page_title: Wind-class icebreaker
section_title: USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282)
hierarchical_section_title: Wind-class icebreaker / Ships in class / USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282)
caption_attribution_description: The U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC NORTHWIND (WAGB-282)in Arctic ice pack ca. 1960's.
context_page_description: The Wind-class icebreakers were a line of diesel electric-powered icebreakers in service with the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Coast Guard and Soviet Navy from 1944 through the late 1970s. They were very effective ships: all except Eastwind served at least thirty years, and Northwind served in the USCG continuously for forty-four years. Considered the most technologically advanced icebreakers in the world when first built, the Wind-class icebreakers were also heavily armed; the first operator of the class was the United States Coast Guard, which used the vessels for much-needed coastal patrol off Greenland during World War II. Three of the vessels of the class, Westwind, Southwind, and the first Northwind all went on to serve temporarily for the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program, while two others were built for the United States Navy and another was built for the Royal Canadian Navy; all eight vessels were eventually transferred to the United States Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard.
  The Wind-class ships were the first class of true icebreakers built by the United States.
context_section_description: Builders:  United States (Western Pipe and Steel Company (WPS) in San Pedro, California).
  Laid down: 20 July 1944.
  Launched: 25 February 1945 (List).
  Operator:  United States Coast Guard.
  Commissioned: 28 July 1945 (List).
  Status: Decommissioned 20 January 1989 and scrapped.
  Modifications:
  Operations:
  This was the second icebreaker commissioned Northwind. The first Northwind was transferred to the USSR under Lend-Lease and became Staten Island upon her return to the United States. The name change was made to avoid confusion with the other icebreaker.
caption: USCGC Northwind
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