Boatnerd Discussion Forum

by **Duluth Guest** » September 17, 2015, 8:22 am

The USCGC Tupelo was re-assigned to Astoria Oregon in 1969 so it couldn't have been her. Suprisingly, she's still around serving as the F/V Courageous in the Bering Sea.

by **mastiff** » September 16, 2015, 1:38 pm

I've seen the Mackinaw and that wasn't it. The Edisto is by far the closest to the ship that almost swamped us in my memories. It was bigger than the other two and looked longer and sleeker. I recall the turret in the front very well because it was a surprise to me. The smaller cutters down by Cleveland didn't have the turret.

Anyways thanks for the help. Those waters blew up fast when the storms came through and they were right in telling us to get back in. The day I arrived on Kellys Island there was a storm that came up so quickly the waves almost picked up the car ferry and set it down on the pier. They stopped right there and stayed for a day or two until the storm cleared up.

It was an experience for me seeing how fast things could get bad on Lake Erie. It's kind of unique like that.

Joe

by **Guest in Toledo** » September 15, 2015, 9:02 pm

There is a USCGC cutter on the Wikipedia website first assigned @ 65 years ago to patrol around Kellys Island in June/July for the annual Lake Erie Mills Trophy Race. The original armament/mounts for this ship date to WWII service in the Pacific Theatre. The ship was stationed postwar in Toledo and the firepower was lessened to law enforcement on the lakes. It’s the USCGC TUPELO and the Wikipedia article for this ship is very good.

by **garbear** » September 15, 2015, 6:36 pm

Here's a link for the EDISTO.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_Edisto_(WAGB-284)

by **Guest** » September 15, 2015, 4:56 pm

Ok, maybe one more stab at this. I'm thinking it could have possibly been the USCGC EDISTO (WAGB-284). She was temporarily homeported at Milwaukee, WI from sometime in 1971 to the Fall of 1972. She would have been white-hulled, 269 feet long, and was also equipped with a single 5"/38 cal. mounted turret forward. She left the lakes in autumn of 1972 for icebreaking duties around Greenland. The timeframe of June/July 1972 would fit I believe. Just my last two cents. Jeff, USCG 1978-1983

by **Guest in Toledo** » September 15, 2015, 8:16 am

Did your vessel look like any of these ships? They are the KAW, TUPELO, and MACKINAW.

by **CG Bob** » September 14, 2015, 10:47 pm

The POINT STEELE was stationed at Oswego, NY from 1969-1980; she would leave the lakes just before the Seaway closed. She spent most of 1969-73 escorting Communist Block freighters from Massena to the Welland Canal.

Several of the RELIANCE class 210' Medium Endurance Cutters were built on the lakes. These cutters were outfitted with a 3"/50 Caliber deck gun in an open mount forward and several mounts for machine guns. ACTIVE (WMEC 618) was built by Christy Corp., in Sturgeon Bay and launched 31 July 1965. AmShip Lorain built the following cutters between February 1966 and April 1969: VIGILANT (WMEC 621); COURAGEOUS (WMEC 622); STEADFAST (WMEC 623); DAUNTLESS (WMEC 624); VENTROUS (WMEC 625); DEPENDABLE (WMEC 626) and VIGOROUS (WMEC 627). I served aboard VIGOROUS from October 1987 to July 1989.

by **Guest** » September 14, 2015, 7:27 pm

From your description, the only cutter that I can think of would have been the POINT STEELE. She was an 82 foot patrol boat that was homeported out of Oswego, NY from 1970-1980. I believe it's plausible she could have made trips into Lake Erie. As far as I know, these vessels were outfitted with 50 cal. machine guns, however, they also had one 20 mm gun permanently mounted on the bow. Hope this helps.
Jeff

by **mastiff** » September 14, 2015, 7:28 am

I am curious about that. I was in a small boat off the south of Kellys Island fishing when a cutter came by to order us off the water due to a storm coming. This was in june or july.

We had 3 in the boat and were pulling white bass in as fast as we could get them in the boat. When the cutter slipped by the wake combined with a wave that was a good 6-7 foot when it got to us with another following it.

I recall that the worst part was the trough between the two waves. We made it obviously but I'll always remember that.

I swear it had a turreted gun ( 3 inch maybe?) and was pretty big.

Thanks,

Joe

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