Winona was built by Western Pipe & Steel at San Pedro shipyard. Named after Winona Lake, Indiana, she was commissioned as a patrol gunboat with I.D.no. WPG-65 on 19 April 1946. The "W" signified Coast Guard Vessel. She was built for WW II service with the CG but the war ended before completion. The Winona was 254 ft. long, however, she was officially known as a 255 Owasco class cutter. She had one Westinghouse electric motor driven propeller shaft, powered by a generator turned by a high speed steam turbine. Full speed was 17 knots with 4000 shaft HP, and a range of 6,157 miles. Her armament consisted of one 5"/38 gun on her bow and two MK 32 ASW TT Hedgehogs. The Winona had a crew compliment of 10 officers, 3 warrants, and 130 enlisted men.
By direction of the District Office. I was to meet the Winona during the night of 19 April '65 at Seattle's Pier 91. The Winona had just returned from "Ocean Station November" and steamed down Puget Sound to off load ammunition and most of her fuel in preparation for entering the shipyard. I 'll never forget standing on the pier with my seabag in the dead of night when out of no where, a bright light lit up the pier near where I stood. The Winona gently nudged the pier and lowered the gangway. This big Seaman ran down, grabbed my seabag and said let's go and aboard I went. I was given a hearty welcome, coffee, and a "rack" to sleep in as we steamed up Puget Sound to Port Angeles, Wa. Winona's home port.
I saw the posting on W69 and thought it a marvelous example of of a great photo showing a ship at sea with a bone in her teeth who was she? Winona looks like she was a great unit! Good to hear the story of a fellow Cuttermen.
