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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Yocona (WMEC-168)
ex
 USCGC Yocona (WAT-168) (1946 - 1965)
 USS Seize (ARS-26) (1944 - 1946)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Alpha - Uniform
 NJAU
USS Seize (ARS-26) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
USCGC Yocona (WAT-168 / WMEC-168) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Coast Guard Unit Commendation (2) - Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation (5) 1-with Operational Distinguishing Device - 19 May 1994 to 30 May 1996)
Bottom Row - National Defense Service Medal (3) - Humanitarian Service Medal (2) - Coast Guard Special Operations Ribbon (2)

USS Seize (ARS-26) was transferred to the US Coast Guard and renamed USCGC Yocona (WAT-168)
Diver Class Rescue and Salvage Ship:
  • Laid down, 28 September 1943, at Basalt Rock Co., Napa, CA.
  • Launched, 8 April 1944
  • Commissioned USS Seize (ARS-26), 3 November 1944, LT. Herman B. Conrad in command
  • During World War II USS Seize was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Seize was assigned to China service from 2 September 1945 to 8 April 1946
  • Decommissioned, 28 June 1946
  • Transferred to the US Coast Guard, 26 June 1946 and placed in commission as USCGC Yocona (WAT-168)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 November 1946
  • Redesignated Medium Endurance Cutter (WMEC-168) in 1965
  • Decommissioned, 30 May 1996 and returned to US Naval custody, for disposal
  • Final Disposition, to be disposed of as a target off Guam in 2006
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,940 t.(fl)
    Length 213' 6"
    Beam 39'
    Draft 14' 4"
    Speed 14.8 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 7
    Enlisted 113
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal. machine guns
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel 2,300 Bbls
    Gasoline 2,450 Gals
    Propulsion
    four Cooper Bessemer GSR-8 Diesel-electric engines
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Seize (ARS-26)
    Seize 91k LT Herman B. Conrad (left of the speaker) assumes command of Seize (ARS 26) at Basalt Rock Co. Shipyard, Napa, CA. Basalt was about 10 miles north of Mare Island up the Napa River.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2724-44.    		 Darryl Baker
    Seize
    09372608     		218k USS Seize (ARS 26) underway in San Francisco Bay off the city San Francisco in 1945.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, This photo is on US Naval History and Heritage Command website as a negative under file number NH 108748. .    		 Darryl Baker
    USCGC Yocona (WAT-168 / WMEC-168)
    Seize 93k Ex-Seize (ARS-26) in Coast Guard service as USCGC Yocona (WAT-168) underway, date and location unknown. The Coast Guard rated this vessel as an oceangoing tug
    US Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC), photo # Unknown, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Seize 67k USCGC Yocona (WAT-168) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo # 28483, May 1948.    		 US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Seize 46k USCGC Yocona (WMEC-168) moored pierside at Ford Island, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, HI,, June 1999 Courtesy Joe Lewis
    via
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Seize 94k USCGC Yocona (WMEC-168) under way, circa 1966, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Seize 52k USCGC Yocona (WMEC-168) under way, date and location unknown. Ken Laesser
    Seize
    09372603    		 160k Overhead view of USCGC Yocona (WMEC-168) underway, 19 May 1975, while towing environmental buoy (EB-16) for deployment off the west coast. The buoy had been picked up earlier that day from General Dynamics in San Diego. This was the first of five such buoys which were deployed by Yocona from 1975-77 throughout the eastern Pacific from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California. Each buoy was anchored in the open ocean with an anchor chain and miles of nylon rope. These five buoys were the first Pacific weather buoys used to collect weather data in the open ocean and transmit the data via satellite to the National Weather Service in New Orleans. Photo - US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Description - Mark Azevedo USCGC Yocona
    Manhattan 2511k USCGC Yocona (WMEC-168) stands off in the background as Manhattan (YTB-779) and Ottumwa (YTB-761) assist in the docking of the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine USS Ohio (SSBN-726) at Delta Pier, Naval Submarine Base Bangor, WA.
    DVIC photo # DN-ST-83-00543 by PH2 Shayna Brennan, USN.    		 Defense Visual Information Center

    For more photos and information about USS Seize / USCGC Yocona see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    • Commanding Officers
    01LT. Conrad, Herman Bruno, USN3 November 1944 - 30 November 1945ARS-26
    02LT. Meaden, Vincent Matthew, USN30 November 1945 - 12 June 1946ARS-26
     Decommissioned12 June 1946 - 26 June 1946 
    01LT. Houghtailing, Edward H., USCG26 June 1946 - August 1948WAT-168
    02LCDR. Dezeeu, Ariaan, USCGAugust 1948 - July 1950WAT-168
    03LT. Scheidefer, Edward Donald, USCG (USCGA 1943)July 1950 - September 1950WAT-168
    04CDR. Butcher, Reginald W., USCG (USCGA 1925)September 1950 - September 1952WAT-168
    05LCDR. Bracken, Robert O., USCGSeptember 1952 - September 1954WAT-168
    06LCDR. Hilditch, Frank D., USCGSeptember 1954 - September 1956WAT-168
    07CDR. Clark, Robert Jessup, USCG (USCGA 1937)September 1956 - August 1958WAT-168
    08CDR. Morrison, William Lldewelyn, USCG (USCGA 1939) :RADMAugust 1958 - September 1960WAT-168
    09LCDR. Blandford, William G., USCGSeptember 1960 - June 1962WAT-168
    10LCDR. Coluccielo, Luigi (Lou), USCG (USCGA 1948)June 1962 - August 1962WAT-168
    11CDR. Blandford, William G., USCGAugust 1962 - September 1963WAT-168
    12CDR. Linse, Howard A., USCGSeptember 1963 - June 1964WAT-168
    13CDR. McCann, Donald Joseph (DJ), USCG (USCGA 1947)June 1964 - July 1966WAT-168 / WMEC-168
    14CDR. Marsh, Joseph P. (JP), USCG (USCGA 1950)July 1966 - November 1967WMEC-168
    15CDR. Barney, William M., USCG (MMA 1949)November 1967 - June 1970WMEC-168
    16CDR. Foster, Dale R., USCG June 1970 - June 1972WMEC-168
    17CDR. Johnson, Robert Arthur, USCG (USCGA 1958)June 1972 - June 1973WMEC-168
    18CDR. Peterson, Paul E., USCGJune 1973 - September 1975WMEC-168
    19LCDR. Bujarski, Marcel D.. USCGSeptember 1975 - August 1976WMEC-168
    20CDR. Daniell Jr., Martin Haynes, USCG :VADMAugust 1976 - June 1978WMEC-168
    21CDR. Morgan, Charles W., USCGJune 1978 - 6 July 1979WMEC-168
    22CDR. Reid, Charles F., USCG6 July 1979 - July 1981WMEC-168
    23CDR. Jr. Allison, Robert William, USCGJuly 1981 - January 1982WMEC-168
    24LCDR. Gronberg, Robert Eino, (acting) USCG (USCGA 1968)January 1982 - July 1982WMEC-168
    25CDR. Busick, Peter Conrad, USCG (USCGA 1963)July 1982 - August 1984WMEC-168
    26CDR. John, Walter Lee, USCG (USCGA 1966)August 1984 - August 1986WMEC-168
    27CDR. Anderson, William Howson. USCG (USCGA 1970)August 1986 - 5 August 1988WMEC-168
    28CDR. Hagstrom, Paul Leonard, USCG (USCGA 1970)5 August 1988 - August1990WMEC-168
    29CDR. Gemmell III, Thomas M., USCG (USCGA 1971) August 1990 - July 1992WMEC-168
    30CDR. Trosvig, Thomas A., USCGJuly 1992 - July 1994WMEC-168
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 11 February 2022