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NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Coastal
Photo Archive
Courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Thunderbolt (PC-12)
ex-USCGC Thunderbolt (WPC 12)
ex-USS Thunderbolt (PC 12)

Thunderbolt served both the U. S. Navy and Coast Guard.
Cyclone Class Coastal Patrol Ship:

  • Laid down 9 June 1994 at Bollinger Machine Shop and Shipyard, Lockport, LA.
  • Launched 2 December 1994
  • Commissioned USS Thunderbolt (PC-12), 7 October 1995 at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA
  • Transferred to the Coast Guard 5 March 1998 and commissioned USCGC Thunderbolt (WPC 12) under dual-commission status, for operational test and evaluation program
  • Transferred back to Navy custody 17 July 1998.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 328.5 t.(lt), 331 t.(fl)
  • Length 170'
  • Beam 25'
  • Draft less than 8'
  • Speed 35 kts.
  • Complement 28 and eight Special Warfare Det./USCG Det.
  • Armament: Two Mk 38 25mm mounts; two .50 cal. machine guns, six Stinger missiles, two Mk 19 automatic grenade launchers and one Mk 52 Mod 0 chaff launcher
  • Propulsion four 3,350bhp Paxman 16CM Model 16RP200M diesel engines, Reintjes Model WVS 2232 (2.025:1) reduction gear, four shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Thunderbolt 42k c. 1998
    Seen here in both Coast Guard and Navy markings.
    U.S. Coast Guard photo by David Schuffholz    		 .
    Thunderbolt 110k 17 November 2007
    Hampton Roads, outbound from Norfolk, VA    		 Gil Bohannon
    Thunderbolt 238k 30 November 2007
    Baltimore, MD
    Moored in the Inner Harbor for the Army-Navy game    		 Wendell Royce McLaughlin, Jr.
    Thunderbolt 159k
    Thunderbolt 164k 1 December 2007
    Inner harbor Baltimore, MD
    Photo taken through the number one periscope aboard the museum submarine Torsk SS-423    		 Gil Bohannon
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR Brad Williamson, USN - Retired as Rear Admiral7 October 1995 - 7 November 1997
    02LCDR Daniel Paul (Skip) Shaw, USN7 November 1997 - 16 July 1999
    03LCDR Ian Richmond Pollitt, USN16 July 1999 - 4 May 2001
    04LT Henry Clay (Hank) Adams, III, USN4 May 2001 - 2002
    05LT Michael Thuoc Sullivan, USN2002 - January 2004
    06LT Richard D. Butler, USNJanuary 2004 - April 2004
    07LT Bradley L. Stallings, USNApril 2004 - 6 October 2004
    08LT Michael J. Manor, USN6 October 2004 - 15 December 2004
    09LT Jennifer Lynn Eaton, USN15 December 2004
    10LCDR Theodore James Nunamaker, USN2006 - 2008
    11LT David Walton, USN2008 - December 2009
    12LT Nathan P. (Nate) Diaz, USNDecember 2009 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    There is no DANFS history available for Thunderbolt (PC-12)
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Patrol Craft Sailors Association
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To the Patrol Craft/Gunboat/Submarine Chaser Ship Type Index Back to the Coastal Patrol Ship (PC) Photo Index
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