High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! USCGC Laurel WAGL/WLB-291, a Cactus (A) Class buoy tender was built by Zenith Dredge of Duluth, Minnesota. Her keel was laid 17 April 1942, launched 4 August 1942 and commissioned on 24 November 1942. Immediately after being commissioned the LAUREL was stationed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until 8 October 1943 when she was reassigned and stationed at Boston, Massachusetts. There she joined her sister ships the Cactus (W-270), Cowslip (W-277) and Conifer (W301). There she was used primarily for cargo and passenger transport and for escort and icebreaker duties in Greenland waters. For a brief time, from 3 September 1946 to 8 December 1946 the LAUREL was stationed at Portland, Maine.