Ever wonder about war prize ships?

CPO Jon Campbell — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 15:48:47 -0400

This is a great article about the history and mission of the US Coast Guard Barque Eagle. Do you know of any other war prizes in use by the US military?http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33543706

Why is the US still using a Nazi tall ship? - BBC News

The Eagle was built by the Nazis and fought for Hitler in World War Two - so how did it end up as a training vessel for all new US Coast Guard cadets?

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Aug 2 at 2015 3:57 PM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 15:57:36 -0400

Fascinating! I guess I had never thought about what we would do with captured ships.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2015 4:14 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 16:14:15 -0400

No, I don"t, CPO Jon Campbell, but like you said very interesting read.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Aug 2 at 2015 4:29 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 16:29:11 -0400

We are still using Yokosuka as a war prize including the dry dock which the Yamato was in. 50cal divots still are prominent in the concrete. We also had two Nazi heavy floating cranes. One sunk on transit, the other is at Bremerton. It's called "Herman The German". Obviously we've "acquired" a number of MIGs and other aircraft. So there are lots of prizes out there besides ships.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Aug 2 at 2015 4:55 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 16:55:07 -0400

Great article and story, CPO Jon Campbell!

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 2 at 2015 5:06 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 17:06:09 -0400

We continued to use German submarines for years after WWII, and some captured warships were used for targets.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Aug 2 at 2015 5:46 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 17:46:46 -0400

I suspect that the USA used the captured CSA war prize ships for target practice perhaps until the Spanish American War in 1898. I did a search of war prize ship but found nothing other than Netherlands ships in the 1600's in an open source search.
Here is the link to the USCG Eagle's webpage
http://www.cga.edu/eagle.aspx?id=688

Eagle: About the EagleUnited States Coast Guard Academy::Tall Ship Eagle

When in homeport in New London, Eagle rests alongside a pier on the Thames Rivernear the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The Academy was originally founded in 1876 when nine students boarded the Revenue Cutter Dobbin. A series of cutters followed the Dobbin and, in 1932, a permanent shore facility was established at its present site on land donated by the New London community. Approximately 1,000 men and women attend the Academy, all of whom sail at...

Response by PO3 Tom Atkeson made Aug 5 at 2015 1:09 PM

PO3 Tom Atkeson — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 13:09:28 -0400

I had the pleasure of serving a short TAD tour aboard the EAGLE. We sailed from her home port in New London, CT to NYC (where we met up with the Gorch Fock, the EAGLES sister ship still used by the German Navy) then on to the Coast Guard's dry docks in Baltimore. A very fun trip with a very good crew and student crew made up of OCS folks. Her very next trip to the US West Coast I got to see her ply the waters under full sail under the Golden Gate Bridge what a beautiful sight. She is a very gorgeous lady.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2015 5:28 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 17:28:25 -0400

When it comes to taking prizes, I suppose there's a little pirate in all Coasties. This is a brief account of the Revenue Cutter Service taking prices during the Quasi War and War of 1812. During the Quasi-War with France (1797-1801), eighteen of the twenty-two prizes captured by the United States were taken by cutters unaided. Revenue cutters also assisted in capturing two others. The cutter Pickering made two cruises to the West Indies and captured 10 prizes, one of which carried 44 guns and was manned by some 200 sailors, more than three times its strength. Although the cutters did not participate in the Barbary Wars (1801-1815), a number of cutter officers transferred to the Navy and fought in the Mediterranean. It was the Revenue Cutter Service that took the first prize during the War of 1812. For more, you can check the link: http://www.uscg.mil/history/articles/h_CGatwar.asp

The U.S. Coast Guard at War: A History

In 1790 a predecessor of the U.S. Coast Guard was established by the First Congress of the United States. This newly formed maritime force did not have an official name. Rather, it was referred to simply as "the cutters" or "the system of cutters." This small force was to enforce national laws, in particular, those dealing with tariffs. At the time, these cutters were the only maritime force available to the new government under the...

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2015 10:24 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 22:24:38 -0400

Was stationed on her for 3.5 years. The foundation this training platform provides is vital. Saul training is still used all over the world.