page_title: USCGC Modoc
hierarchical_section_title: USCGC Modoc
caption_attribution_description: USCGC Modoc (WPG-46)
context_page_description: USCGC Modoc was a 240-foot Tampa-class United States Coast Guard cutter designed for multi-mission roles. She had a top speed of sixteen knots, and was armed with a pair of 5-inch deck guns. With the breakout of war she was armed with depth charges, additional guns, sonar, and radar and transferred to the Navy. Modoc, along with her sister ships Mojave and Tampa joined the Greenland Patrol.
  The ship is most remembered for her role in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. According to British intelligence chief William Stephenson's biography, A Man Called Intrepid, Modoc was rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoys in the Bay of Biscay when she came into visual contact with Bismarck which hitherto had been lost to pursuing British forces. Based upon her position, a U.S. piloted PBY patrol bomber went on to locate Bismarck in time for HMS Ark Royal to launch the air attacks that ultimately disabled her and enabled the British fleet to catch up and sink her. Modoc ended up in the middle of the battle. Anti-aircraft fire from Bismarck came close to hitting the ship.
context_section_description: USCGC Modoc (WPG-46) was a 240-foot Tampa-class United States Coast Guard cutter designed for multi-mission roles. She had a top speed of sixteen knots, and was armed with a pair of 5-inch deck guns. With the breakout of war she was armed with depth charges, additional guns, sonar, and radar and transferred to the Navy. Modoc, along with her sister ships Mojave and Tampa joined the Greenland Patrol.
  The ship is most remembered for her role in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. According to British intelligence chief William Stephenson's biography, A Man Called Intrepid, Modoc was rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoys in the Bay of Biscay when she came into visual contact with Bismarck which hitherto had been lost to pursuing British forces. Based upon her position, a U.S. piloted PBY patrol bomber went on to locate Bismarck in time for HMS Ark Royal to launch the air attacks that ultimately disabled her and enabled the British fleet to catch up and sink her. Modoc ended up in the middle of the battle. Anti-aircraft fire from Bismarck came close to hitting the ship. In addition, HMS Norfolk was about to fire on the cutter when HMS Prince of Wales identified her as US Coast Guard. Despite all of the hectic action around the ship, she survived the encounter and the war.
  Modoc was returned to the Treasury Department in December 1945, and served as a patrol cutter until decommissioning in 1947. She was sold to a private owner and was converted to a merchant ship steaming Central and South American waters. After changing hands several times, Modoc was finally scrapped in 1964.
caption: USCGC Modoc (WPG-46)
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