USS Burton Island (AGB-1) Class

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USS Edisto (AGB-2) circa the early 1960s
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Class:        BURTON ISLAND (AGB-1)
Design:        USCG AG (Icebreaker)
Displacement (tons):        3,575 light, 5,425 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        269.0' oa, 250.0' wl x 63.5' e x 25.75 lim.
Original Armament:        1-5"/38 2-40mmT 2-20mmT
Later armaments:        1-5"/38 2-40mmT (1959: both);
1-5"/38 (1963-66: both); none (1966: AGB-1)
Complement:        --
Speed (kts.):        16
Propulsion (HP):        13,300
Machinery:        Diesel, 2 screws aft, 1 fwd.

Construction:

AGB	Name	Ord.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
1	BURTON ISLAND	6 Jan 45	Western Pipe, San Pedro	15 Mar 45	30 Apr 46	28 Dec 46
2	EDISTO	6 Jan 45	Western Pipe, San Pedro	15 May 45	29 May 46	20 Mar 47

Disposition:

AGB	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
1	BURTON ISLAND	15 Dec 66	1 Jan 67	15 Dec 66	USCG	--
2	EDISTO	20 Oct 65	1 Nov 65	20 Oct 65	USCG	--

Class Notes:
FY 1944. These were the last of seven ships of this type, all built by Western Pipe at San Pedro, Calif. The first four, NORTHWIND, EASTWIND, SOUTHWIND, and WESTWIND (CR 96-99), were completed in 1944 for the Coast Guard. In September 1943 the U.S. agreed to transfer the first of these to the Soviet Union under Lend Lease, and a second NORTHWIND (CR-184) was soon ordered for the Coast Guard. In late 1944 SOUTHWIND, and WESTWIND were also assigned to the Soviet Union, and on 1 Dec 44 CNO directed construction of two Navy units to replace them. They would be manned by the Coast Guard personnel then on SOUTHWIND and WESTWIND. On 16 Dec 44 the Auxiliary Vessels Board concurred with these arrangements. The Navy ships were initially to be exact copies of the Coast Guard vessels, with an armament of two 5"/38 twin mounts and 3-40mm quads, but after the war they were reconfigured with one single 5"/38 mount forward and a helicopter deck aft. The Navy icebreakers were classified AG until the type symbol AGB was created for them in 1949. The Soviets returned their three ships in 1950-51, and the first NORTHWIND became STATEN ISLAND (AGB-5), SOUTHWIND became ATKA (AGB-3), and WESTWIND was briefly designated AGB-6 before reverting to the Coast Guard. (These three ships will be described in the post-World War II section of this work.) In 1965-1966 the Navy turned over all five of its icebreakers, including one, GLACIER (AGB-4) built after the war, to the Coast Guard for further operation.

Ship Notes:

AGB	Name	Notes
1	BURTON ISLAND	Ex AG-88 28 Jan 49. To USCG as BURTON ISLAND (WAGB-283, in commission 15 Dec 66-9 May 78). Sold 7 Oct 80.
2	EDISTO	Ex AG-89 28 Jan 49. To USCG as EDISTO (WAGB-284, in commission 20 Oct 65-15 Nov 74).