After precisely 44 years of service in the Navy, a white-red flag was abandoned on the ORP Goplo trawler. The ceremony took place on 13 March, at the site of the 13th Tray Squadron at the Marine War Port in Gdynia.
ORP Goplo was built at the Naval Shipyard in Gdynia from 1980 to 1982 as a prototype unit and at the same time as an experimental unit. He was the first of seventeen trawlers of task 207. The war banner was first raised on March 13, 1982. For most of its service, the heavy exploited unit was part of the 13th Tray Squadron, carrying out maritime safety tasks, mainly in the field of mine warfare. The unit's parent ports were Hel and Gdynia. On Friday, March 13, after 44 years of service, the white-red flag was officially abandoned. Thus, ORP Goplo ends his service in the Navy.
– The minute we are witnessing in the naval calendar is 1 of the most difficult, and 1 of the most solemn. This part of white-and-red canvas, which for 44 years proudly hovered over the deck of "six 100 and thirty," was for the crew and for us sailors more than a symbol of nationality. He was primarily a sign of the Polish presence in the Baltic, but besides a certificate of professionalism, which the Polish antimine forces and the full Navy stand for, said the commander of the 8th Coast Defence Fleet, Rear Admiral Piotr Sikora and added: "The marine technology is developing at a rate that cannot be ignored. Even the bravest ship that has performed its tasks for years must yet give way to fresh generation individuals. It is simply a natural process, though for us people of the sea, always filled with emotion and sentiment... [...] Today, as the Gopal leaves the line, its tasks are taken over by modern Kormoran II mine destroyers. We already have the first 3 units in service: ORP Kormoran, Albatros, Seagull and we are arrogant to see this program go forward with full dynamics. The next 3 ships – Swallow, Fisheries and Chaik – are already in various phases of construction and equipment.
The ceremony of the last departure of the flag was attended by, among others, the commander of the 8th Coast Defence Fleet Rear Admiral Piotr Sikora, the staff of the 13th Trallers Squadron, the crew of the ship and invited guests. Among the guests there were officers, officers and sailors who served on board ORP Goplo for years.
"I thank all the crew members of ORP Goplo, who over 44 years have proudly held watch under the white-red flag. "630" during his long service raised many generations of sailors, both in the 13dTR ranks, as well as during his service in the school-research ship squadron. surely the unique atmosphere, climate and spirit of this ship will be preserved in our memories." said the last commander of the ship in his speech.
According to the naval flag ceremony, warships and auxiliary vessels are sent to the Naval Museum. After decommissioning, the unit will be transferred to the Military Property Agency.
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ORP Goplo (Board No 630) – the base trawler of the 207D task (after modernization of 207DM) kind Goplo was built in Naval Shipyard as a prototype unit, the first of a series of seventeen red trawlers of the task 207. It is simply a small-magnetic ship designed to search for and destruct contact and non-contact mines – in both mine and individual homesteads. The magnetic field simplification was mainly achieved by utilizing polyester-glass laminate in the hull and decker structure. The ship was launched on 16 April 1981, and his godmother was Janina Perzanowska. The authoritative flag raising took place on March 13, 1982 at the Hel War Port, and from that minute on the ship began to service the country, standing on the sea defender for its independency and boundaries.
During his long service, the ship held various functions and changed its subjection respective times. From the minute the flag was raised until June 17, 1987, it was part of the 13th Tray Squadron, where its tasks included a widely understood mine battle. He was then transferred to the investigation Ship Squadron in Gdynia. During the service in this squadron, the ship was utilized as an experimental unit, where fresh weapons were tested on board, then introduced to the equipment of the Polish Navy. After the reorganization of the MW forces from 1 January 1995, he began his service in the School-Research Ship Division in Gdynia. In 1996, the ship was assigned to the Naval Shipyard for a thorough modernization, after which, on 1 July 1997, he returned to work as a associate of the 13th Trolley Division in Hel. In 2006, he and his squadron were reviewed to Gdynia, where he was stationed until today.
During his service under the white and red flag of the ORP Goplo, he has repeatedly participated in national and global exercises specified as ‘Anakonda’, ‘Dragon’, ‘Wargacz’, ‘Pirania’, ‘Baltops’, ‘Blue Game’, ‘SQNEX’. He besides participated in many sea trips under the Peace Partnership programme. In addition to these episodes, life on the ship for 44 years was a rhythm of combat duty, training at sea and additional tasks commissioned by superiors, specified as participation in actions to destruct mines and torpedoes from planet War II in Polish territorial waters, or securing the area of rocket shootings at the naval base under Ustka.
Text: StartKP Grzegorz Lewandowski/ 8 FOWEndFragment
