USCGC Sangamon

USCGC Sangamon'', orCGCSangamon'', is a 65-foot Ouachita-class river buoy tender. It serves to maintain maritime navigational aids (ATON) and provides search-and-rescue support (SAR). It operates along the Illinois River, between Grafton, Illinois (mile marker 0) and Joliet, Illinois (mile marker 291.1). The vessel has been stationed in East Peoria, Illinois since 2005 and is under Sector Upper Mississippi River. The vessel is named for the Sangamon River in Illinois.

Design

Built by Gibbs Gas Engine Co. in Jacksonville, Florida and launched in 1962, the vessel has a length of , a beam of , and a shallow draft. It is powered by two diesel engines, generating roughly for a top speed of roughly . The ship has a nearly operational range. It is crewed by 12 to 19 crew members, depending on mission type. The ships shallow draft allows it to operate in multiple types of river conditions, including shallow areas that would otherwise be unreachable. The vessel pushes a ATON barge, which houses all necessary equipment and tools, including a crane, needed for maintaining navigation buoys. Its hull is strengthened to maintain safety in icy conditions.

Duties

Sangamon is responsible for regularly replacing, inspecting, repairing, and reposition buoys and river markers. During high-water seasons, the crew readily inspects and replaces damaged buoys, often times under serious conditions. In 2016, the Illinois River experienced torrential floods and dangerously high-water levels. The Sangamon was deployed to quickly re-establish navigation aids that had been ripped from their anchors by the floods, operating in dangerous currents and debris-filled waterways. During ice seasons, the vessel serves as a shallow draft monitor, breaking and shifting river ice to protect life and property. Crews regularly rotate seasonally, with regular training for all potential crew. The vessel also participates in local river safety events, assisting in public outreach and river traffic guidance for all ages.