Marion II WSC-145

Marion

II

(WSC-145: dp. 220; 1. 125 ' ; b. 23'6" ; dr. 9'; s. 10 k. ; cpl. 38; a. 1 3"; cl. Active)

The second Coast Guard Marion (WSC-145) wits launched 6 April 1927 by American Brown Boveri Electric Corp., Camden, N.J., and commissioned 23 April 1927.

After patrol out of New London, Conn., Marion was assigned oceanographic research north to Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, to seek information on currents and characteristics of the northern waters and to find the sources of the icebergs which found their way to the Grand Banks and the North Atlantic steamer lanes. After extensive aleration for cold weather operations, Marion left Boston Navy Yard 11 July 1928, Lt. Comdr. Edward H. Smith, USCG, in command of ship and expedition. This 8,100-mile cruise established that the majority of icebergs originated in western Greenland, and indicated that the number of icebergs which would reach the Grand Banks could be reasonably predicted.

Marion resumed east coast patrol duty until Executive Order 8929 of 1 November 1941 transferred the Coast Guard to the Navy; she then took up wartime patrol and escort duties out of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. On 14 October 1943, off Mayaguez, P.R., she rendezvoused with cutter Dow, badly damaged by squalls throughout a passage front Baltimore. When it was necessary to abandon Dow, Marion made a lee and six-man liferafts ferried Dow's entire crew of 37 to safety without loss of life.

Marion was returned to the Treasury Department 1 January 1946 and operated as patrol and tender boat out of Norfolk, until decommissioning 15 February 1962. She was gold 8 March 1963 to Robert F. Solomon of Norfolk, Va., and renamed Top Cat.