USCGC Mohawk (WPG-78)

The fifth US Coast Guard cutter named "Mohawk" (WPG-78) was built by Pusey & Jones Corp., Wilmington, Delaware, and launched 1 October 1934. She was commissioned on 19 January 1935.

Active service

She was first assigned patrol and general icebreaking duties on the Hudson and Delaware Rivers, and the outbreak of war found her stationed at Cape May, New Jersey. In accordance with Executive Order No. 89-29 of 1 November 1941, "Mohawk" was directed to serve as part of the naval forces of the United States. Assigned to North Atlantic escort operations with the Greenland Patrol, where she served for the entire war, "Mohawk" launched a total of 14 attacks against submarine contacts between 27 August 1942 and 8 April 1945.

One of "Mohawk’s" most famous deeds was being the last ship to radio General Dwight D. Eisenhower on the day before the Normandy invasion confirming that the weather was going to be clear enough to proceed. Unfortunately she hit an iceberg shortly after the message was sent sustaining a hole in her side. After a temporary fix in Greenland, she returned to the United States for permanent repairs to the hull.

"Mohawk" also survived a friendly fire attack from British planes. While on patrol near Iceland, she was misidentified by British planes, which bombed her, damaging the main deck. She returned to Boston for emergency repairs.

Post war

At the end of the War, she was transferred to her old homeport of Cape May, after her war-time armament was removed, she was stationed at Cape May, from 25 November until 5 January 1946, when she proceeded to New York on special duty. She returned to Cape May on 19 February 1946. On 6 April 1946 "Mohawk" was ordered to be placed "in reserve, in commission" status, with a skeleton crew, at Cape May, New Jersey.

There was some discussion of converting "Mohawk" and her sister cutters into lightships but this was eventually deemed to be impractical. On 8 October 1947 "Mohawk" was ordered to be decommissioned and placed in storage at the Coast Guard Yard.

She was declared "surplus to needs of CG" on 13 July 1948 and was put up for sale. She was sold on 1 November 1948 to the Delaware Bay and River Pilots' Association, and was used as a pilot boat on the Delaware River for more than 30 years.

Museum

The USS "Mohawk" CGC Memorial Museum was recently founded by the Miami Dade Historical Maritime Museum. The ship is berthed in Key West, at Truman Waterfront where it is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

"Mohawk" was found in a Staten Island scrap yard by Frans Boetes, then president and CEO of "Mohawk’s" Memorial Museum. She had been there rusting for over 15 years. After some initial repairs, she was towed to Miami, where substantial repairs were made, and on to Key West where she is berthed today at the inner cay wall, at the old Navy pier in the Truman Waterfront.

References

* [http://www.ussmohawk.org/ US Mohawk museum] website
* [http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/cutter/CGCMohawk/about_mohawk.htm Mohawk history] US Coast Guard website
* [http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/webcutters/Mohawk_WPG_78.html Mohawk specifications] Coast Guard website
* [http://www.keysnet.com/guide/key_west/story/4163.html Key West tourist information]