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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.
  • Proposed Decommissioning date 21 February 2023.

    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
    USS Thunderbolt (PC 12)
    Thunderbolt 57k
    Namesake:

    Thunderbolt - A flash of lightning with a simultaneous crash of thunder

    Tommy Trampp
    Thunderbolt 322k c. 1995/1997
    Welcome Aboard pamphlet
    Jim Sanderson
    Thunderbolt 527k
    USS Thunderbolt (WPC 12)
    Thunderbolt 42k c. 1998
    Seen here in both Coast Guard and Navy markings
    U.S. Coast Guard photo by David Schuffholz
    .
    USS Thunderbolt (PC 12)
    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
    Tempest 151k 3 July 2013
    Patrol coastal ship (from left) USS Squall (PC 7), Thunderbolt, and USS Tempest (PC 2) prepare to float off the motor transport vessel M/V Eide Transporter. The PC arrival brings the total number to eight PCs here to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility
    U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Danielle A. Brandt
    Robert Hurst
    Thunderbolt 386k 3 July 2013
    Naval Support Facility, Bahrain
    The coastal patrol ship Thunderbolt transits from Khalifa Bin Salman Port to Mina Salman Pier
    U.S. Navy photo 130703-N-RJ323-001 by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Stephen Murphy from National Museum of the U.S. Navy
    Michael Mohl
    Monsoon 221k 17 March 2014
    USS Typhoon (PC 4), plus (left to right), USS Monsoon (PC 5) and Thunderbolt of Coastal Patrol Squadron ONE (PCRon 1) carry out a divisional tactics exercise while forward deployed to the Fifth Fleet. PCRon 1 is deployed supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations
    U.S. Navy photo 150317-N-SF508-314 by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Charles Oki
    Mike Green
    Tempest 244k 8 April 2014
    Arabian Gulf
    Patrol Coastal Squadron ONE, transits in formation alongside other patrol ships [Tempest (PC 2), Squall (PC 7), Whirlwind (PC 11), Firebolt (PC 10), Typhoon (PC 5) and Thunderbolt] during a maneuvering exercise. Thunderbolt is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts
    Coastal Patrol Command photo 140408-N-LO156-837 by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Martin Cuaron. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet
    Robert Hurst

    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR Brad Williamson, USN - USNA Class of 1985
    Awarded two Defense Superior Service Medals and five Legion of Merits, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal- Retired as Rear Admiral
    7 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, USN - Awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals, and the Navy Achievement Medal15 December 2005
    10LCDR Theodore James Nunamaker, USN2006
    11LT Marisa L. McClure, USN2006
    12LT Kurt Shelby Baecker, USN - USNA Class of 1998
    Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, six Navy Commendations Medals and two Navy Achievement medals
    April 2007 - July 2007 and February 2008 - April 2008
    13LT David Walton, USN2008
    14LT Allen L. Maxwell, Jr., USN - Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, five Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Combat Action Ribbon and the Joint Meritorious Unit AwardJuly 2009
    15LT Michael Kenneth Wagner, USN2010
    16LT Patrick Andrew Keller, USN - Awarded the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, four Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, four Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and the Combat Action RibbonJune 2010
    17LT David Samuel Coles, USN - Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Services Commendation Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals, the Navy Achievement Medal and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal2012 (Crew Bravo)
    18LCDR Robert Dean Holt, USN2014
    19LCDR Timothy C. Yuhas, USN29 March 2016 - 27 June 2017
    20LCDR Michael T. McArawas, USN27 June 2017 - 2019
    ??LT David W. Walton, Jr., USN
    ??LCDR John S. Lucas, IV, USN
    ??LT Mary Kathryn Devine, USN(Crew Kilo)
    ??LCDR Ryan Tiberius Easterday, USN - USNA Class of 2001
    Awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals
    (Crew Lima)
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joe Radigan

    View the Thunderbolt (PC 12)
    DANFS History entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Patrol Craft Sailors Association
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