USCG Cutter Tampa-- Part 6: Legacy

The loss of the Tampa is commemorated by the U.S. Coast Guard memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and in  the chapel at the Brentwood American cemetery and memorial in Surrey, England.

The Tampa is mentioned in the roll of honor in the second verse of Semper Paratus, the Coast Guard's official march.

On Veterans Day, 11 November 1999, the 111  crew men of the Tampa were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart at Arlington National Cemetery.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tampa's sinking, a permanent glass mosaic has been placed to the facade of the Tampa Bay History Center telling the story of the ship and disaster.

USCG Cutter Tampa-- Part 5: Its Sinking With All Hands Lost

During the late afternoon of  26 September 1918, the Tampa parted company with Convoy HG-107 which she had just escorted into the Irish Sea from Gibraltar.  The ship was ordered to Wales and proceeded independently there.

At 1930 that evening, in the Bristol Channel she was spotted by bu UB-91.  The U-boat dove and maneuvered into attack position. and fired one torpedo out of its stern at 2015 at a range of about 550 meters.

Minutes later, it hit the Tampa portside amidships, throwing up a huge column of water.  The cutter sank with all hands.:  111 Coast Guard, 4 U.S. navy and  16 passengers, consisting of  11 British navy personnel and 5 civilians.

A search and rescue operation soon commenced and lasted three days turning up just some wreckage and a single, unidentified body.  Three bodies were later recovered.

USCG Cutter Tampa-- Part 4: Convoy Duty Between Gibraltar and England

The Tampa was then ordered to duty overseas.  On September 29, 1917, the Tampa departed New York in the company of the USS Paducah, USS Hubbard and five French-manned, American-made submarine chasers in tow., reaching Gibraltar  27 October.

War service for the Tampa lasted just eleven months. where she protected convoys from U-boats from Gibraltar to the southern coast of England.  Between  27 October and 31 July 1918,  eighteen convoys were escorted with two ships lost.

--Cooter

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

WW I Sep. 26, 1918: C.G. Cutter Tampa Sunk

SEPTEMBER 26, 1918

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa is torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel, off England.

115 American lives are lost.

--Cooter