The Ship Report

USNS Mercy hospital ship heads downriver today

We have an interesting vessel alert for shipwatchers today: the US Navy hopital ship the USNS Mercy heads downriver and out to sea this morning from the shipyard at Swan Island, after four months of repairs and maintenance.

Show transcript: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript072924.pdf

Part 8 - CG41332 - more on Coast Guard training

In this final segment of my lengthy interview with author John Kopp about his book, CG41332, we talk more about USCG training.

The book, published in 2023, tells the story of a Coast Guard training tragedy that happened on the Columbia River Bar in 1977, and the changes that happened in the agency as result of the accident, which claimed three lives.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript072624.pdf

Part 7 - CG41332 - More on what changed after this tragedy

Today, in Part 7 of an extended interview series, we hear more from author John Kopp about this book, CG41332, all about a Coast Guard accident that happened on the Columbia River Bar in 1977, and how it changed Coast Guard operations.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript072524.pdf

Part 6: what changed in the USCG after CG41332?

Today is Part 6 of my interview with John Kopp, author of the book CG41332, all about a Coast Guard tragedy on the Columbia River Bar in 1977. Three student trainees lost their lives in an overturned utility boat. Today we'll learn about the extensive changes to Coast Guard protocol that occurred as a result of this tragic accident.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript072424.pdf

Part 5 - a close look at what happened aboard CG41332

Today we take a close look at the heart of this story: what happened aboard CG41332 in the harrowing time between when the boat flipped and when the boat was spotted by accident from the air by a fisheries agent, to the efforts to rescue the people on board.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript072324.pdf

CG41332, Part 4, how Kopp gathered the info he needed

We're hearing an extended interview series, a chat with author John Kopp about his book, released in 2023, called CG41332, all about a little known Coast Guard tragedy that happened on the Columbia River Bar in 1977, in which three student crewmen died.

Kopp did extensive analysis of offical accounts about the incident. In the process of gathering information, he learned a great deal about the agency's evolution, and the overwhemling job the Coast Guard is tasked with, under sometimes untenable circumstances.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript072224.pdf

CG41332: Part 3 - how the boat capsized

We're into Day 3 of my interview with John Kopp, about his book CG41332m, about a tragedy on the Columbia River Bar during Coast Guard training in which three students lost their lives.

Today Kopp reads from his book, a passage about the moment just before the boat flipped in the breakers near Clatsop Spit.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript071924.pdf

CG41332: Part 2 of the story of a Coast Guard tragedy

Today we continue hearing parts of an interview series featuring John Kopp. former USCG surfman, and author of a book about a little-known Coast Guard tragedy that happened on the Columbia River Bar in 1977. The book is titled CG41332, named for the boat involved in a horrendous accident in which three students lost their lives. It's a harrowing, meticulously researched account of how things can go horribly wrong, even for the Coast Guard, in challenging conditions in our local maritime backyard.

Today Kopp reads from his book to explain a bit about the USCG at Cape Disappointment and the bar, which is so dynamic and dangerous.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript071824.pdf

Part one of an interview with author John Kopp about a USCG tragedy

Today we begin an interview series featuring John Kopp. former USCG surfman, and author of a book about a little-known Coast Guard tragedy that happened on the Columbia River Bar in 1977. The book is titled CG41332, named for the boat involved in a horrendous accident in which three students lost their lives. It's a harrowing, meticulously researched account of how things can go horribly wrong, even for the Coast Guard, in challenging conditions in our local maritime backyard.

Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript071724.pdf

Who's on the river today, and a look at an upcoming interview series

Today we'll look at daily ship traffic and where it's headed, and also a heads up that I'll be taking some vacation time for the next week and a half. While I'm gone the show will air as usual and you'll be hearing an extended interview I did with author John Kopp about his 2023 book, CG41332, about a USCG tragedy that happened on the Columbia River Bar in 1975.

Ship Report radio shows and podcasts will continue to air as usual on KMUN, the Ship Report website (at shipreport.net), Facebook and on Apple and Spotify.

Ship schedules and marine weather reports will return in Monday, July 29. If you'd like to follow ship traffic during that time you can find some vessel information on the Columbia River Bar Pilots and Columbia River Pilot websites, and of course in real time on vesselfinder and marinetraffic.  You'll find local marine weather forecasts at: https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS56.KPQR.html