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NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Coastal
Photo Archive

USS Zephyr (PC 8)
ex-USCGC Zephyr (WPC 8)


Right patch courtesy of Mike Smolinski

ex-USS Zephyr (PC-8)



Call sign:
November - Zulu - Echo - Papa


Zephyr served both the U. S. Navy and Coast Guard.

Cyclone Class Coastal Patrol Ship:

  • Laid down 6 March 1993 at Bollinger Machine Shop and Shipyard, Lockport, LA
  • Launched 3 December 1993
  • Commissioned USS Zephyr (PC-8), 15 October 1994
  • Decommissioned 1 October 2004 at San Diego, CA
  • Transferred to the Coast Guard in September 2004
  • Commissioned USCGC Zephyr (WPC-8), 8 October 2004
  • Returned to U.S. Navy custody 30 September 2011
  • Decommissioned 17 February 2021
  • Scheduled to be dismantled beginning 2 March 2021.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 328.5 t. (lt), 331 t. (fl)
  • Length 170'
  • Beam 25'
  • Draft less than 8'
  • Speed 35 kts.
  • Complement 28, eight Special Warfare Det./USCG Det.
  • Armament: Two Mk.38 25mm mounts; two .50 cal. machine guns, six Stinger missiles, two Mk19 automatic grenade launcher and one Mk 52 Mod 0 chaff launcher
  • Propulsion: Four Paxman diesel engines, four shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Zephyr (PC 8)
    Zephyr 69k
    Namesake:

    Zephyr - A light wind from the west

    		 Tommy Trampp
    Photo added 23 August 2020
    Zephyr 147k Starboard quarter view of patrol craft underway
    U.S. Navy photo L45-317.01.01 from the Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Mike Green
    Zephyr 292k c. 1994/1996
    Welcome Aboard pamphlet    		 Jim Sanderson
    Zephyr 353k
    Zephyr 85k 10 February 1996
    NAS North Island CA.
    Change of Command Ceremony    		 E. J. Comeau PC-553/1228
    Hurricane 121k U.S. Navy patrol craft Hurricane (PC 3) (foreground), Zephyr (left) and Squall (PC 7) from Special Boat Squadron 1, Special Boat Unit 12, Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Ca, cruise information off the coast of San Diego.
    U.S. Navy photos 970513-N-3149V-007 and 970513-N-3149V-008 by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jeffrey S. Viano    		 Bill Gonyo
    Hurricane 151k
    Zephyr 43k 8 July 2003
    South shore of Griffin Bay, San Juan Island, Northern Puget Sound.    		 .
    Zephyr 64k
    USCGC Zephyr (WPC 8)
    Zephyr 186k 13 April 2005
    Puget Sound
    Providing homeland security for the Naval Submarine Base at Bangor, Washington
    Defence Visual Information Center photo DN-SD-07-01138 by Ray F. Longaker, Jr.    		 Robert Hurst
    Zephyr 133k 28 January 2007
    Transiting San Francisco Bay outbound    		 CAPT Jack C. Goldthorpe, USCG, Ret.
    Zephyr 233k 30 September 2011
    Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, VA
    Coast Guard Cutter's Zephyr, astern of Tornado (WPC 14) are moored to a pier during a transfer ceremony. The Coast Guard Cutter's Shamal (WPC 13), Zephyr and Tornado were transferred after seven year's with the service to the Navy. The USNS Apache (T-ATF 172) is in the background
    U.S. Coast Guard photo 110930-G-RT555-375-USCG by Petty Officer 2nd Class Walter Shinn    		 Bill Gonyo
    USS Zephyr (PC 8)
    Zephyr 263k 8 June 2012
    Taking part in OPSAIL (Harborfest) parade in Hampton Roads, Norfolk, VA    		 Maureen G. McKnight
    Zephyr 241k 31 October 2013
    Mayport, FL
    The coastal patrol ship Zephyr arrives at Naval Station Mayport for a port visit. The primary mission of these ships is coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance, an important aspect of littoral operation
    U.S. Navy photo 131031-N-MJ645-054 by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marcus L. Stanley from National Museum of the U.S. Navy    		 Michael Mohl
    Zephyr 169k 31 October 2013
    Arriving at Mayport, FL
    Photo by Lee Whaler    		 Lee Whaler
    Zephyr 282k 31 October 2013
    Tornado outboard of Zephyr after arriving at Mayport, FL
    Photo by Lee Whaler
    Zephyr 67k 29 January 2014
    Arriving at Mayport, FL
    Photo by Abbotttazz    		 Robert Hurst
    Zephyr 182k 3 June 2016
    Jacksonville, FL
    Pulling into Naval Station Mayport after 45 days patrolling the U.S. 4th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) employ maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations in order to enhance interoperability, build enduring partnerships that foster regional security, and maintain access in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility
    U.S. Navy photo 160603-N-TP832-060 by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Michael Lopez    		 Lee Wahler
    Zephyr 304k 17 January 2017
    Mayport, FL
    Returning to Naval Station Mayport after completing a 64-day patrol in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations. Zephyr's patrol resulted in one interdiction entailing the seizure of 900 kilograms of cocaine and detaining four personnel in support of Operation Martillo
    U.S. Navy photo 170117-N-PQ607-066 by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hendricks    		 Ron Reeves
    Zephyr 221k 17 April 2017
    San Juan, Puerto Rico
    At U.S. Coast Guard Station San Juan in support of Operation Martillo, a joint operation with the U.S. Coast Guard and partner nations within the U.S. 4th Fleet
    area of responsibility
    U.S. Navy photo 170414-N-EO381-002 by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Casey J. Hopkins    		 Lee Wahler
    Zephyr 262k 21 April 2017
    Caribbean Sea
    Transiting the Caribbean Sea. Zephyr is underway in support of Operation Martillo, a joint operation with the U.S Coast Guard and partner nations within the U.S. 4th Fleet
    area of operations
    U.S. Navy photo 170414-N-EO381-154 and 170414-N-EO381-174 by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Casey J. Hopkins
    Zephyr 224k
    Zephyr 170k 10 November 2017
    Mayport, FL
    Zephyr returns to Naval Station Mayport following a 76-day patrol in support of U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations. Working with partner nations participating in Operation Martillo, a partnership to target illicit drug trafficking routes in the waters off Central America, Zephyr seized 726 kilograms of cocaine valued at approximately $17-26 million in street value
    U.S. Navy photo 171110-N-NY430-011 by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kristopher S. Haley
    Zephyr 198k 14 May 2018
    Mayport, FL
    Returning to Naval Station Mayport following a four-month deployment. Partnering with the Colombian navy and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the crew and an embarked U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment intercepted a suspected drug smuggling boat with 1,080 pounds of cocaine aboard last month during a routine patrol in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations
    U.S. Navy photo 180514-N-TP832-1036 by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Lopez
    Commanding Officers
    01LT Robert Allen Stubblefield, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 198415 October 1994 - 10 February 1996
    02LT Timothy Jacoby, USN10 February 1996 - 30 September 1997
    03LT Anthony James Parisi, USN30 September 1997 - 5 March 1999
    04LT Michael R. Fisher, USN5 March 1999 - 22 September 2000
    05LCDR Derek Ames Brian Granger, USN - USNA Class of 199122 September 2000 - June 2001
    06LT William James Parker, III, USNJune 2001 - 26 July 2002
    07LT Thomas Charles Kait, Jr., USN26 July 2002 - 30 September 2004
    08LCDR Kevin A. Jones, USCG30 September 2004 - July 2006
    09LCDR Timothy J. Kerze, USCG2009 - July 2010
    10LCDR Anthony L. Russell, USCGJuly 2010 - May 2011
    11LCDR Jason P. Miller, USN30 September 2011 - February 2012
    12LCDR Casey M. Mahon, USN - Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement MedalsFebruary 2012 - July 2012 (Crew Foxtrot)
    13LCDR Thomas E. Cunningham, III, USNJuly 2012 - December 2012
    14LCDR Michael D. Fortenberry, USNDecember 2012 - January 2013
    15LCDR Frank James Azzarello, USN - Awarded four Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and two Navy and three Marine Corps Achievement Medals(Crew Kilo) January 2013 - June 2013
    16LCDR Jason P. Miller, USNJune 2013 - July 2013
    17LCDR Ardis C. Shannon, USNJuly 2013 - 30 August 2013
    18LCDR Michael D. Fortenberry, USN30 August 2013 - 20 September 2013
    19LCDR Daniel A. Follett, USN20 September 2013
    20LCDR Colin M. Roberts, USN - Awarded three Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals5 November 2014 - 2016
    21LCDR Cameron Ashley Ingram, USN2016 - 24 August 2017
    22LCDR Grant D. Greenwell, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 200624 August 2017
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joe Radigan
    View the Zephyr (PC 8)
    DANFS History entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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