High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! USCGC Madrona (WLB 302) was a U. S. Coast Guard 180 foot seagoing buoy tender. Madrona was built by the Zenith Dredge Company of Duluth, MN at a cost of $949,144. Madrona was commissioned on 30 May 1943. Upon commissioning, the cutter was assigned the homeport of Miami, FL. In addition to performing convoy duty during World War II, Madrona was actively involved in the installation of numerous new aids to navigation throughout the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean Sea. In September 1947, Madrona's homeport was changed to Portsmouth, VA, where she was responsible for maintenance and inspection of aids to navigation in the Chesapeake Bay. On 27 April 1949, the cutter searched for a reported mine near the Chesapeake Lightship. From 4-6 November 1950, Madrona towed the disabled MV Atlantic Explorer.