exterminator - Sunk on it's way back from the USSR when running through a friendly minefield (navigational error)

 

I could go on, but these ships really had some experiences early in the war and a lot of American blood was shed on them...

[RustyCanteen]

 

 

I could go on, but these ships really had some experiences early in the war and a lot of American blood was shed on them...

 

I believe the Kriegsmarine termed the first 6-months of war with the US as the 'happy times' due to the tonnage sunk by U-boats. Tankers and freighters are under-appreciated, but they helped us win the war; at a cost. I've heard it said the a lot of guys just couldn't take being stalked by a wolfpack and ended up joining the Army asap. Their reasoning? At least they knew where the enemy was!