The USCGC Acacia (WLB-406) is an Iris-class 180-foot seagoing buoy tender constructed by the Zenith Dredge Company in Duluth, Minnesota. Laid down on January 16, 1944, launched on April 7, 1944, and commissioned on September 1, 1944, she was the second-to-last of 39 vessels of her class. Her original cost was approximately $927,156. Built with a welded steel hull reinforced with steel I-beams, Acacia measures 180 feet in length, with a beam of 37 feet and a draft of 12 feet, displacing 935 tons initially, increasing to about 1,025 tons after modifications. Her hull features an "ice belt" of thicker steel for light ice-breaking, with a reinforced bow shaped to ride over and crush ice. Propelled by a diesel-electric system, she has a single 8.5-foot diameter five-blade propeller driven by twin Cooper-Bessemer GND-8 engines producing 600 horsepower each. Power is supplied to the propeller via two Westinghouse generators and an electric motor. Acacia is equipped with a cargo boom capable of lifting up to 20 tons and carries approximately 28,875 US gallons of fuel, enabling her to range up to 17,000 nautical miles at 8.3 knots. Her complement was initially six officers and 74 enlisted personnel, later reduced. Originally armed with a 3"/50 caliber gun and two 20mm guns, her armament was removed after World War II, with small arms retained for law enforcement. In 2006, she was equipped with M240B machine guns due to increased security concerns. Throughout her service, Acacia performed a variety of roles including aids to navigation maintenance, icebreaking, search and rescue, and environmental response along the Great Lakes. She was instrumental in freeing ships trapped in ice, rescuing crews, and assisting in oil spill containment. Notable events include aiding in the recovery after the sinking of USCGC Mesquite, participating in Caribbean patrols, and supporting Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti. Decommissioned on June 7, 2006, Acacia was transferred to the State of Illinois, eventually becoming a museum ship in Manistee, Michigan. She now serves as part of the SS City of Milwaukee National Historic Landmark museum, preserved for public education and historical appreciation.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.