The US Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn was a 180 foot buoy tender, launched in 1948 in Duluth, Minnesota. The ship first served as an icebreaker in the Great Lakes before being transferred to San Pedro, California, and then Galveston, Texas. The Blackthorn was involved in many search, rescue, and salvage operations during her first 30 years of service.
In October of 1979 the vessel was sent to Tampa for repairs and upgrades. On the evening of January 28, 1980 she began her voyage back to it base in Galveston. It was a nice evening, with calm seas and clear weather. The Captain of the Blackthorn, Lt. Cmdr. George Sepel gave the conn to his chief mate Lt. David Crawford, and then to Ensign John Ryan.
The SS Capricorn was inbound for Tampa Bay at the same time the Blackthorn was outbound. The Capricorn was being guided by Harry Eugene Knight, an experienced pilot who knew the channels of Tampa Bay very well.
At 8:21 pm, January 28, 1980, the Blackthorn collided nearly head-on with the oil freighter SS Capricorn. Initial damage did not put either ship in danger of sinking, but the port anchor of the Capricorn embedded into Blackthorn. When the anchor chain pulled taut, it ripped a gaping hole in the Blackthorn, and it soon capsized and sunk, taking 23 Coast Guardsmen to their deaths.
The site of the Blackthorn tragedy is located at virtually the exact same location where the Summit Venture rammed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, bringing down the center span and killing 35 motorists.
Photos
Credits
Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is produced, hosted, and edited by Rich Napolitano.
Original theme music is by Sean Sigfried and you can follow him on YouTube @seansecret, or visit his web site at https://sean.sigfried.se/.
Thank you to the Communications Director for the Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Coast Guard, Crystalynne Kneen for the audio of the Blackthorn memorial ceremony at the top of this episode.
Sources
- https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/USCGC_Blackthorn_(WLB-391)
- https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/blackthorn.pdf
- https://stpetecatalyst.com/vintage-st-pete-the-blackthorn-tragedy/
- https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/1980-jan-28-collision-tanker-capricorn-uscgc-blackthorn-sinks-tampa-bay-fl-23/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20080924124910/http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Blackthorn1944.asp
- https://www.facebook.com/531374546931771/posts/uscg-historyon-this-day-january-28-1980-cgc-blackthorn-sank-in-tampa-bay-after-c/927507400651815/
- Marine Accident Report, NTSB-MAR-80-14 National Transportation Safety Board Summaries, M-99-23.
- Nunez, Judy K. 28 January 1980, Blackthorn and Capricorn: Collision with History in Tampa Bay
- https://media.defense.gov/2018/Jun/04/2001926363/-1/-1/0/FLORES.PDF
- https://media.defense.gov/2020/Feb/28/2002256602/-1/-1/0/USCG-MEMORIALS.PDF
- https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1853915/seaman-apprentice-william-r-flores/
- https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2005/01/29/the-blackthorn-tragedy-so-that-their-memory-never-fades/
- https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/1980-jan-28-collision-tanker-capricorn-uscgc-blackthorn-sinks-tampa-bay-fl-23/
Нighly energetic bⅼoց, I liҝed that a lot. Will
there be a part 2?
Thank you for listening! The Blackthorn episode will not have a part 2, as I discussed that to its conclusion.