USCGC Columbine (WAGL:WLI-208)

• USCGC Columbine (WAGL-208 / WLI-208) was a United States Coast Guard inland buoy tender, primarily tasked with maintaining aids to navigation on America's rivers. • The vessel was originally built in 1942 by the Zenith Dredge Company in Duluth, Minnesota, for the U.S. Army as FS-258, a freight and supply ship, before being transferred to the Coast Guard in 1947. • Upon transfer, the ship was renamed USCGC Columbine and designated WAGL-208, with "WAGL" standing for Auxiliary Vessel, Lighthouse Tender. • Columbine served primarily on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, operating out of St. Louis, Missouri, and was crucial in maintaining riverine navigation for commercial and military traffic. • The ship was equipped with a large crane and deck equipment to handle buoys and other navigation aids, essential for keeping the busy waterways safe for passage. • During her Coast Guard service, Columbine not only maintained aids to navigation but also participated in search and rescue operations, flood relief, and law enforcement patrols. • Columbine was part of a class of vessels that played a quiet but vital role in the logistics and safe operation of America's inland waterways, supporting both peacetime commerce and national defense. • In 1966, the vessel was redesignated as WLI-208, with the “WLI” standing for “Inland Buoy Tender,” reflecting her primary mission and area of operations. • The ship was decommissioned in 1972 after 25 years of Coast Guard service, marking the end of her role in maintaining navigation safety on the Mississippi River system. • After decommissioning, Columbine was sold and reportedly converted for civilian use, with her ultimate fate unknown—an ending typical for many workhorse ships of her era.