Dahlia, 1933

Dec. 15, 2020
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Dahlia, 1933

WAGL-288


Dahlia: a plant of the genus Dahlia, indigenous to Mexico and Central America, with tuberous roots and usually large, variously colored flowers.


Builder: Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan

Length: 81' 2"

Beam: 21'

Draft: 9'

Displacement: 160 tons

Cost: $66,566

Commissioned: August, 1933

Decommissioned: 9 October 1964

Disposition: Sold

Machinery: 1 Winton diesel; 235 BHP; single propeller

Performance & Endurance:

        Max: 10.0 knots
        Cruising: 7.1 knots; 1,027 mile range

Deck Gear: 5.0 ton capacity boom; electric winch

Complement: 10

Armament: None


Tender History:

The United States Lighthouse Tender Dahlia was commissioned in August, 1933 and assigned to the 11th Lighthouse District out of Detroit, Michigan.  She served out of Detroit for her entire career, servicing aids to navigation on the Detroit River and the St. Clair River.

After World War II she was re-engined with a GM diesel.  On 20 April 1956 she assisted the vessels A. M. Byers and the E. M. Ford following their collision in St. Clair River Channel.  On 5 October 1962 she assisted the vessels Richard V. Lindaberry and Hutchcliff Hall following their collision in the lower St. Clair River.

Dahlia was decommissioned on 9 October 1964 and was sold on 20 May 1965 to the government of Surinam, along with the tender Cherry.


Sources:

Douglas Peterson.  United States Lighthouse Service Tenders, 1840-1939. Annapolis: Eastwind Publishing, 2000.

Robert Scheina.  U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft of World War II. Annapolis: Eastwind Publishing, 1982.

Robert Scheina.  U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft, 1946-1990. Annapolis: Eastwind Publishing, 1990.