INTERNATIONAL ICE PATROL, 1959 



Between 5 March and 17 July 1959, the International Ice Patrol 

 operated in the North Atlantic Ocean to serve the safety of ships travers- 

 ing the recognized shipping lanes in the vicinity of the Grand Banks of 

 Newfoundland. This marks the fortieth such occasion of this service which 

 has been conducted annually since 1913, except during wartime years, by 

 operating forces of the United States Coast Guard. The 1959 iceberg year 

 was a severe one. Approximately 693 bergs drifted southward of the 48th 

 parallel of Latitude during the year thus making it the 12th most active 

 in records dating back to 1900 and the second heaviest since 1945. 



Capt. Victor F. Tydlacka, L T SCG, was assigned as Commander, Inter- 

 national Ice Patrol. Facilities placed under Captain Tydlacka's command 

 for the conduct of the patrol were the U.S. Coast Guard Air Detachment, 

 Argentia, Newfoundland; U.S. Coast Guard Radio Station NIK, Argentia; 

 l'. S. Coast Guard Cutter Evergreen (oceanographic vessel) and the 

 patrol vessels USCGC Acushnet and L T SCGC Androscoggin. 



( )rders for the preparation and mission of the patrol were promulgated 

 on 13 January by Commander, First Coast Guard District, Boston, 

 Mass., to whom Commander, International Ice Patrol is responsible. 

 Headquarters of the patrol was moved to the U.S. Naval Station at 

 Argentia, Newfoundland, on 3 March and the patrol services were for- 

 mally inaugurated on 5 March when the first advisory broadcast to ship- 

 ping was made. The operations of the Ice Patrol this season are sum- 

 marized as follows: 



1. Headquarters of the patrol was located at Argentia, Newfound- 

 land, and all operations were directed from that point. 



2. Ice Patrol aircraft conducted 61 ice reconnaissance flights. 



3. Ice Patrol vessels maintained a constant guard of the southern 

 limits of ice between 20 April and 14 July. 



4. Ice reports were collected from ships, aircraft and other ice 

 observation agencies. 



5. Ice advisory bulletins were broadcast twice daily to shipping 

 and were telegraphed to other interested agencies. 



6. Special ice information and routing instructions were provided 

 to ships on request. 



7. Sea temperatures were collected from ships by radio for the 

 purpose of evaluating ice location, drift and deterioration. 



8. Plots were maintained of all known ships' positions in the Ice 

 Patrol area for the purpose of advising any ship standing into 

 danger. 



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