Cyane, 1934
WPC-105
The cutter Cyane was named for the fresh water nymph (naiad) in Greek mythology who opposed Hades when he raped Persephone. She dissolved away in tears.
Builder: Lake Union Dry Dock & Machine Works, Seattle, Washington
Launched: 30 August 1934
Commissioned: 25 October 1934
Decommissioned: 1 August 1950
Disposition: Sold to Birchfield Boiler, Inc., of Tacoma, Washington on 7 December 1954 for 8,156.00.
Displacement: 1933: 337 tons full load
1945: 350 tons full load
Dimensions:
Length: 165' oa
Beam: 25' 3"
Draft: 7' 8" (1933); 10' (1945)
Machinery: 2 x Winton Model 158 6-cylinder diesels; 1,340 bhp
Propellers: twin, 3-bladed
Performance: Maximum speed: 16.0 knots
Maximum sustained: 14.0 knots for 1,750 statute miles
Cruising: 11.0 knots for 3,000 statute miles
Economic: 6.0 knots for 6,417 statute miles
Complement: 1933: 5 officers, 39 men
1945: 7 officers, 68 men
Armament: 1933: 1 x 3"/23; 1 x 1-pounders;
1941: 1 x 3"/23; 1 x Y-gun; 2 x depth charge tracks;
1945: 2 x 3"/50 (single-mounts); 2 x 20mm/80 (single mounts); 2 x depth charge tracks; 2 x Y-guns; 2 x Mousetraps.
Electronics: 1933: none
1945: Radar: SF; Sonar: QCO
Cost: $258,000
Class History:
The 165-foot "B" Class cutters, sometimes referred to as the Thetis-Class, were a follow on to the 125-foot cutters. Both types of cutters were designed for the enforcement of Prohibition, but the 165-footers primary mission was to trail the mother ships that dispensed alcohol to smaller, faster vessels well beyond the territorial waters of the U.S. Hence these cutters had to have excellent sea-keeping qualities, good accommodations for the crew, and long range. Although Prohibition ended soon after most entered service, their design nevertheless proved to be adaptable to the many other missions of the Coast Guard.
An article written soon after they entered service noted that: "the new cutters are low and rakish, without excessive superstructure or freeboard. A raking stem, well flared bow and cruiser stern give the appearance of speed as well as contribute to the seaworthiness of the vessels, a quality which has been demonstrated in actual service. . .The new ships are twin-screw driven by two 670 horse power Diesel engines, furnished by the Winton Engine Co. of Cleveland, Ohio. The shafting and propellers are arranged and supported in a novel manner. The ship is equipped with two overhanging rudders on a line with and just aft of the propellers. The rudders are supported by a streamline rudder post at the forward end which is bossed out for a bearing to take a stub shaft which extends through the propeller. This method of arranging the rudders has proved remarkably successful. At full speed, the ships turn a complete circle in two minutes and eighteen seconds, and can be docked with ease under the most difficult conditions. On trial runs, the Atalanta averaged 16.48 knots at 468 RPM with practically no vibration and the engine under no evident strain. Due to the arduous service for which these vessels were built, only the finest materials available were used. . .It is interesting to note that genuine wrought iron pipe was used for practically all the services where resistance to corrosion, vibration, and strain was required. The fuel oil, lubricating oil, and water service to the main engines and auxiliaries; the fire and bilge system; and the steam heating system were all installed with genuine wrought iron pipe. At the Lake Union plant this pipe was furnished by the Reading Iron Company through the Crane Company's Seattle office and Bowles Company of Seattle. The new ships are a distinct contribution to modern shipbuilding and should be of great value to the Coast Guard." *
They certainly did prove to be of great value to the Coast Guard. Most saw service as coastal convoy escorts during World War II and two, the Icarus and the Thetis, each sank a U-boat. Many saw service well into the 1960s and some served as tour boats in New York City with the Circle Tour Line well into the 1990s, testament to their sturdy and well-thought out design.
Cutter History:
The CGC Cyane was built by the Union Dry Dock & Machine Works Company of Seattle, Washington. She was commissioned on 25 October 1934 and was based at Ketchikan, Alaska. She served most of her career in Alaskan waters. She served on the Bering Sea Patrol during the 1937 and 1938 seasons. During March and April of 1941, her armament was upgraded at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. Workers installed sonar gear, depth charge tracks and a "Y" gun as well as increased her anti-aircraft weaponry.
During World War II, she was assigned to the NOWESTSEAFRON and was stationed at Ketchikan. She conducted anti-submarine and search and rescue patrols as well as escorted convoys. In 1943, the Cyane's crew published some articles and poetry written by the crew in a publication entitled Cyanthology. In it was their semi-official anthem, "Cyane Hymn":
We're the Cyane crew and we're full of might
We're rough and tough and we're ready to fight
We surpass the cutter with speed and zest
Our skill is tops with all the rest
* * *.
Chores
We're in the war to fight
We work all day and night
For Freedom's sake we'll fight to hell
In years to come our history will tell
* * *
We're the Cyane crew and we're full of might
We devour the enemy at the sight
In the skies if they come with scores of men
We'll knock them down from one to ten
* * *
Chores
We're in the war to fight
We work all day and night
For Freedom's sake we'll fight to hell
In years to come our history will tell.
Cyane was decommissioned on 1 August 1950 and placed in storage at the Coast Guard Moorings in Kennydale, Washington. She was sold to Birchfield Boiler, Inc., of Tacoma, Washington, on 7 December 1954 for $8,156.00. After service as a fish-processing vessel she eventually ended up as a salvage vessel named the Ruby E. She was sunk as an artificial reef on June 18, 1989 off Mission Bay, San Diego, California.
Photographs (the following are provided through the courtesy of the grandson of Cyane-crewman Delmer Lloyd Waltemate):
Sources:
Cutter files, USCG Historian's Office.
Canney, Donald L. U.S. Coast Guard and Revenue Cutters, 1790-1935. (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1995).
USCGC Cyane. Cyanthology. Published privately by the crew of the Cyane in 1943. (Photocopy in the Cyane Cutter File, USCG HQ).
*Nickum, W. C. "New 'Sisters' of the Coast Guard Patrol Go Into Service." The Reading Puddle Ball 3, No. 11 (February 1935), pp. 6-7.
Scheina, Robert L. U.S. Coast Guard Cutters and Craft in World War II. (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1982).
U.S. Coast Guard. Public Information Division. Historical Section. The Coast Guard at War: Transports and Escorts. (Vol. V, No. I). (Washington, DC: Public Information Division, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 1949.