The retired USCGC Bramble (WAGL/WLB-392) is one of 39 180-foot Seagoing Buoy Tenders designed and built in the early 1940s for the U.S. Coast Guard
"The Thorn of the Great Lakes"
"Arctic Aristocrats"
"The Bumble"
USCGC Bramble WAGL-392 WLC-392
Significant Dates
Keel Laid: 2 August 1943 Launched: 23 October 1943 Commissioned: 22 April 1944 Decommissioned: 22 May 2003
Key Specifications
Cost: $925,464 Length: 180' oa Beam: 37' mb Draft: 12' (1945); 13'11" (1962) Displacement: 935 fl (1945); 1025 fl (1962); 694 light (1962) Armament: 1-3"/50 (single), 2-20mm/80 (single), 2 depth charge tracks, 2 Mousetraps, 4 Y-guns (1945); None (1966)
Propulsion / Mechanical
Propulsion: 1 electric motor connected to 2 Westinghouse generators driven by 2 Cooper-Bessemer-type GND-8, 4-cycle diesels; single screw
Top speed: 13.0 kts sustained (1945); 11.9 kts sustained (1966)
Economic speed: 8.3 kts (1945); 8.5 kts (1966)
Complement: 6 officers, 74 enlisted (1945); 3 officers, 2 warrants, 42 enlisted (1962)
Historical Deployments
Great Lakes '43-'44 San Pedro, CA '44-'45 Juneau, AK '45-'46 San Francisco, CA '46 Hawaii, HI '46-'47 San Francisco, CA '47-'49 San Juan, PR '49-'53 Miami Beach, FL '53-'62 Detroit, MI '62-'74 Port Huron, MN '74-2003
Bramble: A thorny plant of the genus rubus in the rose family.
Brambles include blackberries, loganberries and other closely related plants.
Following World War II, the Bramble participated in “Operation Crossroads,” the first test of an atomic bomb’s effect on surface ships, at Bikini Island.
In 1957, along with the cutters "Spar" and "Storis", she headed for the Northwest Passage, traveling through the Bering Straits and Arctic Ocean.
These three surface vessels were the first to circumnavigate the North American Continent, an ambition mariners have had for more than 400 years.
News
From the Friends of the Bramble
2026 UPDATE
As you are aware, there are still limited updates available for the USCGC BRAMBLE, and the updates to the website are not a regular occurrence. A look at the Google Maps website today shows the vessel remains at the MARS facility in Houma, LA. However, when compared to the previous Google Maps image dated 2023…
USCGC Bramble – Update
The USCGC Bramble may still be afloat in Houma, LA
USCGC Bramble – Update
We apologize for the lack of updates regarding the USCGC Bramble over the last 18 months or so. As you can imagine some personal, local, as well as global, issues have prevented getting around to posting information on this site. For those unaware, the Bramble was sold on December 4th, 2019, by court order, to…
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Get in touch
Location
Houma, LA
Contact Us
Phone :
Email : info@uscgc-bramble.com