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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

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Navy 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)
	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
	28k	*USS Burton Island* (AG-88)** underway, circa 1946-March 1949.	The Burton Island Association
	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
	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
	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.
	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)
	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
	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
	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
	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.
	262k	*USS Burton Island* (AGB-1)** circa March 1949-December 1966	The Burton Island Association
	34k	*USS Burton Island* (AGB-1)** circa March 1949-December 1966	The Burton Island Association
	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
USCGC Burton Island (WAGB-283)
	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
	41k	*USCGC Burton Island* (WAGB-283)** post December 1966	The Burton Island Association
	85k	*USCGC Glacier* (WAGB-4)** underway, date and location unknown. US Coast Guard photo.	Robert Hurst
	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
	147k	*USCGC Glacier* (WAGB-4)** underway, date and location unknown. US Coast Guard photo.	Robert Hurst
	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