USCGC Taney (WPG/WAGC/WHEC-37) is a United States Coast Guard High Endurance Cutter, notable as the last ship floating that fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor, although Taney was actually moored in nearby Honolulu Harbor not Pearl Harbor itself. She was named for Baltimorean Roger B. Taney (1777–1864), who was at various times: US Attorney General, Secretary of the Treasury and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
She is also one of two Treasury-class (out of seven total) Coast Guard Cutters still afloat. Serving her country for 50 years, the Taney saw action in both theaters of combat in World War II, serving as command ship at the Battle of Okinawa, and as part of fleet escort in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. She also served in the Vietnam War in Operation Market Time. Taney also patrolled the seas working in drug interdiction and fisheries protection and participated in the search for Amelia Earhart.
Characteristics:
Class: Treasury-Class Cutter
Motto: “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready)
Builder: Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA
Laid Down: 1 May 1935
Launched: 3 Jun 1936
Commissioned: 24 Oct 1936
Decommissioned: 7 Dec 1986
Length: 327’
Beam: 41’
Displacement: 2,252 Tons
Draft: 12.5‘
Crew: 12 Officers, 4 Warrant Officers, 107 Enlisted
Armament: (Varied over ship's life): 1 - 4 5” 51 Cal Guns, 2 6-Pounders, 1 1-Pounder, 4 3” 50 Cal Guns, 2 Depth Charg Racks, 1 “Y” Gun Depth Charge Projector, 1 40mm 60 Cal (twin mount), 2 20mm 80 Cal, 1 Hedgehog, 2 MK32 MOD3 Director, 4 MK44 Torpedoes, 2 50 Cal Browning MG, 2 MK13 High Altitude Parachute Flare Mortars.
Fate: Museum Ship
Awards: 3 Battle Stars for World War II, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, China Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbons, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation with Gallantry Cross with Palm, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Medal, Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
The message: "Air Raid, Pearl Harbor. This is no drill" came at 07:55 on December 7, 1941, as Japanese planes swept overhead in an attempt to cripple the Pacific Fleet. Taney, moored alongside Pier 6, Honolulu harbor, manned her anti-aircraft guns swiftly when word of the surprise attack reached her simultaneously. As no Japanese attacks were directed at Honolulu harbor, the Coast Guard cutter was only given the opportunity to fire at stray aircraft which happened to venture into her vicinity. She was firing upon unidentified aircraft as late as noon, indicating that the eager Coast Guardsmen were probably shooting at American planes—not Japanese. Coast Guardsmen from the Taney were ordered to take up defensive positions around Aloha Tower and protect it from being occupied.
During World War II, visual aircraft recognition training was an important skill. Aircraft had no electronic equipment for aircraft identification. Mission briefings would include graphical renderings of the type of aircraft that could be expected to be encountered during battle. Even downtime was used to teach these recognition skills, by placing aircraft silhouettes on playing cards. See how good you are at identifying some of the Japanese aircraft of World War II as they look by solving the puzzle below.
(Ace = 1, K through 10 = 0)
N 39 17. ZERO / DIVE BOMBER / KAWASAKI KAWA
W 076 36. NAKAJIMA PURSUIT / ZERO / MITSUBISHI RECON
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