Return to Black Hulls

Ocean Going

160′ Oak Class Lighthouse Tender
Lighthouse Tender
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Picture
USLHT/USCGC Hawthorn WAGL 215 1921 – 1964
USLHT/USCGC Oak WAGL 239 1921 – 1964 To the Smithsonian CGH

173′ Violet Class
Lighthouse Tender (<1967)
Buoy Tender, Medium (>1967)
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Picture
USLHT/USCGC Lilac WAGL/WLM 227 1933 – 1972 Donated to Harry Lundberg Seafarers International Union School
USLHT/USCGC Mistletoe WAGL 237 1939 – 1968
USLHT/USCGC Violet WAGL/WLM 250 1930 – 1962

175′ Hollyhock Class
Last vessels designed by and delivered to the Light House Service
The third of the class, Fir, was delivered to the Coast Guard
Fir reigned as Queen of the Fleet from 1988 to 1991
Lighthouse Tender (<1967)
Buoy Tender, Medium (>1967)
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Picture
USLHT/USCGC Hollyhock WAGL/WLM 220 1937 – 1982 Sunk as reef off Florida CGH
USLHT/USCGC Walnut WAGLWLM 252 1939 – 1982 To Honduras CGH
USLHT/USCGC Fir WAGL/WLM 212 1940 – 1991 Designed by LHS – Delivered to CG
Entire career in the Pacific Northwest
Queen of the Fleet 1988 to 1991
To Liberty Marine Maritime Museum in Sacramento, CA
CGH

180′ Cactus/Mesquite/Iris Class
First class of buoy tenders built for the Coast Guard
Designed with ice breaking hulls
Acacia was decommissioned in 2006
Lighthouse Tender (<1967)
Buoy Tender, Large (>1967)
Model: Yes

Designation Name Sub-Class Class Hull Service Comments Picture
USCGC Evergreen 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 295 1943 – 1990 CGH
USCGC Balsam 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 62 1942 – 1975 CGH
USCGC Cactus 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 142 1942 – 1971 CGH
USCGC Cowslip 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 277 1942 – 1973 To Nigeria CGH
USCGC Conifer 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 301 1943 – 2000 CGH
USCGC Gentian 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 290 1942 – 2006 To Columbia CGH
USCGC Woodbine 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 289 1942 – 1972 To the Cleveland Public School System CGH
USCGC Laurel 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 291 1942 – 1999 CGH
USCGC Clover 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 292 1942 – 1990 CGH
USCGC Sorrel 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 296 CGH
USCGC Citrus 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 300 1943 – 1994 To Dominican Republic CGH
USCGC Madrona 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 302 1943 – 2002 To El Salvador CGH
USCGC Tupelo 180A Cactus WAGL/WLB 303 1943 – 1975 CGH
USCGC Ironwood 180B Mesquite WAGL/WLB 297 1943 – 2000 To Department of Interior
Training vessel for Maritime Training Program
CGH
USCGC Mesquite 180B Mesquite WAGL/WLB 305 1943 – 1989 Sunk as reef in Keystone Bay CGH
USCGC Buttonwood 180B Mesquite WAGL/WLB 306 1943 – 2001 To Dominican Republic CGH
USCGC Planetree 180B Mesquite WAGL/WLB 307 1943 – 1999 CGH
USCGC Papaw 180B Mesquite WAGL/WLB 308 1943 – 1999 Donated to Canvasback Missions Benicia, CA CGH
USCGC Sweetgum 180B Mesquite WAGL/WLB 309 1943 – 2002 To Panama CGH
USCGC
USS/USNS
Redbud 180C Iris WAGL/WLB
T-AKL
398 1944 – 1949 To the Navy for DEW line construction and support NS
USCGC Basswood 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 388 1944 – 1998 CGH
USCGC Bittersweet 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 389 1944 – 1997 To Estonia CGH
USCGC Blackhaw 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 390 1944 – 1993 To the Navy CGH
USCGC Blackthorn 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 391 1944 – 1980 Sunk in collision CGH
USCGC Bramble 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 392 1944 – 2003 Museum ship in Port Huron CGH
USCGC Firebush 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 393 1944 – 2003 To Nigeria CGH
USCGC Hornbeam 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 394 1944 – 1999 CGH
USCGC Iris 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 395 1944 – 1995 CGH
USCGC Mallow 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 396 1944 – 1997 CGH
USCGC Mariposa 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 397 1944 – 2000 To Navy as training vessel CGH
USCGC Sagebrush 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 399 1944 – 1988 Artificial reef CGH
USCGC Salvia 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 400 1944 – 1991 To the Navy CGH
USCGC Sassafrass 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 401 1944 – 2003 To Nigeria CGH
USCGC Sedge 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 402 1944 – 2002 To Nigeria CGH
USCGC Spar 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 403 1944 – 1997 CGH
USCGC Sundew 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 404 1944 – 2004 CGH
USCGC Sweetbriar 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 405 1944 – 2001 To Ghana CGH
USCGC Acacia 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 406 1944 – 2006 CGH
USCGC Woodrush 180C Iris WAGL/WLB 407 CGH

189′ Ivy Class (ex Chimo Class Mine Layer)
Acquired from the Army
All were decommissioned in 1967/1968
Lighthouse Tender (<1967)
Buoy Tender, Large (>1967)
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Ivy
(ex USS Barbican)
(ex Colonel George Armistead)
WABL/WLB 329 1947 – 1969 NS
USCGC Jonquil
(ex USS Bastion)
(ex Colonel Henry J. Hunt)
WAGL/WLB 330 1946 – 1969 NS
USCGC Heather
(ex USS Obstructor)
(ex 1stLt William G. Sylvester)
WABL/WLB 331 1947 – 1967 NS
USCGC Willow
(ex USS Picket)
(ex Army General Henry Knox)
WAGL/WLB 332 1947 – 1969 NS

132′ White Class (ex Navy YF-257 Class Lighter)
Acquired from the Navy
White Sumac was decommissioned in 2002
Lighthouse Tender (<1967)
Buoy Tender, Medium (>1967)
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC White Sumac
(ex USS YF-416)
WAGL/WLM 540 1947 – 2002 To Dominican Republic
USCGC White Alder
(ex USS YF-417)
WAGL/WLM 541 1947 – 1968 Sank after collision – buried in the Mississippi River CGH
USCGC White Bush
(ex USS YF-339)
WAGL/WLM 542 1947 – 1985
USCGC White Holly
(ex USS YF-341)
WAGL/WLM 543 1947 – 1998 To the Seaman’s Training Center in Vallejo CA as research vessel CGH
USCGC White Sage
(ex USS YF-444)
WAGL/WLM 544 1947 – 1996 To Canvasback Missions CGH
USCGC White Heath
(ex USS YF-445)
WAGL/WLM 545 1947 – 1998 To Tunisia
USCGC White Lupine
(ex USS YF-446)
WAGL/WLM 546 1947 – 1998 To Tunisia NS
USCGC White Pine
(exx USS YF-448)
WAGL/WLM 547 1948 – 1999 To Dominican Republic

157′ Red Class
These cutters were all decommissioned by 1999
Lighthouse Tender (<1967)
Buoy Tender, Medium (>1967)
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Red Wood WAGL/WLM 685 1964 – 1999 To Argentina
USCGC Red Beech WAGL/WLM 686 1964 – 1997 Artificial reef
USCGC Red Birch WAGL/WLM 687 1965 – 1998 To Argentina CGH
USCGC Red Cedar WLM 688 1970 – 1999 To Argentina
USCGC Red Oak WLM 689 1971 – 1996 Artificial reef

Misc One-of-a-Kind Ocean Going Tenders
Lighthouse Tender (<1967)
Buoy Tender (>1967)
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Picture
USLHT/USCGC Aspen 125′ WAGL 204 1906 – 1948
USLHT/USCGC Beech 101′ WAGL 205 1928 – 1963
USLHT/USCGC Birch 72′ WAGL 256 1939 – 1963
USLHT/USCGC Camellia 116′ WAGL 206 1911 – 1947
USLHT/USCGC Cedar 200′ WAGL 207 1917 – 1950 Largest tender ever built for the LHS (1,970 tons)
USLHT/USCGC Cherry 86′ WAGL 258 1932 – 1964
USLHT/USCGC Hemlock 174′ WAGL 217 1934 – 1958 CGH
USLHT/USCGC Rose 127′ WAGL 242 1916 – 1947
USLHT/USCGC Shrub 107′
(ex USS F. Mansfield)
WAGL 244 1920 – 1947
USLHT/USCGC Arbutus 174′ WAGL/WLM 203 1933 – 1967
USLHT/USCGC Juniper 177′ WAGL/WLM 224 1940 – 1975 Last vessel designed by USLHS
USLHT/USCGC Lilac (Azalea) 173′ WAGL/WLM 227 1933 – 1972