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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC White Heath (WLM-545)
ex
 USCGC White Heath (WAGL-545) (1946 - mid-1960s)
 USS YF-445 (1944 - 1946)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal

YF-445 was transferred to the US Coast Guard after World War II, named USCGC White Heath (WAGL-545) later transferred to Tunisia as Turgueness (A 805)
YF-257 Class Self-propelled Covered Lighter:
  • Built by Erie Concrete & Steel Supply Co., Erie, PA (contract NXs-156)
  • Laid down, 05 June 1943
  • Launched, 21 July 1943
  • Commissioned YF-445, 29 April 1944
  • Operated in Mediterranean, August 1944 - November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 1946
  • Transfered to the US Coast Guard, 17 July 1947
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Commissioned, as the Coastal Buoy Tender USCGC White Heath (WAGL-545), 09 August 1947
  • Stationed at Boston, MA, 1947 - 1998
  • Redesignated as Coastal Buoy Tender (WLM-545), 1968
  • Decommissioned, 31 March 1998
  • Transferred to Tunisia, renamed Turgueness (A 804), 10 June 1998
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 600 tons
    Length 132' 10"
    Beam 30'
    Draft 8' 9" max.
    Speed 10.5 kts.
    Range 2,830 mile range at 7.5 knots (1948)
    Armament three 20mm AA (1944)
    ComplementUSCG - 1 Warrant Officer, 20 Enlisted (1948)
    Propulsion
    As Built - diesel, twin screws
    1974 - Diesel electric; 2 x direct-reversible 06 Union diesels; 600 BHP; twin propellers; 3 rudders (as launched); 2 x Caterpillar D-353-E diesel engines
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By
    USS YF-445
    YF-445
    144344502    		 79k Port side view of the decommissioned USS YF-445, 1 July 1947, still in Navy Gray, with U.S. Navy YF-445 markings.
    Library of Congress photo HAUER MASS,13-BOST,140--44    		 Mike Green
    USCGC White Heath (WAGL-545 / WLM-545)
    YF-445
    144344502    		 71k USCGC White Heath (WAGL-545) underway on trials, 19 February 1948.
    Library of Congress photos HAER MASS,13-BOST,140—45 and HAER MASS,13-BOST,140—45    		 Mike Green
    YF-445
    144344505    		 56k
    YF-445
    144344506    		 274k Port side view of USCGC White Heath (WLM-545) underway, 01 July 1960.
    Library of COngress photo from HAER MA-150 survey    		 Robert Hurst
    YF-445
    144344503    		 83k USCGC White Heath (WLM-545) moored at the USGS Integrated Support Command dock, Boston, MA. in 1998.
    Library of Congress photo HAER MASS,13-BOST,140—2.    		 Mike Green
    YF-445
    144344501    		 119k USCGC White Heath (WLM-545) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 US Coast and Geodetic Survey
    There is no DANFS history for YF-445 available at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - White Heath, 1947 WAGL / WLM-545; YF-445
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Service Craft Type Index Back To The Covered Lighter (Self-propelled) (YF) Photo Index
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    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo and is maintained by David L. Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 02 June 2023