USCGC Cape Upright

History
United States
Name	USCGC Cape Upright (WPB-95303)
Owner	United States Coast Guard
Operator	United States Coast Guard
Builder	Coast Guard Yard
Commissioned	2 July 1953
Decommissioned	6 January 1989
Home port	1953 – 60: Norfolk, Virginia 1961 – 69: Southport, North Carolina 1970 – 73: Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina 1976 – 77: Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Maryland 1978 – 89: Savannah, Georgia
Nickname(s)	"Cape Up All Night" "Cape Uptight" "Cape Downright"
Fate	Transferred to Bahamas, 10 June 1989
The Bahamas
Name	HMBS David Tucker (P07)
Owner	Royal Bahamas Defence Force
Operator	Royal Bahamas Defence Force
Acquired	10 June 1989
Decommissioned	1996
Fate	Sunk in 1997 as an artificial reef
General characteristics
Class & type	Cape class
Displacement	102 long tons (104 t)
Length	90 ft (27 m) waterline 95 ft (29 m) overall
Beam	20 ft (6.1 m) max
Draft	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Propulsion	4 Cummins VT-600 diesels 2 Detroit 16V149 diesels (renovated)
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h) 24 knots (44 km/h) (renovated)
Range	1,418 nautical miles (2,626 km; 1,632 mi)
Complement	15
Armament	2 mousetraps 2 depth charge racks 2 20 mm (twin) 2 .50-caliber machine guns 2 12.7 mm machine guns 2 40 mm Mk 64 grenade launchers

USCGC Cape Upright was United States Coast Guard steel-hulled patrol boat of the 95-Foot or Cape class.

Service

• 1953: From here stationed at Norfolk, Virginia, to 1960 and was used for law enforcement (LE) and Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.
• 1961: From here to 1969, stationed at Southport, North Carolina where she was again used for LE and participated in many SAR operations. Cape Upright participated in the recovery of a U.S. Navy seaman's body whose helicopter crashed off Frying Pan Shoals Light Tower in January 1967. Three crew members were recovered alive and another went down with the helicopter
• 29 April 1969, medevaced a crewman from FV Thalia.
• 28 July 1969: towed the disabled schooner Chauve Souris 19 miles west of Frying Pan Light Tower to Southport, NC.
• 24 December 1969: towed the disabled FV Dream One 45 miles east of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
• 1970: From here to 1973, was stationed at Wrightsville Beach, NC, being used again for LE and SAR operations.
• 31 July 1970, towed the disabled sailboat Pandora 35 miles southeast of Cape Fear to Wrightsville Beach.
• 1974: From here to 1976, was held for transfer to Lebanon under the Military Assistance Program.
• 1976-1977: underwent major renovation at the Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Maryland.
• 1978 to 1989: was stationed at Savannah, Georgia, and was used for LE and SAR operations.
• 10 September 1982: helped seize MV Mont Boron, which was suspected of drug smuggling off Florida.
• 28 November 1982: seized the Cayman Island vessel Largo Izabel carrying 30 tons of marijuana after stopping her with gunfire.
• 18 November 1986: seized a speedboat in the Straits of Florida with marijuana on board.
• 21 November 1986: seized MV Don Yeyo 120 miles east of Miami, Florida, carrying 12 tons of marijuana.

Transfer

Cape Upright was transferred to The Bahamas 10 June 1989 and renamed David Tucker (P07).

Decommissioning

David Tucker (P07) was decommissioned in 1996 and donated to be sunk as an artificial reef in 1997 as part of Nassau's artificial reef program. A popular dive spot; it is located along an area known as Clifton Wall.

References