USC&GS Explorer (OSS 28) Ship Characteristics and History

The USC&GS Explorer (OSS 28) is a ship with a rich history. It was originally built as a United States Navy ship, specifically a patrol boat.

The Explorer was commissioned on May 10, 1942. It served the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, later known as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This ship was 77 feet long and 17 feet wide. Its draft was 5 feet and it had a gross tonnage of 95 tons.

The USC&GS Explorer (OSS 28) was built with great care, as evidenced by its construction by the skilled team at W. C. Nickum Sons in Seattle, Washington.

Commissioned in the spring of 1940, the Explorer was a significant addition to the Coast and Geodetic Survey fleet.

Commander A. M. Soberalski was the mastermind behind the Explorer's construction and its first commanding officer, overseeing the entire process from start to finish.

The Explorer's construction was a major undertaking that required precise planning and execution, and it's impressive to think about the resources and expertise that went into building this remarkable ship.

Launched on October 14, 1939, the Explorer was delivered to the Coast and Geodetic Survey on March 9, 1940, marking the culmination of a long and complex process.

The Explorer's construction was a significant achievement, and it's a testament to the skill and dedication of the team that built it.

The USC&GS Explorer was designed to be virtually fireproof and collision-proof, with 99.5 percent of her materials being fireproof.

Her hull plating and internal subdivision was almost twice that required for a ship of her class, greatly reducing her vulnerability to flooding in the event of a collision.

She had eight transverse bulkheads extending up to the main deck, dividing her into nine watertight compartments, and was designed to withstand the flooding of two of the compartments without sinking.

The Explorer had a double bottom and a 0.5-inch steel belt plate along her sides that extended six feet above and below the waterline to protect her hull from penetration by ice or rocks.

She was equipped with a hospital, machine shop, electrical shop, carpenter shop, laundry, and marine garage, making her a self-sufficient vessel.

Her deck machinery and major auxiliary equipment were driven by high-pressure steam to avoid electrical interference with her sensitive hydrographic surveying equipment.

The Explorer had two 1,500-U.S.-gallon tanks for gasoline and diesel oil to fuel her fleet of 16 boats, including four heavy launches and two whaleboats.

Explorer was commissioned on December 29, 1904, and began her service with the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.

She was weatherbound at Wilmington until March 9, 1905, before departing for Puerto Rico, where she began magnetic observations.

Explorer spent the winter of 1940-1941 surveying the Strait of Juan de Fuca-San Juan Islands area of Washington.

In 1942, she returned to the Aleutians for the field season, extending triangulation work as far as the eastern end of Atka Island and hydrographic surveys as far as Seguam Island.

Explorer fought off an attacking Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft during the fighting in the Aleutians in 1942-1943.

After the war, she spent the 1946 field season in the Aleutians, cooperating with other ships to extend an arc of triangulation from Kiska to Attu.

Explorer transferred to the East Coast in 1960 and spent the remainder of her career focusing on oceanographic research.

She participated in the EQUALANT I and EQUALANT II subprojects of the ICITA project in 1963, a major international cooperative oceanographic/meteorological project.

Explorer was retired by the Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1968 after a long and distinguished service.

The USC&GS Explorer was commissioned on December 29, 1904, but was weatherbound at Wilmington until March 9, 1905.

She began her service by making magnetic observations at Norfolk, Virginia, and continued them during the remainder of the voyage to Puerto Rico. This was a crucial part of her mission, as she was tasked with updating United States Coast Pilot information.

The Explorer spent a significant amount of time in Puerto Rico, completing hydrographic surveys and updating the Coast Pilot. She also made magnetic observations during her voyage to Baltimore, Maryland, where she arrived on June 21, 1905.

In 1906, the Explorer conducted surveys in the northern waters of the United States, working from July to December. She then returned to Baltimore for repairs before embarking on a major transfer in operations.

The Explorer was transferred to the United States Navy on May 22, 1918, and was commissioned as USS Explorer on June 3, 1918. She was assigned to patrol the canneries and fishing grounds of the Territory of Alaska, including Prince William Sound.