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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283)
ex
 USS Burton Island (AGB-1) (1949 - 1966)
 USS Burton Island (AG-88) (1946 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Victor - Kilo
 NEVK
USS Burton Island Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Navy Unit Commendation - National Defense Service Medal - Antarctic Service Medal (7)

USCGC Burton Island Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - National Defense Service Medal - Antarctic Service Medal

Burton Island Class Icebreaker:
  • Laid down, 15 March 1946, at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Pedro, CA.
  • Launched, 30 April 1946
  • Commissioned Miscellaneous Auxiliary USS Burton Island (AG-88), 28 December 1946, CDR. G. Ketchum in command
  • Reclassified Icebreaker (AGB-1), 1 March 1949
  • Decommissioned, 15 December 1966 and transferred to the US Coast Guard
  • Commissioned USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283), 15 December 1966
  • Decommissioned by the Coast Guard, 9 May 1978
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 17 August 1980, for $261,000, to Leven Metals Corp, San Jose, CA.,
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    As Built - 3,575 t.(lt) 6,515 t.(fl), 5,425 t.(lim)
    Coast Guard 1967 - 3,052 t.(lt) 6,481 t.(fl)
    Length 269'
    Beam 63' 6"
    Draft 25' 9"
    Speed Trial Speed 16 Kts.
    Max Sustained 13.4 Kts, 30,929-mi radius (1967)
    Economic 11.6 Kts, 32,485-mi radius (1967)
    Complement
    Navy
    Officers - 21
    Enlisted - 332
    Coast Guard 204
    Armament
    Navy - one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    three quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    Coast Guard - none
    Aircraft two helicopters
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel - 10,185 Bbls
    Gasoline - 7,200 Gals
    Propulsion
    six Fairbanks Morse 10-cylinder diesels driving six Westinghouse DC generators
    two 200Kw 240V D.C. diesel-drive Ship's Service Generators
    three propellers, two aft, 13,000shp, one forward
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Burton Island (AG-88)
    Burton Island 119k USS Burton Island (AG-88) underway operating in the ice, date unknown. Note the Sikorsky HO3S helicopter on deck aft.
    US Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 484k A Sikorsky HO3S helicopter prepares to land aboard USS Burton Island (AG-88) while underway, date and location unknown.
    Acme News photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 104k USS Burton Island (AG-88) crew members appear to be playing six-man football in the snow at the South Pole. The ship along with her sister icebreaker USS Edisto (AG-89) were taking part in Operation Windmill (1947-1948), an expedition established by the Chief of Naval Operations to train personnel, test equipment, and reaffirm American interests in Antarctica.
    Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Archives - History Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    Burton Island 28k USS Burton Island (AG-88) underway, circa 1946-March 1949. The Burton Island Association
    Burton Island 55k USS Burton Island (AG-88) underway in the Arctic during "Exercise Barex-48", early 1948. Dan Guinn, USS LST-1110.org web site courtesy the H.A. Taylor Collection
    LST-1146 112k USS Burton Island (AG-88) and USS LST-1146 underway in Arctic waters during "Exercise Barex-48" early 1948.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1948.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    Burton Island 98k USS Burton Island (AG-88) pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1948    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Burton Island 55k USS Burton Island (AG-88) moored pierside at the main wharf, Dutch Harbor, AK., date unknown. Note the Helicopter Utility Squadron (HU-1) Bell HTL "Sioux" (Bell model 47), H-13 helicopter approaching the ship. Harvey Golden
    USS Burton Island (AGB-1)
    Burton Island 60k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) clears a channel through the Arctic ice in 1953 to permit passage of other ships.
    US Navy photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Burton Island 105k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) off Nome, Alaska, in May 1954 during a spring cruise to the Arctic. She has put a gangway over the side for a liberty party. Note the Piasecki (Vertol) HUP helicopter hovering overhead.
    US Navy photo # USN 641186, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 78k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) at anchor off St. Lawrence Island in the middle of the Bering Sea, circa 1950.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 7252-10-50 taken by the ship's photographer PHAN W. L. Anderson. Burton Island was at Mare Island from 29 September to 4 December 1959.    		 Darryl Baker
    Burton Island 99k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) fighting heavy ice while bringing supplies to the scientific station at Cape Hallette, Antarctica, in early 1964 during Operation Deepfreeze. To contend with fifteen-foot thick ice blocking her route, she placed charges of TNT in holes drilled in the ice around the ship and then applied full power to her six Diesel-electric engines as the charges were detonated.
    US Navy photo # USN 823888, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island/Atka/Glacier 98k From left to right, USS Burton Island (AGB-1), USS Atka (AGB-3) and USS Glacier (AGB-4) pushing an iceberg out of the channel near McMurdo Station, Antarctica, 29 December 1965.
    US Navy photo from DANFS.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Burton Island 262k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) circa March 1949-December 1966 The Burton Island Association
    Burton Island 34k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) circa March 1949-December 1966 The Burton Island Association
    Burton Island 466k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) underway, circa March 1949-December 1966.
    Photo by Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret.    		 Scott Nelson for his Grandfather Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret. USS Atlas
    Burton Island 312k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) moored in the ice, date and location unknown - Now that's a really Cold Beer. Ron Jensen
    Burton Island 58k USS Burton Island (AGB-1) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from Veramar Arts.    		 Tommy Trampp
    USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283)
    Burton Island 36k USCGC Glacier (WAGB-4), followed by USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283), and USCGC Southwind (WAGB-280) as they crush a path through heavily iced McMurdo Sound, in the Antarctic for cargo ships to follow to the main base at Hut Point, Ross Island, during "Operation Deep Freeze", 1969.
    US Coast Guard photo # GAP1-01-00-69; 1969    		 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 41k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283) post December 1966 The Burton Island Association
    Burton Island 383k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283) moored in the ice at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, January, 1968. Here she displays an early design of the Coast Guard stripe that does not include the Coast Guard shield. Coast Guard cutters began adding the stripe to their hulls beginning in 1967. Photo by LCDR R. H. Stracener, USCG Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 206k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283), foreground, and USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284) underway in the ice during Operation Deep Freeze '69/70, circa December 1969 to February 1970 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 1982k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283), foreground, and USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284) underway in the ice during Operation Deep Freeze '69/70, circa December 1969 to February 1970 Gary French AT3 USCG USCGC Edisto
    Burton Island 57k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283) refueling at Cape Hallett, 1 January 1971. Note the ever curious penguins parading in the foreground, Photo by Walker, PH3. Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 26k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283) tied to her mooring in the ice. Note No Parking sign and penguins.
    USCG photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Maumee 1387k Ships anchored in Winter Quarters Bay, Antarctica, 13 February 1971. From (L-R);
    inboard USNS Maumee (T-AO-149),
    outboard USCGC Staten Island (WAGB-278),
    inboard USNS Wyandot (T-AKA-92),
    outboard USCGC Burton Island(WAGB-283),
    and across the bay, the New Zealand supply ship HMNZS Endeavour (A-184).
    US Navy photo [negative] No. XAM-120263-2-71 by PH2 Sterling.    		 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 232k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283) underway in the Port of Wellington, New Zealand, 27 December 1975. Photo from the Chris Howell collection with copyright
    Burton Island 20k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283), during Operation Deep Freeze 1978 breaking out the channel to McMurdo Station. Photo by Keith Kuczka taken from the deck of USCGC Glacier
    Burton Island 147k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Burton Island 85k USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 Robert Hurst

    For more photos and information about USS / USCGC Burton Island, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • US Coast Guard Historian's Office - Burton Island , 1966 AG-88 / AGB-1 / WAGB-283
  • The Burton Island Association
  • Commanding Officers
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 7 March 2013