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NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Coastal
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USCGC Tornado (WPC 14)
Courtesy of Mike Smolinski
ex-USS Tornado (PC 14)
Tornado served both the U. S. Navy and Coast Guard.
Cyclone Class Coastal Patrol Ship: Laid down, 25 August 1998 at Bollinger Machine and Shipyard, Lockport, LA.; Launched, 7 June 1999; Commissioned USS Tornado (PC 14), 24 June 2000 at Nauticus International Pier, Norfolk, VA; Transferred to the Coast Guard 29 September 2004; Commissioned USCGC Tornado (WPC 14), 6 December 2004 at Pascagoula, MS.
Specifications: Displacement 328.5 t(lt), 331 t.(fl); Length 170'; Beam 25'; Draft less than 8'; Speed 35k; Complement four officers, 24 enlisted, eight Special Warfare Det./USCG Det; Armament two Mk 38 25mm; two .50 cal. machine guns, six Stinger missiles, two Mk19 automatic grenade launcher, one Mk 52 Mod 0 chaff launcher;
Propulsion four 3,350shp Paxman diesel engines, four shafts.
Click on thumbnail
for full size image |
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Image Description |
Source |
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| USS Tornado (PC 14) |
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53k |
Nauticus International Pier, Norfolk, VA prior to commissioning. |
PHAN Chris Lawley |
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56k |
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, VA. |
George Paradise |
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59k |
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, VA. |
George Paradise |
| USCGC Tornado (WPC 14) |
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99k |
c. 2004
U.S. Coast Guard photo |
Joe Radigan |
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104k |
27 April 2005
St. Petersburg, FL
Tornado with the crew of the CGC Shamal onboard prepare to moor up at Coast Guard Group St. Petersburg, Fla., to offload $160 million of cocaine and six detainees seized by their Coast Guard and Navy counterparts on April 16. The Tornado and Shamal are both new members to the Coast Guard's arsenal of homeland security and law enforcement assets due to a recent lease from the Navy. The 179-foot patrol boats are homeported in Pascagoula, Miss.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA1 Danielle DeMarino |
Bill Gonyo |
There is no DANFS history available for Tornado (PC 14).
History and Achievements of USS TORNADO (PC 14):Commissioned June of 2000 USS TORNADO (PC 14) was the newest and most capable of the Cyclone Class Patrol Coastals. Her design focused on perfecting the deliverance of Navy Special Warfare forces ashore while conducting various low and medium intensity conflict operations in littoral regions of the world. As a direct result of the terrorist attacks in United States on September 11, 2001 TORNADO's mission was broadened to include Maritime Homeland Security (MHLS). In this mission TORNADO, assisted by a Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team, conducts inspections of merchant vessels entering U. S. ports, escorts high value units transiting U.S. coastal waters, and conducts security patrols of approaches to U. S. ports.In January 2002 TORNADO embarked on her maiden deployment - an independent MHLS deployment to Coast Guard District Seven in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE. During this deployment TORNADO and her crew safely traveled over 10,000 nautical miles, conducted 26 SSBN escorts, 1 CVN escort, 6 cruise ship escorts, 16 NOBLE EAGLE merchant vessel boardings and 138 merchant vessel challenges for maritime domain awareness. Additionally, TORNADO conducted security patrols in support of 2 space shuttle launches and the Ft. Lauderdale Annual Sea and Air show. Shortly after returning from deployment, TORNADO made history as she became the first and only Patrol Coastal to be formally adopted by the Navy League of the U. S.In the summer of 2002 TORNADO participated in the largest Naval Special Warfare Operational Readiness Exercise to date, conducted Patrol Coastal familiarization operations with representatives of the Philippine Navy, and served as school ship at Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, RI. In August 2002 TORNADO made history again as she became the first Navy ship in nearly two decades to transit the entire James River and visit the port of Richmond, VA. Collaborating with area Navy recruiters and her adopter, the Richmond Council of the Navy League, TORNADO embarked several delayed entry personnel and Sea Cadets to enhance the local recruiting effort. Starting in the fall of 2002 TORNADO conducted MHLS patrols to Coast Guard Districts One and Five in support of Operations NEPTUNE SHIELD, GUARDING LIBERTY, and LIBERTY SHIELD.In October 2002 TORNADO and all Atlantic Fleet Patrol Coastals transitioned from Naval Special Warfare to the Naval Surface Forces and was assigned to Commander, Amphibious Group TWO. After completing her first dry-docking maintenance availability at NORTHSHIPCO and Collana's shipyhards, TORNADO became the first Patrol Coastal to enter the Inter-Deployment Training Cycle under Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic requirements.True to her motto of "FOCUSED PRECISION" TORNADO and her crew continued to safely and accurately conduct a variety of missions. This dedication to mission and safety earned her Command Excellence Awards in all warfare areas and the TYCOM Safety Award.In September of 2004 TORNADO, along with several other Patrol Coastals, was transferred to the U. S. Coast Guard. USCGC TORNADO (WPC 14) was transferred from the U.S. Navy to the U.S. Coast Guard Sept. 29, 2004, and placed in commission special status. TORNADO was formally commissioned active Dec. 6, 2004, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. USCGC TORNADO is assigned to Coast Guard District 8 and is homeported at Naval Station Pascagoula, MS.Contributed by:
LCDR Antonio Hull
Commanding Officer
USS TORNADO
December 2001 to May 2003
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Patrol Craft Sailors Association
This page created and maintained by Joseph M. Radigan
© 2005 Joseph M. Radigan © 1996 - 2005 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
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