The USCGC Blackthorn was a buoy tender based out of Galveston, Texas, in the late 70’s. Her main job was the management and maintenance of directional devices (signs, beacons, & buoys) along the Galveston Bay and Houston Ship Channel. This kind of job is not really one we think of when it comes to heroic service, and yet it is extremely vital to the safety of our waterways. Without such maintenance, vessels would be in danger of running aground, colliding with one another, or heading in the wrong direction.

The Cutter Blackthorn may not have been the most beautiful, but her job was indeed necessary. She had been born during the fires of World War II, christened in 1943. She had worked all over the United States, from breaking ice on the Great Lakes to cruising along the coast of Southern California. She then found herself in Galveston, Texas, before needing to head to drydock in Tampa, Florida, in 1979. This is where her story turns from the mundane to the tragic.

On the night of 28 January 1980, the Blackthorn was outward bound from Tampa Bay on her way home to Galveston after completing her overhaul at drydock. Meanwhile, the tanker Capricorn was traveling into the bay. The Blackthorn’s captain had departed the ship’s bridge to investigate a problem with the newly installed propulsion shaft. A newly appointed Ensign was at the controls. Capricorn began to turn left, but this course would not allow Capricorn and Blackthorn to pass port-to-port, as the rules of navigation generally required. Capricorn’s pilot blew two short whistle blasts to have the ships pass starboard-to-starboard. With the Blackthorn’s officer of the deck (the Ensign) confused in regard to the standard operating procedure and rules of navigation, Blackthorn’s captain (who had returned to the bridge) issued orders for evasive action.

Despite the Blackthorn’s evasive action, a collision occurred. Damage to the Blackthorn from the initial impact was not extensive. However, Capricorn’s anchor was ready to be let go. The anchor became embedded in the Blackthorn’s hull and ripped open the port side above the water line. Then, as the two ships backed away from each other, the chain became taut. The force of the much larger ship pulling on it caused Blackthorn to tip on her side until she suddenly capsized. Six off-duty personnel who had mustered when they heard the collision alarm were trapped inside the ship. Several crew members who had just reported aboard tried to escape and, in the process, trapped themselves in the engine room. Although 27 crewmen survived the collision, 23 perished. It became the single greatest loss of life for the U.S. Coast Guard during peacetime.

During the disaster, one Seaman Apprentice William “Billy” Flores rose to the occasion. SA Flores, who had been out of boot camp just one year, opened the life jacket locker as Blackthorn capsized, securing its hatch open with his belt, and made sure that his shipmates were able to access and use the life jackets. His actions saved a number of lives during the accident at the cost of his own. In October 2010, it was announced that the third new Sentinel-class fast response cutter, a 154-foot patrol boat, would be named for Flores.

This past Wednesday, I had the honor of delivering the invocation and benediction at the annual Blackthorn Memorial Service at the USCG Station in Galveston, Texas. Each year, the crew of the Cutter Claiborne (another buoy tender station at the base) reads the names of the crew members lost on that fateful day. I was also fortunate to speak with several survivors of the accident and hear their stories and reminiscences.

It makes one think about how one would respond in the face of such calamity. How would we react or act in such moments of terror? For the men of the Blackthorn, it became about saving themselves and their shipmates. It reminds me of a verse from the Gospel of John, “Greater love hath no man than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

As I returned home from the ceremony, I hugged my kids just a little tighter and gave thanks to God for the life the Lord has given me. May we take moments of peace and be grateful for them, never losing sight of the blessings Christ has bestowed. But also, when the warning alarm does sound, when the trials of life do come, may we also have the strength to not only serve ourselves, but to also take care of those around us.

This is the legacy of the Blackthorn.

“Eternal Father, creator and ruler of the waves, we beseech your presence among us at this solemn ceremony, where we remember our shipmates who have gone on to stiller waters. Lord, we recognize the duty and task before all those who take to the sea in ships, and we humbly accept the risks for those who stand guard over the lives of mariners. We are prepared to heed the call of those in distress, but we also know that same challenge may come from one of our own. May we be ready to meet that occasion as our fellow shipmates did aboard the Blackthorn. May their efforts to save the lives of their brethren never be forgotten. May we always stand as living testaments to such stalwart bravery, and continue to care for the widow, the orphan, and the grieving of those who lost their lives on that fateful day. May our honors here today do justice to the legacy of the lost, the memories of the living, and the continuing legacy of those who stand in uniform among us, ready to answer the call of distress. We beseech thee, oh heavenly Father, to be present with us now. Amen.”

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Pastor Mike McVey
Minister – First United Methodist Church, Fairfield, TX
ACS Chaplain – United States Coast Guard, Station Galveston, TX
Cell: 919-935-2513
Email: pastormike@fumcfairfield.org

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

“Semper Paratus” – Always Ready