View source for USCGC Modoc

{{other ships|List of ships named USCGC Modoc}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
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|Ship image=[[File:USCGC Modoc (WPG-46).jpg|300px|USCGC ''Modoc'' (WPG-46)]]
|Ship caption=USCGC ''Modoc'' (WPG-46) at [[Naval Station Argentia]] in [[Newfoundland]] c. 1941-45.
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United States|coast guard}}
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|Ship namesake=[[Modoc people|Modoc Tribe]]
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|Ship builder=[[Union Construction Company (Oakland)|Union Construction Company]], [[Oakland]]
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|Ship yard number=19
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|Ship laid down=19 April 1921
|Ship launched=1 October 1921
|Ship sponsor=Jean Lemard
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|Ship commissioned=14 January 1922
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|Ship decommissioned=1 February 1947
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|Ship fate=Scrapped by Ecuador in 1964
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|Ship displacement=1,506 tons
|Ship length={{convert|240|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|39|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
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|Ship draft={{convert|13|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
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|Ship propulsion=* 2 x [[Babcock & Wilcox]], cross-drum type, {{convert|200|psi|abbr=on}}, 
* {{convert|750|°F|°C|abbr=on}} superheat boilers, [[turbo-electric transmission]]
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|Ship complement=*12 officers, 78 enlisted (1930)
*12 officers, 110 enlisted (1945)
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|Ship sensors=SF-1, SC-3
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|Ship armament=* 2 × [[5"/51 caliber gun|5"/51]] guns (1922)
* 1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|3"/50]] gun (1922)
* 2 × [[QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss#United States service|6-pounder]] guns (1922)
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'''USCGC ''Modoc'' (WPG-46)''' was a 240-foot ''Tampa''-class [[United States Coast Guard]] cutter designed for multi-mission roles. She had a top speed of sixteen knots, and was armed with a pair of 5-inch deck guns. With the breakout of war she was armed with depth charges, additional guns, sonar, and radar and transferred to the Navy. ''Modoc'', along with her sister ships {{USCGC|Mojave|WPG-47|2}} and {{USCGC|Tampa|WPG-48|2}} joined the [[Greenland Patrol]].

The ship is most remembered for her role in the sinking of the {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck}}. According to British intelligence chief [[William Stephenson]]'s biography, ''A Man Called Intrepid'', ''Modoc'' was rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoys in the [[Bay of Biscay]] when she came into visual contact with ''Bismarck'' which hitherto had been lost to pursuing British forces. Based upon her position, a [[PBY]] [[patrol bomber]] from RAF's 209 Squadron went on to locate ''Bismarck'' in time for {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|6}} to launch the air attacks that ultimately disabled her and enabled the British fleet to catch up and sink her. ''Modoc'' ended up in the middle of the battle. Anti-aircraft fire from ''Bismarck'' came close to hitting the ship. In addition, {{HMS|Norfolk|78|6}} was about to fire on the cutter when {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|6}} identified her as US Coast Guard. Despite all of the hectic action around the ship, she survived the encounter and the war.

''Modoc'' was returned to the [[US Department of Treasury|Treasury Department]] in December 1945, and served as a patrol cutter until decommissioning in 1947. She was sold to a private owner and was converted to a merchant ship steaming Central and South American waters. After changing hands several times, ''Modoc'' was finally scrapped in 1964.

==History==
''Modoc'' was launched as a Coast Guard cutter by [[Union Construction Company (Oakland)|Union Construction Company]] in [[Oakland, California]] on 1 October 1921. She was sponsored by Jean Lemard. ''Modoc'' was placed in commission on 14 January 1922. She was one of four [[List of United States Coast Guard cutters#240' Tampa class Cutter|''Tampa''-class 240-foot cutters]], the others being ''Haida'', ''Mojave'', and ''Tampa''. These were the first USCG vessels with [[turbo-electric transmission]] and were the largest and most advanced cutters for their time.<ref name="USCG_Hist">United States Coast Guard. [http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Modoc_WPG_46.pdf USCG History].</ref>

Home ported at [[Wilmington, North Carolina]], ''Modoc'' began Atlantic ice patrol service with the [[International Ice Patrol]] in 1923. For much of the next 18 years, she and another cutter alternated on 15-day patrols off the [[Grand Banks]], using [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]], and [[Boston]] as their bases.<ref name="USCG_Hist"/>

''Modoc'', in company with cutters {{USCGC|Northland|WPG-49|2}} and ''General Greene'' rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoy ships, has also witnessed a large part of German ship ''Bismarck''{{'}}s last battle 23 to 27 May 1941.  Close to midnight 24 May ''Modoc'' found herself in the midst of an attack in which eight planes and three warships were involved.  Antiaircraft fire from ''Bismarck'' whizzed dangerously close to the cutter's port bow.  HMS ''Norfolk'' was about to take the cutter under fire until HMS ''Prince of Wales'' identified her as U.S. Coast Guard.  The cutter was undamaged, although they were near the fighting and at times only six miles from ''Bismarck''.  The widespread movements of the combatants, 19 plus destroyers and smaller ships, had distributed danger over a wide area.  Aircraft had played a continuous part in coordinating activities, thus adding to the danger of accidents to innocent bystanders, a role the cutters had to play prior to Pearl Harbor.<ref name="USCG_Hist"/>

Transferred to the [[United States Navy]] by Executive Order No. 8029 of 1 November 1941, ''Modoc'' joined the Greenland Patrol, whose orders were to do "a little of everything." This duty involved keeping convoy routes open, breaking and finding leads in ice for the Greenland convoys, escorting the convoys and rescuing survivors from torpedoed ships, constructing and maintaining aids to navigation, and reporting weather conditions.  Ships of the patrol were also expected to discover and destroy enemy weather and radio stations in Greenland, continue hydrographic surveys, maintain communications, deliver supplies, and conduct search and rescue operations.  All of these duties, the Coast Guard performed with exemplary fortitude and faithfulness throughout the war.  It was during this time that she was designated as WPG-46.<ref name="USCG_Hist"/>

On the [[Greenland]] [[International Ice Patrol|Ice Patrol]] plodded many of the Coast Guard's older, smaller, and slower ships. They endured much discomfort amid the dangers of fog, storms, ice, and German raiders, but their work was vital to victory in the Atlantic.<ref name="USCG_Hist"/>

In both World Wars, when submarines were more of a menace than icebergs, the International Ice Patrol was suspended so that the cutters could perform more important escort duty.  During these years there was but one major collision; British ship ''Svend Foyne'' struck a berg 21 January 1943. Before she sank, ''Modoc'' rescued 128 survivors.<ref name="USCG_Hist"/>

''Modoc'' returned to the Treasury Department in accordance with Executive Order No. 9666 of 28 December 1945, and served as a patrol cutter until decommissioning in 1947. Sold to Manuel Velliantis in Honduras, she was converted for merchant use and renamed Amalia V. Registered in Ecuador in 1960 by Tropical Navigation Co., she was renamed ''Machala'', and served as a merchantman until scrapped in 1964.<ref name="USCG_Hist"/>

==Honors and awards==
*{{ribbon devices|number=0|other_device=a|name=American Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=106}} [[American Defense Service Medal]] with [["A" device]]
*[[File:American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|106px]] [[American Campaign Medal]]
*{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106}} [[European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal]] with one [[battle star]] for [[World War II]] service
*[[File:World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|106px]] [[World War II Victory Medal]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://steelnavy.com/ISWModocFB.htm SteelNavy.com Modoc]

{{Tampa class cutter}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Modoc (Wpg-46)}}
[[Category:1921 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Oakland, California]]
[[Category:Ships of the United States Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Tampa-class cutters]]