better detection equipment, and improved training, the Germ ans never again came so close to severing the lifeline between No rth America and Europe. It was also the end of lngham's North Atlantic duty.1heA!lied command d ecided to withdraw American surface ship escorts from the Nor th Atlantic and shifr them to convoys bound for the Mediterranean. Ingham escorted ten co nvoys to the Mediterra nean witho ut losing any of the convoy ships. For a brief period in the winter of 1943, Ingham and her sister cutters escorted convoys in the Caribbean . Finally, in July, orders sent Ingham to the Charl eston Naval Shipyard for co nversion to an Amphibious Assault Command Ship (AGC), where she was o utfitted with army co mmuni catio n equipment and accommodatio ns we re made for Signal Corps personnel. In additio n, the depth charge racks were removed and anti-aircraft weapons were ad ded to the ships armament. Afte r co nversio n, Ingham sailed to the Pacific and, as flagship and guide, directed six amphibious landings in the Philippines. The first was the retaking of Co rregidor. Ge neral MacArthur cam e aboard for a final
conference on the co nduct of that operation, after which he left aboard a PT boat, transferred to a Ian ding craft, and "returned" to Corregidor. During the Vietnam War, in 1968, Ingham patrolled the coast of So uth Vietnam, stopping, boardin g, and searching vessels suspected of supplyin g arms and ammunition to enemy forces. She also conducted shore born bardrnen ts and provided logistical support to US Navy and US Coast Guard
vessels in the area. She was awarded two US Navy Presidential Unit C itatio ns for her performance in Operation Swift Raider and Operation Sealords. In 198 0, she sailed to the Straits of Florida and helped save the li ves and property of C uban refugees attempting to cross the Straits to Florida. In all , she rescued twen ty survivo rs of swa mped boats and rafts, and towed o r escorted seven vessels load ed with refugees to Key West. After fifty-rwo years' active du ty and service in two wa rs, Ingham was decommissio ned in May 1988 .A letterfrom President Reagan co ngrawlated her on that occasion as the oldest acti ve commissioned naval vessel serving our nation and the most deco rated vessel in US service. JWilliam Verge is a retired USCGR officer who served in Vietnam. He is the executive director of the USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum. John Viele is a retired naval officer, former submarine captain, and author of a three-volume history of the Florida Keys. (left) Commandant of the USCG, Adm. Robert]. Papp, a strong proponent ofhistoric preservation, visited the Ingham in June 2011.
aNational Memorial to Coast Guardsmen who lost their lives during WWII through Vietnam. • Awarded two Naval Presidential Unit Citations for her se rvice during Vietnam. • Credited with sinking U-Boat 626 during convoy duty in the North Atlantic. Don't miss the opportunity to tour this ship. learn about its remarkable history. the recently completely underwater re-fit and the current work being done restoring her topside. USCGC INGHAM is located in Key West on the Truman Waterfront.
National Historic Landmark
STILL SAILING AFTER 70 YEARS
Join us on a 2013 cruise: SEP02
OCT12
OCT13
New Bay Bridge Opening
San Francisco Fleet Week
San Francisco Fleet Week
You Can Visit ...You Can Help The foundation seeks donations to continue restoration of this important vessel. Please send your tax-deductible contributions to:
USCGC INGHAM Memorial Museum TO ORDER: (415)544-0100 or ssjeremiahobrien.org
Visit SS JEREMIAH
O'BRIEN at Pier 45, San Francisco
SEA HlSTORY 143 , SUMMER 20 13
j
P 0. Box186. Key West. Florida 33041 • Phone: (305)-395-9554 j WWW.USC gc ing ham.0 rg
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