 In 1939, the BOF was transferred from the United States Department of Commerce to the United States Department of the Interior, and on 30 June 1940, it was merged with the Interior Department's Division of Biological Survey to form the new Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), an element of the Interior Department that was destined to become the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1956.The vessel thus became part of the FWS fleet as US FWS "Blue Wing".In 1941, "Blue Wing" suffered engine damage during a severe gale off British Columbia, Canada, and narrowly avoided running ground.