Picture
Air Snipe. Ketchikan, Alaska
Tongass Narrows is the channel that runs from Mud Bay in the northwest to Dairy in the south east and is the approach your cruise ship will use to arrive in Ketchikan.  There are great photo opportunities along the way as lumber yards, picturesque cabins and derelict boats dot the narrow waterway.

We were approaching from the north and as we neared town we passed by this very handsome motor vessel named "Air Snipe".  It looked for all the world like it could once have been a military vessel of some sort so once we arrived back home I did a little digging.  This vessel had her keel laid down in December 1942 as submarine chaser SC-1068.  In 1946 she was transferred to the US Coast Guard as USCGC Air Snipe and in 1948 was sold to Boyer Towing in Ketchikan, Alaska as a towing vessel. 

This is just one example of the interesting sights that can be seen during the run in to Ketchikan along the Tongass Narrows.
 


Comments

John E. Roark Jr
12/07/2011 10:09am

12/07/11 Mr. Dougall-

FYI….in WWII, my Dad was one of the Commanding Officers of U.S.S. SC-1068.

Lt (j.g.) John E. Roark, USN-R, was Commanding Officer of SC-1068 in Dec 1944.

I hold “sailing orders” dated 2 Dec 1944 for voyage from Saipan, Marianas Islands to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands.

This particular USN sailing order identifies the crew of nine (9) sailors, service numbers, ratings/rank, date of enlistment.

I would be most interested in contacting the current owner of this particular vessel in Ketchikan, AK.

I would be glad to provide you with a copy of this record.


Thank You (in Advance)
John E. Roark Jr

Burke, VA

Net: jer2@cox.net

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