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Revenue Cutter Photo Archive

USCGC Tallapoosa (WPG 52)



Call sign:
Nan - Roger - Charlie - Victor

ex-USCGC Tallapoosa (CG 27)



Call sign (Early 1919):
George - Vice - Dog - Pup

Call sign (Late 1919):
Nan - Rush - Vice


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

Tallapoosa Class Revenue Cutter:

  • The second Tallapoosa was built in 1915 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA
  • Launched 1 May 1915
  • Commissioned USCGC Tallapoosa (CG 27) 12 August 1915
  • Acquired by the Navy 6 April 1917
  • Returned to the Treasury Department 28 August 1919
  • Reclassified WPG-52
  • Decommissioned 8 November 1945 at Curtis Bay, MD
  • Sold 22 July 1946 to the Caribbean Fruit and Steamship Co., Inc.
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 912 t.
  • Length 165' 10"
  • Beam 32'
  • Draft 11' 9"
    1919 - 20' 9"
  • Speed 12.7 kts.
  • Complement 78
    1919 - 61
  • Armament: One 4"/50 mount, two 6-pounders, two machine guns and one "Y" gun depth charge projector
    1930 - Two 6-pounders, two 3"/50 mounts
    1941 - Two 3"/50 mounts, one 3"/23 mount, two depth charge tracks
    1945 - Two 3"/50 mounts, two 20mm mounts, two Mousetrap depth charge projectors, four K-gun depth charge projectors and two depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, one 1,130shp verticle triple-expansion steam engine, one shaft.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Tallapoosa 84k c. 1920 U.S. Coast Guard
    Tallapoosa 80k Photo from the 1924 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships Robert Hurst
    Tallapoosa 109k Original Photo: c. 1935
    Replacement photo: c. June 1935
    Latuya Bay, AK
    Photo from "U.S. Coast Guard Cutters and Craft of World War II" by Robert L. Scheina    		 Original photo: U.S. Coast Guard
    Replacement photo: Robert Hurst
    Tallapoosa 119k Original photo: c. 1944
    Overhead view
    Replacement photo: 7 April 1944
    This photo affords an excellent view of her armament. She mounts two single 3"/50s fore and aft, two single 20mm guns elevated forward of the aft 3"/50, two Mousetrap ASW rocket launchers on the forecastle, four K-guns on the poop deck, and two long depth-charge tracks on the stern
    Photo from "U.S. Coast Guard Cutters and Craft of World War II" by Robert L. Scheina    		 Original photo: U.S. Coast Guard
    Replacement photo: Robert Hurst
    Commanding Officers
    011stLT William Williams, USCG1918
    02CAPT(T) James F. Hattel, USCG1918 - 1919
    03LT Marcy B. Darnall, USNRF1919
    04CAPT James L. Ahern, USCG1919
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    View the Tallapoosa
    DANFS History entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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