USCGC William Flores
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USCGC William Flores is a Sentinel-class cutter homeported in Coast Guard District 7, Miami, Florida.
Launch of William Flores
USCGC William Flores WPC 1103 Coat of Arms
USCGC Blackthorn
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USCGC Blackthorn was a 180-foot seagoing buoy tender of the United States Coast Guard that sank following a collision in Tampa Bay, resulting in 23 fatalities.
USCGC William Flores
…refugees had gone off course, and had entered Bahamas territory. She is named after seaman apprentice William Flores, who died during the sinking of USCGC Blackthorn in 1980. At the cost of his own life, Flores stayed aboard the capsizing cutter and used his belt to tie open a life jacket locker door. This action…
USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) underway in 1972
Blackthorn being raised in 1980
William Flores
Blackthorn circa 1945