AH-WR-0369

USCGC Bibb

Cutter · United States · Lost 1987 · The Florida Keys

A WWII Coast Guard cutter that escorted Atlantic convoys, later deliberately sunk off Key Largo as an artificial reef.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

USCGC Bibb was a Treasury-class Coast Guard cutter built in 1937 that served on Atlantic convoy escort duty during the Second World War. After a long career, she was decommissioned and, on 16 November 1987, deliberately sunk off Key Largo to create an artificial reef. The wreck sits upright and largely intact. It is now a popular dive site within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Vessel

Built: 1937
Registry: WHEC-31
Builder: Charleston Navy Yard
Yard: Charleston, South Carolina
Material: Steel
Length: 327 ft
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Steam turbo-electric, twin screw
Owners: United States Coast Guard

Loss

Date: November 16, 1987
Cause: Intentional sinking
Location: Off Key Largo, Florida
Water: Atlantic Ocean
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: 130 ft
Condition: Intact, upright, prepared for diving
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Managed as an artificial reef within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Position

Coordinates: 25.05° N 80.32° W
Accuracy: Approximate position
Nearest: Key Largo, Florida
Region: The Florida Keys

Evidence

Overall confidence: Well documented (90/100)

U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
Service history and sinking date
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Reef site details