USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391)

USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot Iris-class buoy tender commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1944. Throughout her service, Blackthorn was primarily tasked with maintaining navigational aids along the Gulf Coast and supporting various Coast Guard missions such as search and rescue and law enforcement. On January 28, 1980, Blackthorn was tragically lost in a collision with the tanker SS Capricorn near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, resulting in the deaths of 23 crew members—the worst peacetime disaster in Coast Guard history. The incident led to significant improvements in Coast Guard training, safety protocols, and navigational procedures.