Coast Guard ship will linger in century-old watery grave

SAN FRANCISCO — A hundred years ago in a blinding fog, a U.S. Coast Guard ship was sailing off the coast of Southern California when it crashed into a passenger steamship.

The USCGC Mcculloch sank within 35 minutes and lingered on the ocean floor undisturbed by people for a century.

On the 100th anniversary of the vessel’s June 13, 1917, disappearance, the Coast Guard announced Tuesday that it found the shipwreck — not far from where it went down. And officials plan to leave it there.

Strong currents and an abundance of sediment would make moving the delicate ship too difficult, officials said in detailing the discovery of the San Francisco-based USCGC Mcculloch. They also paid tribute to its crews, including two members who died in the line of duty, but not in the crash.

Coast Guard Rear Adm. Todd Sokalzuk called the ship “a symbol of hard work and sacrifice of previous generations to serve and protect our nation” and an important piece of history.

The ship sank shortly after hearing a foghorn nearby and then colliding with the SS Governor, a civilian steamship. The Mcculloch’s crew was safely rescued and taken aboard the steamship.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coast Guard discovered the wreck last fall during a routine survey.