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[[File:Glacier nearing the ice pier.jpg|350px|thumb|The Glacier approaching McMurdo Station, Antarctica]] | [[File:Glacier nearing the ice pier.jpg|350px|thumb|The Glacier approaching McMurdo Station, Antarctica]] | ||
The '''USS ''Glacier''''' (AGB-4) was a [[U.S. Navy]], then U.S. Coast Guard [[icebreaker]] which served in the first through fifteenth Operation Deep Freeze expeditions. ''Glacier'' was first icebreaker to make her way through the frozen [[Bellingshausen Sea]], and most of the topography in the area is named for her crewmembers. When built, ''Glacier'' had the largest capacity single armature DC motors ever installed on a ship. ''Glacier'' was capable of breaking ice up to 20 feet (6.1 m) thick, and of continuous breaking of 4-foot (1.2 m) thick ice at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph). | The '''USS ''Glacier''''' (AGB-4) was a [[U.S. Navy]], then U.S. Coast Guard [[icebreaker]] which served in the first through fifteenth [[Operation Deep Freeze]] expeditions. ''Glacier'' was first icebreaker to make her way through the frozen [[Bellingshausen Sea]], and most of the topography in the area is named for her crewmembers. When built, ''Glacier'' had the largest capacity single armature DC motors ever installed on a ship. ''Glacier'' was capable of breaking ice up to 20 feet (6.1 m) thick, and of continuous breaking of 4-foot (1.2 m) thick ice at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph). | ||
Named for Glacier Bay, Alaska, the USS ''Glacier'' was launched on 27 August 1954 at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Mississippi, sponsored by Mrs. Roscoe F. Good; and commissioned on 27 May 1955, CDR. E.H. Mayer USN, Commanding. ''Glacier'' is the only icebreaker built in the Glacier class, and was in U.S. Navy service for 11 years, and U.S. Coast Guard service for 21 years. | Named for Glacier Bay, Alaska, the USS ''Glacier'' was launched on 27 August 1954 at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Mississippi, sponsored by Mrs. Roscoe F. Good; and commissioned on 27 May 1955, CDR. E.H. Mayer USN, Commanding. ''Glacier'' is the only icebreaker built in the Glacier class, and was in U.S. Navy service for 11 years, and U.S. Coast Guard service for 21 years. | ||
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In the summer of 1958, ''Glacier'' provided ice-escort for "Operation Sunec" for the resupply of North Polar radar and weather stations. By November 1958, however, she was again near the [[South Pole]] at McMurdo Sound, and after resupplying the base, steamed to Little America V to begin the station deactivation. Subsequently, while operating in the Terra Nova Bay on the coast of Victoria Land, she discovered two unknown islands and what was likely the largest [[emperor penguin]] rookery in the Antarctic, home of over 50,000 of the large birds. ''Glacier'' then sped to the assistance of the Belgian expedition ship RV Polarhav near Breid Bay, halfway around the Antarctic continent from the Ross Sea. | In the summer of 1958, ''Glacier'' provided ice-escort for "Operation Sunec" for the resupply of North Polar radar and weather stations. By November 1958, however, she was again near the [[South Pole]] at McMurdo Sound, and after resupplying the base, steamed to Little America V to begin the station deactivation. Subsequently, while operating in the Terra Nova Bay on the coast of Victoria Land, she discovered two unknown islands and what was likely the largest [[emperor penguin]] rookery in the Antarctic, home of over 50,000 of the large birds. ''Glacier'' then sped to the assistance of the Belgian expedition ship RV Polarhav near Breid Bay, halfway around the Antarctic continent from the Ross Sea. | ||
For "Operation Deep Freeze 5" in 1959–1960, ''Glacier'' sailed to McMurdo and then on an exploration of the [[Bellingshausen Sea]]. In late February 1960 ''Glacier'' raced to assist Argentine Navy icebreaker ARA ''General San Martín'' and Danish cargo ship MV ''Kista Dan''. When this rescue mission was accomplished, ''Glacier'' sailed to Rio de Janeiro Brazil on 2 April 1960 and provided emergency assistance to flooded areas there for twelve days. Glacier also did relief operations; providing helicopter and boat transportation, and emergency supplies to residents of Paramaribo, Suriname after the floods. ''Glacier'' then got underway for Boston, MA on 17 April 1960. | For "[[Operation Deep Freeze]] 5" in 1959–1960, ''Glacier'' sailed to McMurdo and then on an exploration of the [[Bellingshausen Sea]]. In late February 1960 ''Glacier'' raced to assist Argentine Navy icebreaker ARA ''General San Martín'' and Danish cargo ship MV ''Kista Dan''. When this rescue mission was accomplished, ''Glacier'' sailed to Rio de Janeiro, [[Brazilian Antarctica|Brazil]] on 2 April 1960 and provided emergency assistance to flooded areas there for twelve days. Glacier also did relief operations; providing helicopter and boat transportation, and emergency supplies to residents of Paramaribo, Suriname after the floods. ''Glacier'' then got underway for Boston, MA on 17 April 1960. | ||
===Antarctic operations, 1960–1966=== | ===Antarctic operations, 1960–1966=== | ||
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Underway again on 8 October 1961 for "Deep Freeze 62", she loaded cargo at Lyttelton, New Zealand, in early November 1961 and entered the Ross Sea ice pack on 13 November 1961, reaching McMurdo Sound by the end of the month. After repairs at Wellington, New Zealand, ''Glacier'' returned to McMurdo Station and to the site of Little America V for cartographic studies. She returned to New Zealand on 6 March 1962 and then put in at Boston, Massachusetts, on 5 May 1962 after steaming 36,000 nautical miles (67,000 km; 41,000 mi). | Underway again on 8 October 1961 for "Deep Freeze 62", she loaded cargo at Lyttelton, New Zealand, in early November 1961 and entered the Ross Sea ice pack on 13 November 1961, reaching McMurdo Sound by the end of the month. After repairs at Wellington, New Zealand, ''Glacier'' returned to McMurdo Station and to the site of Little America V for cartographic studies. She returned to New Zealand on 6 March 1962 and then put in at Boston, Massachusetts, on 5 May 1962 after steaming 36,000 nautical miles (67,000 km; 41,000 mi). | ||
''Glacier'' stood out of Boston, Massachusetts, on 17 September 1962 for "Deep Freeze 63", entering the [[pack ice]] on 6 November 1962 and reaching the edge of the bay ice of McMurdo Sound a week later. ''Glacier'' sustained minor damage in the thick ice and proceeded to Wellington for repairs. On 31 December 1962, ''Glacier'' cut through McMurdo Sound en route to McMurdo Station. She continued operations off McMurdo Station through 1965. Her diverse duties included keeping the channel open for supply ships. On 29 December 1965, US Ships ''Atka'' and ''Burton Island'' assisted her in pushing an [[iceberg]] out of the shipping lane. After further participation in her 11th "Operation Deep Freeze", ''Glacier'' returned to her home port, Boston, Massachusetts, in the late spring of 1966. On 1 July 1966, ''Glacier'' was struck from the Navy List, the day after her transfer to the United States Coast Guard. | ''Glacier'' stood out of Boston, Massachusetts, on 17 September 1962 for "Deep Freeze 63", entering the [[pack ice]] on 6 November 1962 and reaching the edge of the bay ice of McMurdo Sound a week later. ''Glacier'' sustained minor damage in the thick ice and proceeded to Wellington for repairs. On 31 December 1962, ''Glacier'' cut through McMurdo Sound en route to [[McMurdo Station]]. She continued operations off McMurdo Station through 1965. Her diverse duties included keeping the channel open for supply ships. On 29 December 1965, US Ships ''Atka'' and ''Burton Island'' assisted her in pushing an [[iceberg]] out of the shipping lane. After further participation in her 11th "Operation Deep Freeze", ''Glacier'' returned to her home port, Boston, Massachusetts, in the late spring of 1966. On 1 July 1966, ''Glacier'' was struck from the Navy List, the day after her transfer to the United States Coast Guard. | ||
===Coast Guard operations, 1966–1987=== | ===Coast Guard operations, 1966–1987=== | ||
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Prior to her transfer to the U.S. Coast Guard, ''Glacier'' had her smaller armament removed. In 1968, the 5-inch guns were also removed. Only M2 Browning machine guns, M60 machine guns and small arms were retained for law enforcement purposes. During 1973, she and her helicopters were painted red for improved Arctic visibility. | Prior to her transfer to the U.S. Coast Guard, ''Glacier'' had her smaller armament removed. In 1968, the 5-inch guns were also removed. Only M2 Browning machine guns, M60 machine guns and small arms were retained for law enforcement purposes. During 1973, she and her helicopters were painted red for improved Arctic visibility. | ||
In 1975, the ''Glacier'' was trapped in [[ice]] in [[Antarctica]] for six days, finally breaking free and escaping into the waters of Antarctic Sound on 10 March 1975, the Coast Guard in Long Beach, California, reported, the vessel's homeport. "She backed and rammed her way to the open sea with the use of only one of her two | In 1975, the ''Glacier'' was trapped in [[ice]] in [[Antarctica]] for six days, finally breaking free and escaping into the waters of Antarctic Sound on 10 March 1975, the Coast Guard in Long Beach, California, reported, the vessel's homeport. "She backed and rammed her way to the open sea with the use of only one of her two propellers," said the Coast Guard. Two of the three blades on her other screw were sheared off by "steel hard ice" on Wednesday 5 March, while en route to assist an Argentine [[icebreaker]], the ''Gen. San Martin'', which had engine trouble while on a supply mission to a south polar scientific base. The Argentine ship made its way to freedom on its own. | ||
==Decommissioning== | ==Decommissioning== | ||