Deathrider's take on the Leviathans-verse USCG

[Deathrider6]

  Okay this is a draft at this point and will be fluffed out as I get more data and inspiration Dates have been changed and things left vague to allow for refinement later with a community like this one that will happen real fast I'm sure. Feel free to provide constructive input.


    Founded in 1790 the Coast guard is responsible for the enforcement of maritime law within the territorial waters of the United States and possessions. Additional duties are search and rescue, the maintenance of aids to navigation and ensuring that all vessels of US and foreign registry that navigate US waters meet established guidelines for safety. Prior to 1905 the USCG was known as the revenue cutter service and only performed customs enforcement duties.
    That year Congress authorized the Revenue Cutter Service to absorb the Life Saving Service, the Lighthouse Service and the Bureau of Marine Inspection. This action while far ahead of it’s time would have dramatic impact. In the five years since the reformation of the service the ‘super agency’ has improved it’s ability to perform the tasks required. 
   In time of war the Coast Guard is considered part of the Navy and provides patrol and shore security functions.  During peacetime they operate as a branch of the Treasury Department. There is a large ‘wet’ division consisting of everything from light patrol craft to large buoy tenders.

    The first Leviathan incorporated in to the USCG is the Vigilant. This airship of the line is lightly armed but has high endurance and is the lead ship in a class of ten, all of which are now in service.
*Insert design and stats here*


  The Vigilant class is in use on both the east and west coasts of the United States and are considered to be “patrol gunboats” by the U.S. Navy. Vessels of all types are painted white with the GC insignia on the bow. Exceptions are tenders which are black hulled with a white superstructure. Leviathans are painted haze gray with white superstructure the CG Insignia is placed on the keel for visibility from below as well. (The stripe wraps around the hull. Will probably look real slick on a mini.)

All Coast Guard vessels use the 'USCG' prefix before thier name, leviathans are  denoted but the use of  'USCG(L)'.

[ColBosch]

When did orange become part of the USCG panoply?

[Deathrider6]

I guess it's supposed to be a red but I did notice that it really looks orange.

[ravehnhuhrxt]

According to wikipedia the color is CG Red aka International orange

International orange is a color used to set things apart from their surroundings, similar to safety orange, but deeper and with a more reddish hue. The color is related to scarlet.

Hex triplet    #FF4F00
RGBB    (r, g, b)    (255, 79, 0)

[Deathrider6]

  Thanks for the info. I think WT will be pleased to see a Light lev with an early version of the USCG "racing stripe"

[ravehnhuhrxt]

No problem.  It's interesting the minutia you find when you are creating userbars. (One of these days I need to look up what exactly Munsel orange is)

[ColBosch]

So it's both red and orange. Very neat!

As a former serviceman (Army, for the maybe three people who didn't know that), I'm always interested in learning more about the traditions of other services.

[Deathrider6]

Airships of the line.

The USCG has 10 Levs in service they are as follows: Vigialant (lead ship in class), Active,General Green,Massachusetts,Scammel,Argus,Virginia,Diligence,South Carolina, Eagle. Five of these are based on the eastern seaboard, four on the pacific coast and one in the great lakes. (Alaska and Hawaii are still territories at this point so they get standard 'wet' coverage and the Navy probably has at least a patrol group that covers both areas.)

[ravehnhuhrxt]

Maasachusetts

Shouldn't that be Massachusetts ?

[Deathrider6]

   As a soldier myself I feel it makes interaction with other servicemebers easier to know thier traditions and a bit of history helps too. I still get a kick out of the reaction from navy personel when I ask permission to come aboard. They appreciate the fact that I take the time to observe courtesies and customs of the Naval Service. The looks from the other people in my tour group at the time was amusing too. They appreciated it when the ship's PAO was summoned to give us a VIP tour when I toured the Linclon a few years back.

[Deathrider6]

Maasachusetts

Shouldn't that be Massachusetts ?

nice catch! Thanks again.

[Worktroll]

There are some words - like Mississississississississipi and bananana - which are easy to start spelling, but harder to stop sometimes

[Deathrider6]

There are some words - like Mississississississississipi and bananana - which are easy to start spelling, but harder to stop sometimes

Indeed and of course my fat fingers don't help either.

[Deathrider6]

Notable personalites.


  The Commandant of the Coast Guard is Captain Ross G. Worth. He is currently overseeing a service through a time of many changes. He assumed his post in 1905 and a bill is before the congress to allow the rank of Rear Admiral to be used as well as designate New London as the location of the Coast Guard academy.

[Deathrider6]

*Notes*

(Thanks to Worktroll for the ideas posted here.)


   The Vigilant Class Cutter is actually the size of a light cruiser. Instead of the heavy guns that a typical airship of this class rescue equipment, pumps and supplies and quarters for rescued sailors/airmen. Despite it's role as a rescue/patrol airship it is not designed to land on water. Usually Vigilants cover large partol areas and call in standard cutters/salvage vessels to tow in stricken merchantmen. Theories have been proposed regarding Vigilants towing ships in distress into port but no tests have been performed to prove/disprove said theories. These airships still carry guns but are 6inch and 3inch calibers with lighter weapons for anti-personnel work.