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On 17 March the CGC CLOVER (WAGL-292) returned to Adak after an eleven weeks
absence for bi-annual shipyard availability in Seattle* 'The following is a
brief summary of what transpired during that period.
We > departed at 1400, 2 January and arrived Dutdh Harbor the morning of-the
4th. Our prime objective was to relight Priest Rock Light, but since sea con
ditions made a small boat landing impossible, we performed the annual inspection
of four unlighted buoys, and relieved (changed) one other. We also moved our
spare aids to navigation from the old Expedition Dock to Ballyhoo Dock, necess
itated by the former being in danger of collapsing at any moment.
Departing Dutch Harbor the 5th, we arrived in Ketchikan the 11th. Enroute
we conducted a very successful Search & Rescue Ditching Drill with the CG Air
Detachment, Kodiak, and relit two aids which are normally the responsibility of
the CGC BITTERSWEET, based at Kodiak, but which we were passing on the way.
Departing Ketchikan at midnight the same day, we arrived in Seattle at 1630
Saturday the 14th. After offloading our ammunition at Bangor NAD, we entered
the yard of Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock Company on Monday the 23rd. While
in the yard the following major items of work were accomplished? 1) Sandblasted
to bare metal and repainted the underwater body. 2) Sandblasted to bare metal
and recoated with Tarset ’a coal tar epoxy)the forward pump room and both holds.
3) Removed propellor and straightened tip of one blade. 4) Removed propellor
shaft, checked alighment, and performed modification to stern tube lube oil sys
tem. 5~) Removed and installed new boiler feed water tank. 6) Installed new zincs
in all sea chests and on rudder, overhauled over sea valves. 7) Installed new re
efer and electric range in galley (this required cutting a 4x5 foot opening in
01 deck). 8) Unshipped boom, magna fluxed and inspected a 11 book fittings,
overhauled motors and brakes, reinstalled, and re-rigged with new wire cable. 9)
Removed 20mm gun platforms from flying bridge wings to reduce topside weight. 10)
Installed UHF radio equipment. 11) Overhauled all electronics equipment.12) Re
placed sonar and see-scanner transducers.
Just before the scheduled undocking a pinhole leak was discovered in the
engineroom bilges. Further investigation revealed extensive deterioration of
welds and pitting, so those areas were rewelded.
Tenders leaving Seattle are traditionally chuck-a-block with supplies for
other Alaskan units, and the Clover was no exception. In addition to supplies
for the Exchanges at Ketchikan and Juneau, we carried new furniture for the Air
Detachment at Annette Island, and miscellaneous cargo for a variety of other
units.- We also carried a 30 foot motor sailer from Seattle to Ketchikan for the
U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
Departing Seattle, at 0600, 1 March, we proceeded to Bangor then via the
inside passage to Ketchikan. While the trip down had been overcast, rainy, and
windy, the trip up was just the opposite. Blue skies and clear moonlit nights
prevailed and shutter-bugs had a field day.
Arriving in Ketchikan Friday, we spent the weekend off-loading cargo for
Ketchikan and loading for units to the westward. Among the cargo was a jeep
to be transported to Juneau for the Alaska National Guard, a power wagon for
Ocean Cape Loran Station (near Yakutat), and 9 buoys for the CGC SEDGE, station
ed at Cordova.
We departed Ketchikan at 2300 Sunday and arrived in Juneau, via Wrangell
narrows at 1930 Monday. Tuesday was spent withthe various divisions in the 17th
CG District Office, and on Wednesday the District Command and his staff made an
informal inspection of the ship. .
(Concluded next week)