USCGC Healy (WAGB-20)

USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) is a United States Coast Guard research icebreaker commissioned in 1999. Within the Coast Guard, she is classified as a medium icebreaker.

Construction
Healy was constructed by Avondale Industries in New Orleans, Louisiana and named in honor of United States Revenue Cutter Service Captain Michael A. Healy. Her keel was laid on 16 September 1996. A spectacular launch followed on 15 November 1997, where 20 people were injured when a larger than expected wave of muddy water and debris created by the vessel's launch hit a viewing stand. Delivered to the US Coast Guard and placed "In Commission, Special" on 10 November 1999, Healy joined the icebreakers USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) and USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11) in their homeport of Seattle, Washington. The ship departed New Orleans on 26 January 2000, performing sea trials off of San Juan, Puerto Rico and in Baffin Bay between Canada and Greenland. She arrived in Seattle on 9 August 2000 after transiting the famed Northwest Passage and was placed "In Commission, Active" on 21 August 2000.

Capabilities
Designed to conduct a wide range of research activities, Healy provides more than 4200 sqft of scientific laboratory space, numerous electronic sensor systems, oceanographic winches, and accommodations for up to 50 scientists. Healy is also designed to break 4.5 ft of ice continuously at 3 kn and can operate in temperatures as low as −50 F. The science community provided input on lab layouts and science capabilities during design and construction of the ship.

As a coast guard cutter, Healy is also a platform for supporting other potential missions in the polar regions, including logistics, search and rescue, ship escort, environmental protection, and enforcement of laws and treaties.

Operations
In 2011, the ship was in the middle of a seven-month science cruise in the Arctic Ocean conducting scientific operations. Due to the other US icebreakers being either in repair (Polar Star) or in the process of being decommissioned (Polar Sea), Healy is the only active large icebreaker in the Coast Guard's fleet. The Commanding Officer (CO) is Captain John Reeves. Captain Reeves assumed command of HEALY in May, 2013. In January 2012, Healy escorted the Russian-flagged freighter Renda through the sea ice flows to deliver an emergency supply of fuel to Nome, Alaska. Such a winter delivery had never been attempted before because the ice floes are 1 to 5 feet thick during the winter season.

A group of researchers from the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory tested their "Submarine Team Behaviors Tool" with the Healy crew in September of 2013 as they evaluated technology for the recovery of "simulated oil trapped in or under ice at the polar ice edge".

Diving deaths
On 17 August 2006, LT Jessica Hill and PO2 Stephen Duque died of unspecified causes during diving operations in the Arctic Ocean. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation by the US Coast Guard. The coast guard has conducted simultaneous safety and administrative investigations the results of which were made public in January 2007 along with a Final Decision Letter dated 23 August 2007.

Initial press reports indicated that the divers were conducting an inspection of the rudder, a routine operation, at the time of the accident; but later reports state that the two were doing a cold-water training dive near the bow of the ship. The dive was reported to have been planned for a maximum depth of 20 ft. Lieutenant Hill's father, citing autopsy reports, has indicated that his daughter actually reached a depth of near 200 ft in what he described as an out of control descent. The divers were tended by unqualified and poorly-instructed personnel on the surface, none of whom were familiar with cold water diving or scuba diving in general. It is not clear why they extended so much line to the divers. By the time the two could be pulled to the surface, gas reserves were emptied and neither diver could be revived.

On 30 August commanding officer Captain Douglas G. Russell was temporarily relieved of command by Vice Admiral Charles Wuster citing a "loss of confidence" in Russell's ability to command. The relief was later made permanent by Admiral Thad Allen, Coast Guard Commandant. Russell was initially replaced by Captain Daniel K. Oliver, the previous HEALY commanding officer who Russell had relieved only two months earlier. Oliver returned to his regular staff job a short time later, when Captain Ted Lindstrom was named the new commanding officer. Lindstom has commanded four previous coast guard cutters, and was chief of response for the coast guard's 13th District in Seattle, Washington prior to returning to sea.