In colorful, touching ceremonies, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sundew was decommissioned in Duluth on May 27, 2004. With a ringing of the ship's bell, each member of the crew solemnly left the Sundew and marched down her gangplank to join in formation dockside and formally and officially say goodbye to a vessel that honorably served the Great Lakes and her nation for nearly 60 years.

This ship was built in Duluth, served the last 25 years of her career in Duluth and now will retire to Duluth. Rep. Jim Oberstar (D.-Minn.) was instrumental in effecting the transfer of the Sundew to the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center as a floating museum ship. Fittingly, her new duties began on the Fourth of July.

The 180-foot icebreaker Sundew was one of a fleet of 39 WLB-class buoy tenders authorized for the Coast Guard in 1940. Duluth's Marine Iron & Shipbuilding Company won the bid to build 21 of them and contracted with Zenith Dredge Company to build 17 more, including the Sundew in 1944. She was launched on Feb. 8, 1944, and commissioned on Aug. 24, 1944.

In comments prepared for the decommissioning ceremony, Rep. Oberstar said, "The Sundew cost $861,586 to build in 1944. That means that the U.S. taxpayer paid less than $15,000 per year for a ship that kept our economy growing. That would be one of the best investment the federal government has ever made."

The Sundew will be replaced this fall by the 225-foot Juniper "B" Class Sea-Going Buoy Tender Cutter Alder, which was launched in February at Marinette (Wis.) Marine Corporation.