USS STATEN ISLAND (AGB-5)

• Icebreaker Origins: USS Staten Island (AGB-5) was an icebreaker built for the U.S. Navy, originally commissioned as Northwind for the U.S. Coast Guard but transferred before completion. • 1944 Launch: The ship was launched on March 31, 1943 by Western Pipe and Steel Company in San Pedro, California, and commissioned into the Navy on September 27, 1944. • Soviet Service: Before serving with the U.S. Navy, the vessel was transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease as Severni Polius ("North Pole") and returned to the U.S. in 1949. • Recommissioned for the U.S. Navy: After its return, it was recommissioned as USS Staten Island (AGB-5) and operated primarily in polar regions. • Arctic and Antarctic Operations: The ship supported Operation Deep Freeze and Operation Nanook, pioneering American exploration and resupply missions in the Arctic and Antarctic from the 1950s to the 1970s. • Scientific Support: Staten Island played a crucial role in supporting scientific research, including establishing weather stations and aiding in the International Geophysical Year (1957–1958). • Rescue Missions: The ship participated in notable rescues, such as freeing vessels caught in pack ice and assisting in emergency evacuations from remote polar outposts. • Decorations: The vessel received battle stars for its World War II service and earned several commendations for peacetime polar operations. • Decommissioning: After decades of service, USS Staten Island was decommissioned in 1974 and later sold for scrap in 1977, closing a remarkable chapter in naval icebreaking history. • Namesake Heritage: The ship was named after Staten Island, New York, reflecting the tradition of naming icebreakers after U.S. islands.