USCG Cutter Tampa-- Part 2: Originally the USRCS Cutter Miami

Commissioned  19 August 1912, 190 feet long, 32.5 feet beam. 70 crew.

From 1912-1917, she mounted three six-pounder guns.  In the Navy she traded those for two 3-inch guns, machine guns and depth charges.

After commissioning, the Miami (original name until renamed the Tampa) served in the Revenue Cutter Service and did duties typical to revenue cutters.  It served on the International Ice Patrol, keeping an eye on icebergs in the North Atlantic, for several tours of duty.

It operated out of several stations as well, including Key West, Tampa and New York City.

On 29 August 1915, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service and the U.S. Life-Saving Service  were merged to form the present-day U.S. Coast Guard.  A year later the name of the Miami was changed to Tampa.

--Cooter

USCG Cutter Tampa-- Part 1: Served in Revenue Cutter Service, Coast Guard and U.S. Navy.

In the last post, I wrote that today is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of this ship by a torpedo from a German  U-boat during World War I.  I'd never heard of the ship so did some more research.  Of course, good old Wikipedia was the first place I stopped.

United States Coast Guard Cutter Tampa   The ship initially served in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, then in the U.S. Coast Guard and finally in the U.S. Navy. Commissioned in 1912, it was used extensively in the International Ice Patrol which monitors icebergs, something founded after the sinking of the Titanic.

Its sinking on September 26, 1918, is regarded by some as the largest American combat loss during World War I.

--DaCoot