After its iconic appearance in the $328 million box office hit "The Perfect Storm," Coast Guard vessel Tamaroa's fate was decided - she was intentionally sunk to become an artificial reef. The USCGC Tamaroa rescued crew members of the Air National Guard rescue helicopter twice in a row, plus other civilian would-be victims of severe weather conditions. Tamaroa could have saved George Clooney had it not for the swell that carried him away.
The real-life actions of the Tamaroa are not far from the events in "The Perfect Storm" movie. Five airmen owe their lives to Tamaroa in October 1991 after they ditched their helicopter during a fierce storm. Tamaroa conquered three storm systems that collided off the coast of New England to rescue the airmen. The said storm generated gusts of 112 kilometers per hour and 12-meter waves.
Tamaroa's savior image doesn't end in the first event as history repeats itself in 1997 when another Air National Guard crew also ditched their helicopter when it ran out of fuel. However, only four were saved at that time with one casualty. But then again, three more people were saved from a sailboat during the same fateful day. This second event is the inspiration behind "The Perfect Storm," the Navy Times said.
The Tamaroa's stellar career traced back even before "The Perfect Storm" era. She was originally a Navy Cherokee-class tug named USS Zuni, commissioned in June 1943 and decommissioned just three years after she served in World War II Pacific theater. In June 1946, the U.S. Coast Guard re-commissioned her, giving the name USCGC Tamaroa until her second decommissioning in February 1994, CBS News reported.
There were several attempts to restore the USCGC Tamaroa into its operational state, especially after "The Perfect Storm" puts her in the spotlight. Then newly-formed Zuni Maritime Foundation campaigned to restore the ship, albeit unsuccessful attempts. Finally, on May 10, Wednesday, she was scuttled to become an artificial reef at about 33 nautical miles from Cape May, New Jersey.
