USCGC Tallapoosa (WPG-52) - World War Two

World War Two

Tallapoosa remained in the 6th Naval District throughout World War II where she engaged in convoy and anti-submarine work. Between 30 May and 22 June 1942, she searched small areas where submarines had been sighted, but with negative results. On 4–5 November 1942 she was searching for reported submarine and during the next two days was escorting a British steamer en route to Lookout Bight. On 9 November she resumed her search for the submarine in the vicinity of Sapelo Island Buoy. On 11 November and 14 November she escorted another British vessel to Lookout Bight.

Standing out from Charleston, South Carolina on 23 November 1942, she searched in the areas southeast of Charleston Whistle Buoy 2-C for about 15 miles, continuing her search next day before returning to Charleston. At 1800 the same day she stood out again to search 10 wiles northeast of the wreck of the lighted bell buoy en route to Southport, North Carolina. On the 25th she rendezvoused off Southport, NC entrance buoy with Cornelius Barnett and escorted her to Lookout Bight, then she returned to Southport, NC. On the 26th she patrolled off Frying Pan Shoals and the next day escorted Henry Bacon from Southport to Lookout Bight.

On 10 December 1942, while on convoy duty, Tallapoosa made an apparent sound contact and dropped 11 MK VI depth charges and a marker buoy. The charges raised a quantity of oil, but it was decided that the target was a wreck and the cutter continued on convoy duty. On the 12th, while still on convoy duty, a Civil Air Patrol plane dropped two smoke bombs in close proximity to the convoy. The cutter was unable to establish communications with the plane which departed immediately, and so she proceeded with the convoy.

On 19 December 1942 what appeared to be a submarine was heard on the cutter's sonar equipment, estimated three or four miles from the cutter. Tallapoosa notified the 4th Naval District but the submarine was not heard or seen again. Tallapoosa began a grid search westward from a position 30 miles due east of the reported sub position at 0900 that day with negative results. At 0140 on the 20th, a dispatch was received reporting a sub sighted three or four miles distant on bearing 015° from Savannah Lightship No. 94 and the cutter again carried out a grid search with negative result.

From 4 January 1943, the principal activity of Tallapoosa was as an observing vessel for tests in connection with shore blackouts. Attached to the Southern Ship Lane Patrol she operated from 4 January to 15 January 1943, from the section base at Mayport, Florida under direction of the Base Commander and LCDR Fintel, USNR, attached to the Eastern Sea Frontier. The cutter made nightly trips to a position south at St. John's light vessel, sometimes accompanied by USS Umpqua, who acted as target vessel. The US Army Corps of Engineers made various arrangements of shore lighting in the vicinity of Jacksonville Beach. These lights varied in intensity and were measured on board the cutter from seaward by civilian experts using photometers to determine the amount of light constituting a hazard to a merchant vessel passing between a submarine and a shore light. On one occasion the visibility of various navigational aids was tested.

Proceeding to Jacksonville after three tests, the cutter underwent repairs until 28 February 1943, when she returned to her duties on the Southern Ship Lane Patrol. She remained in the 6th Naval District until the fall of 1945, when she was sent to Curtis Bay, Maryland for decommissioning.