USCGC Bristol Bay

USCGC Bristol Bay (WTGB-102) is the second vessel of the Bay-class tugboats built in 1978 and operated by the United States Coast Guard. The ship was named after the body of water formed by the Alaskan peninsula, which emptied into the Bering Sea.

Design
The 140-foot Bay-class tugboats are operated primarily for domestic ice breaking duties. They are named after American bays and are stationed mainly in the northeast United States and the Great Lakes.

WTGBs use a low pressure air hull lubrication or bubbler system that forces air and water between the hull and ice. This system improves icebreaking capabilities by reducing resistance against the hull, reducing horsepower requirements.

Construction and career
Bristol Bay was built by the Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., in Tacoma, Washington in 1978. She was commissioned in Detroit, 1979.

In August 1991, Bristol Bay became the first Bay-class tugboat to receive a barge specially designed to perform aids to navigation work. The 120 ft barge works with the ship to service more than 160 aids to navigation each year.

USCGC Hollyhock (WLB-214) and Bristol Bay were deployed for ice breaking at the St. Clair River, on 25 February 2019.

On 3 February 2021, Bristol Bay and CCGS Griffon were both dispatched to break up ice at the St. Clair River. On 25 January 2022, Bristol Bay and CCGS Samuel Risley freed the lake freighter Assiniboione after the freighter was stuck in ice on the St. Clair River.

Awards

 * Coast Guard Unit Commendation
 * Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation
 * Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation
 * Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation
 * National Defense Service Medal
 * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
 * Humanitarian Service Medal
 * Transportation 9-11 Ribbon
 * Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon
 * Coast Guard Sea Service Medal