Tuesday, March 27,2012 USCGC Mellon (WHEC-717) Here’s another interesting ship I photographed shortly after the USS Reid, 1991. This is the US Coast Guard Cutter Mellon, classified as a hight endurance cutter, based in Seattle. This ship has the honor of being “the first” in many respects. It is the first ship to receive a “joy stick” helm. This is the first and only Coast Guard ship armed with the Harpoon anti-ship missile system and armed for anti-submarine warfare. These systems were later removed during the 1990s due to fiscal restraints. On my photo, the following weapons systems are clearly visible. From right to left we see – Oto Melara 76 mm. gun Two gray triple tube Harpoon missile launchers (being aimed across the ship, the launch blast goes into the water) Triple tube Mark 32 torpedo tubes (gray) to left of the ship’s boat Funnel with expandable helecopter hangar to cover the 80 foot flight deck Phalanx CIWS close in defence gun This ship, when armed with the Harpoon and anti-submarine torpedoes was just as heavily armed as the Perry Class fast frigates! See my previous post at – http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=2311171&user_id=5273&np&np About the USCGC Mellon – Built – July 1966 – February 1967 Commissioned – January 9, 1968 Modernizations between 1985 – 1989 Weight – 3,250 tons Length – 378 feet Beam – 43 feet Draught – 15 feet Propulsion – 2 diesel and 2 gas turbine engines Power – 7,000 horsepower diesel, 36,000 horsepower gas turbine Shafts – 2 Speed – 17 knots diesel, 29 knots gas turbine Range – 10,000 nautical miles @ 20 knots Endurance – 45 days Crew – 167 officers and men Armament – One OTO Melara 76 mm. 62 caliber gun Two triple tube 324 mm. Mark 32 torpedo tubes, Mark 46 torpedoes One Phalanx CIWS gattling type gun Two triple tube Harpoon missile launchers One SH-60 LAMPS helecopter or other types AN/SQS sonar Service – Extensive service in the Viet Nam war. Oceanographic work and search and rescue work in the eastern Pacific. Radio marker for commercial airplane flights from the US to Hawaii (prior to GPS navigation). 1974 - Rescue of the crew of a tanker, Giovanna Lolli-Ghetti, some 250 miles from Hawaii. Service in Alaskan waters – many search and rescue missions and law enforcement (fishing). 1991 – Diplomatic mission to Vladivostok, Russia. Also, first test of Harpoon missile from a Coast Guard ship! Fishing patrols in the Bering Sea and Alaska areas. Central American patrols against narcotics smuggling and illegal immigration. The ship is still in service. For a more complete history, see - http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/cgcmellon/history.asp Enjoy!