Construction and Specifications
Conifer was the fifth "A" class WLB constructed. The procurement contract with Marine Iron and Shipbuilding was signed on 23 February 1942, for a cost of $854,003. The keel was laid on 6 July. Three months later, on 3 November, Conifer was launched at exactly 1200 hours.
Conifer's engineering plant consisted of two Cooper-Bessemer straight-8 cylinder, 4-cycle diesel engines. Because of their distinctive rumble, the Coopers were referred to as the "rock-crushers". Each diesel drove a Westinghouse DC generator. The DC electricity powered a single Westinghouse main-motor, which was coupled directly to the propeller shaft. The 5-bladed prop measured 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) in diameter. The cargo boom and hoist winches were electric powered. The boat davits were hand-cranked, while the falls were fair-led to the aft towing capstan.
Conifer was armed with a three-inch (76 mm) 50 caliber deck gun, four 20 millimeter 80 caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, and two racks of depth charges. Conifer was placed in Commission, Special Status, on 5 May 1943. Final outfitting and machinery tests were completed on 24 May. Conifer sailed across the Great Lakes and through the St. Lawrence Seaway en route to the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. The electronics package of HF radios, radar, and sonar was installed at the Yard. She sailed for shakedown training on 24 July 1943, with a full wartime complement of 6 officers and 74 crewmen. On 31 July Conifer arrived in Boston, her first homeport.
Read more about this topic: USCGC Conifer (WLB-301)
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