Casco class cutter
Encyclopedia
The Casco class was a large class of United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
cutters
United States Coast Guard Cutter
Cutter is the term used by the United States Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. A Cutter is or greater in length, has a permanently assigned crew, and has accommodations for the crew to live aboard...
in commission from the late 1940s through the late 1980s. They saw service as weather reporting ships
Weather ship
A weather ship was a ship stationed in the ocean as a platform for surface and upper air meteorological observations for use in weather forecasting. They were primarily located in the north Atlantic and north Pacific oceans, reporting via radio...
in the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
Oceans until the early 1970s, and some saw combat service during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Design
Between 1941 and 1946, the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
acquired 35 Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders, designated "AVP" in the Navys alphanumeric hull numbering system and designed to logistically and administratively support a squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
of flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s operating from undeveloped areas and, with a substantial anti-air, antisurface, and antisubmarine capability, to escort larger seaplane tenders. Most of them served during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, although even during the war the Navy determined the number of Barnegats to be surplus to requirements; as a result, one was completed as a catapult
Aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships—in particular aircraft carriers—as a form of assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in...
training ship for Navy floatplane
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
pilots (retaining its "AVP" designation) and four were converted during construction into motor torpedo boat tender
Motor torpedo boat tender
Motor torpedo boat tender is a type of ship used by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The Motor torpedo boat tender's task was to act as a tender in remote areas for patrol boats and to provide the necessary fuel and provisions for the torpedo boats she was responsible for...
s, redesignated "AGP".
After World War II, the Navy had a surplus of seaplane tenders, and the Coast Guard was looking for ships to serve on ocean stations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on weather-reporting duties, also performing law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
and search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
operations as required. The Barnegats were reliable, long-ranged, and seaworthy, and had good habitability, and, suitably modified, were good candidates to meet the Coast Guards requirements; in the words of the Coast Guards assessment of the Barnegats, "The workmanship on the vessel is generally quite superior to that observed on other vessels constructed during the war. The vessel has ample space for stores, living accommodations, ships, offices and recreational facilities. The main engine system is excellent. . . .The performance of the vessel in moderate to heavy seas is definitely superior to that of any other cutter. This vessel can be operated at higher speed without storm damage than other Coast Guard vessels."
Acquisition and modifications
The Navy transferred three of the seaplane tenders outright to the Coast Guard in 1946; they entered service that year and in 1947. The Navy loaned twelve more seaplane tenders, the catapult training ship, and two of the motor torpedo boat tenders to the Coast Guard in 1948, and these entered Coast Guard service in 1948 and 1949; in 1966, the Navy transferred these ships outright to the Coast Guard as well. Of the ships the Coast Guard received, two had been built by the Boston Navy YardBoston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
at Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and the rest in the state of Washington: three by Associated Shipbuilders, Inc., at Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, ten by Lake Washington Shipyard
Lake Washington Shipyard
Lake Washington Shipyards was a shipyard in Houghton, Washington on the shore of Lake Washington. Today the shipyards are the site of the lakeside Carillon Point business park...
at Houghton
Houghton, Washington
Houghton is one of the lakeside neighborhoods of the city of Kirkland, Washington. Consisting mostly of upscale, single-family homes, Houghton overlooks Lake Washington and is one of the wealthier districts of the Eastside suburbs of Seattle. The village was named for Willard Houghton, a local...
, and three by the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
.
Once they were accepted into Coast Guard service, a number of changes were made to prepare the ships for ocean-station duty. A balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
shelter was added aft
Aft
Aft, in naval terminology, is an adjective or adverb meaning, towards the stern of the ship, when the frame of reference is within the ship. Example: "Able Seaman Smith; lay aft!". Or; "What's happening aft?"...
, a hydrographic
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
winch
Winch
A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in or let out or otherwise adjust the "tension" of a rope or wire rope . In its simplest form it consists of a spool and attached hand crank. In larger forms, winches stand at the heart of machines as diverse as tow trucks, steam shovels and...
and an oceanographic
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
winch were installed, and spaces on board were devoted to oceanographic equipment.
Classification
Under the alphanumeric hull classification system in use at the time, Coast Guard cutters transferred from the Navy retained their Navy classification, with a "W" added to the beginning of the classification to indicate their Coast Guard subordination. The former seaplane tenders and the former catapult training ship thus all received the classification "WAVP"; the two former motor torpedo boat tenders (AGPs), which reverted to their original "AVP" designation before transfer to the Coast Guard, also entered Coast Guard service as WAVPs. The only exception was DexterUSCGC Dexter (WAVP-385)
USCGC Dexter , originally WACG-18, later WHEC-385, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1946 to 1952 and from 1958 to 1968. She was the fourth ship of the United States Revenue Cutter Service or United States Coast Guard to bear the name.-Construction and U.S...
, which initially was designated WAGC-18, but soon received a WAVP designation like the others.
In 1965, Rockaway
USCGC Rockaway (WAVP-377)
USCGC Rockaway , later WAGO-377, WHEC-377, and WOLE-377, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1949 to 1972.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
, uniquely among the Cascos, was reclassified as an "oceanographic" ship, WAGO-377.
In 1966 the Coast Guard reclassified all of the Cascos—including Rockaway -- as high endurance cutter
High endurance cutter
The designation of High endurance cutter was created in 1965 when the United States Coast Guard adopted its own designation system. High endurance cutters encompassed its largest cutters previously designated by the United States Navy as Coast Guard gunboats , Coast Guard destroyer escorts , and...
s and changed their classification to "WHEC". The ships retained the same hull numbers they had had as WAVPs.
Some Cascos later underwent additional classification changes as their roles changed in their final years in service. Unimak was a training ship (WTR-379) from 1969 to 1975 before reverting to her WHEC classification, Gresham
USCGC Gresham (WAVP-387)
USCGC Gresham , later WHEC-387, later WAGW-387, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1947 to 1973.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
became a "meteorological
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
cutter" (WAGW-387) in 1970, and Rockaway became an "offshore law enforcement vessel" (WOLE-377) in 1971.
Naming
The class was named for USCGC Casco (WAVP-370)USCGC Casco (WAVP-370)
USCGC Casco , later WHEC-370, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1969.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
, later WHEC-370, the unit with the lowest Coast Guard alphanumeric hull number. The three ships transferred outright to the Coast Guard in 1946 were given new names upon commissioning in the Coast Guard, being named after U.S. Secretaries of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
. The 15 ships loaned to the Coast Guard in 1948 retained their original Navy names, and were named for island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s, bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
s, and inlet
Inlet
An inlet is a narrow body of water between islands or leading inland from a larger body of water, often leading to an enclosed body of water, such as a sound, bay, lagoon or marsh. In sea coasts an inlet usually refers to the actual connection between a bay and the ocean and is often called an...
s, around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the then-Territory of Alaska.
Operations
The first three ships entered service in 1946 and 1947, with the rest following in 1948 and 1949. Apart from DexterUSCGC Dexter (WAVP-385)
USCGC Dexter , originally WACG-18, later WHEC-385, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1946 to 1952 and from 1958 to 1968. She was the fourth ship of the United States Revenue Cutter Service or United States Coast Guard to bear the name.-Construction and U.S...
, which was out of commission for several years in the 1950s, all remained active without break until the late 1960s and early 1970s, and one, Unimak, after a brief period out of commission in the mid-1970s, remained in service until 1988. All saw service as weather-reporting ships on ocean station patrols until the late 1960s and early 1970s except Dexter, which became the Coast Guards United States West Coast training ship after returning to commission in 1958.
The Cascos had a variety of fates. The Navy sank five as targets in 1968 and 1969, and five others were scrapped in the early 1970s. The last survivor in Coast Guard service, Unimak, was scuttled to form an artificial reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
.
Seven ships were transferred to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
in 1971 and 1972. When South Vietnam collapsed at the end of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1975, six fled to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, where two were cannibalized for spare parts and the other four entered service in the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
, operating until the mid-1980s. The seventh ship, the former Absecon
USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374)
USCGC Absecon , later WHEC-374, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1972.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
, was captured by North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
, appears to have remained active in the Vietnam People's Navy
Vietnam People's Navy
The Vietnam People's Navy is part of the Vietnam People's Army and is responsible for the protection of national waters, islands, and interests of the maritime economy, as well as for the coordination of maritime police, customs service and the border defense force.-History:Following the Geneva...
into the 1990s, and may remain afloat today as the last surviving Barnegat- or Casco-class ship.
USCGC Casco (WAVP-370, WHEC-370)
CascoUSCGC Casco (WAVP-370)
USCGC Casco , later WHEC-370, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1969.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Casco (AVP-12)
USS Casco (AVP-12)
The third USS Casco was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commissioned from 1943 to 1947.-Construction and commissioning:...
from 1941 to 1947. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-370 in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1969. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target later that year.
USCGC Mackinac (WAVP-371, WHEC-371)
MackinacUSCGC Mackinac (WAVP-371)
USCGC Mackinac , later WHEC-371, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1967. She was the second ship of the United States Revenue Cutter Service or United States Coast Guard to bear the name....
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Mackinac (AVP-13)
USS Mackinac (AVP-13)
The second USS Mackinac was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1942 to 1947.-Construction and commissioning:...
from 1942 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-371 in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1967. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target in 1968.
USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372, WHEC-372)
HumboldtUSCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372)
USCGC Humboldt , later WHEC-372, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1969.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Humboldt (AVP-21)
USS Humboldt (AVP-21)
USS Humboldt was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1941 to 1947. She was briefly reclassified as a miscellaneous auxiliary and redesignated AG-121 during 1945.-Construction and commissioning:...
from 1941 to 1947. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1966 and at Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
from 1966 to 1969, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic throughout her career. Redesignated WHEC-372 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrapping in 1970.
USCGC Matagorda (WAVP-373, WHEC-373)
MatagordaUSCGC Matagorda (WAVP-373)
USCGC Matagorda , later WHEC-373, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1967.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Matagorda (AVP-22)
USS Matagorda (AVP-22)
USS Matagorda was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission from 1941 to 1946.-Construction, commissioning, and shakedown:...
from 1941 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1954, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic, and at Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, from 1954 to 1967, performing ocean station patrols in the Pacific. Redesignated WHEC-373 in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1967. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target in 1969.
USCGC Absecon (WAVP-374, WHEC-374)
AbseconUSCGC Absecon (WAVP-374)
USCGC Absecon , later WHEC-374, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1972.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy catapult
Aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships—in particular aircraft carriers—as a form of assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in...
training ship USS Absecon (AVP-23)
USS Absecon (AVP-23)
The second USS Absecon was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1947, converted during construction to serve as a catapult training ship...
from 1943 to 1947. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-374 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1972 and transferred to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, becoming the patrol vessel RVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-15)
RVNS Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-15)
RVNS Pham Ngu Lao was a South Vietnamese frigate of the Republic of Vietnam Navy in commission from 1972 to 1975. She and her six sister ships were the largest South Vietnamese naval ships of their time....
. Captured by North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
upon the collapse of South Vietnam in 1975, she became the patrol vessel PRVSN Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-01)
PRVSN Pham Ngu Lao (HQ-01)
PRVSN Pham Ngu Lao is a patrol vessel of the Socialist Republic of Vietnams Vietnamese People's Navy captured from South Vietnam in 1975 and in active service until perhaps as recently as 2000....
in the Vietnam People's Navy
Vietnam People's Navy
The Vietnam People's Navy is part of the Vietnam People's Army and is responsible for the protection of national waters, islands, and interests of the maritime economy, as well as for the coordination of maritime police, customs service and the border defense force.-History:Following the Geneva...
and may have remained an active unit until into the 1990s. Her current status is unclear, although she may remain afloat as the last surviving Barnegat- or Casco-class ship.
USCGC Chincoteague (WAVP-375, WHEC-375)
ChincoteagueUSCGC Chincoteague (WAVP-375)
USCGC Chincoteague , later WHEC-375, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1949 to 1972.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Chincoteague (AVP-24)
USS Chincoteague (AVP-24)
USS Chincoteague was a United States Navy seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:Chincoteague was launched on 15 April 1942 by Lake Washington Shipyard at Houghton, Washington, sponsored by Mrs. G. Rowe. She was commissioned on 12 April 1943 with Commander...
from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-375 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1972 and transferred to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, becoming the patrol vessel RVNS Ly Thuong Kiet (HQ-16)
RVNS Ly Thuong Kiet (HQ-16)
RVNS Lý Thường Kiệt was a South Vietnamese frigate of the Republic of Vietnam Navy in commission from 1972 to 1975. She and her six sister ships were the largest South Vietnamese naval ships of their time....
. Upon the collapse of South Vietnam in 1975, she fled to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, where she served as the frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (PF-7)
BRP Andres Bonifacio (PF-7)
BRP Andres Bonifacio was a Philippine Navy frigate in commission from 1976 to 1985. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders/ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States after the Vietnam War, two of which...
until 1985.
USCGC Coos Bay (WAVP-376, WHEC-376)
Coos BayUSCGC Coos Bay (WAVP-376)
USCGC Coos Bay , later WHEC-376, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1949 to 1966.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Coos Bay (AVP-25)
USS Coos Bay (AVP-25)
USS Coos Bay was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:...
from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Portland, Maine, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-376 and permananelty transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned later that year. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target in 1968.
USCGC Rockaway (WAVP-377, WAGO-377, WHEC-377, WOLE-377)
RockawayUSCGC Rockaway (WAVP-377)
USCGC Rockaway , later WAGO-377, WHEC-377, and WOLE-377, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1949 to 1972.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Rockaway (AVP-29)
USS Rockaway (AVP-29)
USS Rockaway was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946. She served in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean during World War II...
from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned in 1949. She was stationed at Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
in New York City throughout her Coast Guard career. Until 1965, her main duty was to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated as an "oceanographic ship," WAGP-377, in 1965, she became more involved in oceanographic
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
survey work. Redesignated WHEC-377 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was again reclassified as a "offshore law-enforcement vessel," WOLE-377, in 1971. She was decommissioned in 1972 and sold for scrapping.
USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378, WHEC-378)
Half MoonUSCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378)
USCGC Half Moon , later WHEC-378, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1948 to 1969.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Half Moon (AVP-26)
USS Half Moon (AVP-26)
USS Half Moon was a seaplane tender that served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946.-Construction and early deployment:Half Moon was laid down as a small seaplane tender on 10 March 1942 by Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, Washington, and was launched as such on 12 July 1942,...
from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She was stationed at Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
and Governors Island
Governors Island
Governors Island is a island in Upper New York Bay, approximately one-half mile from the southern tip of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by Buttermilk Channel. It is legally part of the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
in New York City throughout her Coast Guard career. Her main duty was to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-378 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she served one combat tour in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1967 as a part of Coast Guard Squadron Three. She was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrapping in 1973.
USCGC Unimak (WAVP-379, WHEC-379, WTR-379, WHEC-379)
Unimak served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Unimak (AVP-31)USS Unimak (AVP-31)
USS Unimak was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946.-Construction, commissioning, and shakedown:...
from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned in 1949. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1954; at Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, from 1954 to 1972; and at Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
, Virginia, from 1972 to 1975, her main duty being to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-379 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she reclassified as a training ship and redesignated again as WTR-379 in 1969. She was decommissioned in 1975. Recommissioned in 1977 and again designated WHEC-379, she was stationed at New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts, for the remainder of her Coast Guard career, focusing primarily on fisheries patrols in the Atlantic and law enforcement operations in the Caribbean. She was decommissioned in 1988 and scuttled to form an artificial reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
.
USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380, WHEC-380)
YakutatUSCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380)
USCGC Yakutat , later WHEC-380, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1948 to 1971.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Yakutat (AVP-32)
USS Yakutat (AVP-32)
USS Yakutat was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946. Yakutat tended seaplanes in combat areas in the Pacific during World War II.-Construction, commissioning, and shakedown:...
from 1944 to 1946, She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. Stationed at Portland, Maine, in 1949 and at New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1971, her main duty was to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. She was redesignated WHEC-379 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, and served two combat tours in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
with Coast Guard Squadron Three, from 1967 to 1968 and in 1970. Transferred to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
in 1971, she served as RVNS Tran Nhat Duat (HQ-03)
RVNS Tran Nhat Duat (HQ-03)
RVNS Tran Nhat Duat was a South Vietnamese frigate of the Republic of Vietnam Navy in commission from 1971 to 1975. She and her six sister ships were the largest South Vietnamese naval ships of their time....
. Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, where she was cannibalized for spare parts.
USCGC Barataria (WAVP-381, WHEC-381)
BaratariaUSCGC Barataria (WAVP-381)
USCGC Barataria , later WHEC-381, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1949 to 1969.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Barataria (AVP-33)
USS Barataria (AVP-33)
The second USS Barataria was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946.-Construction, commissioning, and shakedown:...
from 1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She was based at Portland, Maine, from 1949 to 1968, primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. In 1966 she was reclassified as a high endurance cutter
High endurance cutter
The designation of High endurance cutter was created in 1965 when the United States Coast Guard adopted its own designation system. High endurance cutters encompassed its largest cutters previously designated by the United States Navy as Coast Guard gunboats , Coast Guard destroyer escorts , and...
, redesignated WHEC-381, and transferred outright to the Coast Guard. She served one combat tour in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1967 to 1968 as a part of Coast Guard Squadron Three. She was based at San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, from 1968 to 1969, where she carried out for law-enforcement and search-and-rescue duties in the Pacific. She was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrapping in 1970.
USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382, WHEC-382)
Bering StraitUSCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382)
USCGC Bering Strait , later WHEC-382, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1948 to 1971.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Bering Strait (AVP-34)
USS Bering Strait (AVP-34)
USS Bering Strait was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946. She tended seaplanes during World War II in the Pacific in combat areas and earned three battle stars by war’s end....
1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard and in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She served on ocean station patrols in the Pacific Ocean throughout her Coast Guard career, based at Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington from 1948 to 1954 and at Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
from 1954 to 1971. She was redesignated WHEC-382 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, and served two combat tours in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
with Coast Guard Squadron Three, from 1967 to 1968 and in 1970. Transferred to South Vietnam in 1971, she served as RVNS Tran Quang Khai (HQ-02)
RVNS Tran Quang Khai (HQ-02)
RVNS Tran Quang Khai was a South Vietnamese frigate of the Republic of Vietnam Navy in commission from 1971 to 1975. She and her six sister ships were the largest South Vietnamese naval ships of their time....
. Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, and served in the Philippine Navy until 1985 as BRP Diego Silang (PF-9)
BRP Diego Silang (PF-9)
BRP Diego Silang was an Andres Bonifacio class frigate of the Philippine Navy in commission from 1976 to 1990. She and her three sister ships were the largest Philippine Navy ships of their time....
.
USCGC Castle Rock (WAVP-383, WHEC-383)
Castle RockUSCGC Castle Rock (WAVP-383)
USCGC Castle Rock , later WHEC-383, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1948 to 1971.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Castle Rock (AVP-35)
USS Castle Rock (AVP-35)
USS Castle Rock was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:...
from 1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1948 to 1967 and at Portland, Maine, from 1967 to 1971, primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in North Atlantic, and spent one combat tour in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
with Coast Guard Squadron Three in 1971. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1971 and served as RVNS Tran Binh Trong (HQ-05)
RVNS Tran Binh Trong (HQ-05)
RVNS Trần Bình Trọng was a South Vietnamese frigate of the Republic of Vietnam Navy in commission from 1971 to 1975. She and her six sister ships were the largest South Vietnamese naval ships of their time....
. Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, and served in the Philippine Navy until 1985 as BRP Francisco Dagohoy (PF-10)
BRP Francisco Dagohoy (PF-10)
The BRP Francisco Dagohoy was an Andres Bonifacio class frigate of the Philippine Navy that served from 1979 to 1985. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders and ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States...
.
USCGC Cook Inlet (WAVP-384, WHEC-384)
Cook InletUSCGC Cook Inlet (WAVP-384)
USCGC Cook Inlet , later WHEC-384, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard cutter in service from 1949 to 1971.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Cook Inlet (AVP-36)
USS Cook Inlet (AVP-36)
USS Cook Inlet was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946. She tended seaplanes during World War II in the Pacific in combat areas and earned one battle star for her service....
from 1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and was commissioned in 1949. Based at Portland, Maine, throughout her Coast Guard career, she was primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic and spent one combat tour in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
with Coast Guard Squadron Three in 1971. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1971 and served as RVNS Tran Quoc Toan (HQ-06)
RVNS Tran Quoc Toan (HQ-06)
RVNS Tran Quoc Toan was a South Vietnamese frigate of the Republic of Vietnam Navy in commission from 1971 to 1975. She and her six sister ships were the largest South Vietnamese naval ships of their time....
. Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, where she was cannibalized for spare parts.
USCGC Dexter (WAGC-18, WAVP-385, WHEC-385)
DexterUSCGC Dexter (WAVP-385)
USCGC Dexter , originally WACG-18, later WHEC-385, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1946 to 1952 and from 1958 to 1968. She was the fourth ship of the United States Revenue Cutter Service or United States Coast Guard to bear the name.-Construction and U.S...
served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Biscayne (AVP-11)
USS Biscayne (AVP-11)
USS Biscayne , later AGC-18, was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission as a seaplane tender from 1941 to 1943 and as an amphibious force flagship from 1943 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:...
from 1941 to 1946. She was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946 and commissioned the same year as USCGC Dexter (WAGC-18), soon changed to WAVP-385. Based at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1946 to 1952. she primarily was responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Out of commission from 1952 to 1958, she then was based at Alameda
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
, California, from 1958 to 1969, serving as the Coast Guards United States West Coast training ship. She was redesignated WHEC-385 in 1966. She was decommissioned in 1968, and the U.S. Navy sank her as a target later that year.
USCGC McCulloch (WAVP-386, WHEC-386)
McCullochUSCGC McCulloch (WAVP-386)
USCGC McCullough , later WHEC-386, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1946 to 1972. She was the fourth ship of the United States Revenue Cutter Service or United States Coast Guard to bear the name....
served as the U.S. Navy motor torpedo boat tender USS Wachapreague (AGP-8)
USS Wachapreague (AGP-8)
USS Wachapreague was a motor torpedo boat tender that served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.-Construction and deployment:...
from 1944 to 1946, She was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946 and commissioned as McCulloch (WAVP-386) the same year. She was based at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1946 to 1966 and at Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, from 1966 to 1972, primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. In 1966 she was redesignated WHEC-386. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1972, and served as RVNS Ngo Quyen (HQ-17)
RVNS Ngo Quyen (HQ-17)
RVNS Ngo Quyen was a South Vietnamese frigate of the Republic of Vietnam Navy in commission from 1972 to 1975. She and her six sister ships were the largest South Vietnamese naval ships of their time...
. Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, and served in the Philippine Navy until either 1985 or 1990 as BRP Gergorio del Pilar (PF-8)
BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-8)
The BRP Gregorio del Pilar was an Andres Bonifacio class frigate of the Philippine Navy in commission from 1977 to 1990. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tenders/ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States after...
.
USCGC Gresham (WAVP-387, WHEC-387, WAGW-387)
GreshamUSCGC Gresham (WAVP-387)
USCGC Gresham , later WHEC-387, later WAGW-387, was a Casco-class United States Coast Guard Cutter in service from 1947 to 1973.-Construction and U.S. Navy service:...
served as the U.S. Navy motor torpedo boat tender USS Willoughby (AGP-9)
USS Willoughby (AGP-9)
The second USS Willoughby was a motor torpedo boat tender that served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.-Construction and Deployment:...
from 1944 to 1946. She was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946 and commissioned in 1947 as Gresham (WAVP-387). Based at Alameda, California, from 1947 to 1970, she was primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the Pacific Ocean, and was redesignated WHEC-387 in 1966. She served one combat tour in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1967 to 1968 as a part of Coast Guard Squadron Three. She was based at Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, from 1970 to 1973, responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic, and was reclassified as a meteorological
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
cutter and redesignated WAGW-387 in 1970. She was decommissioned and sold for scrapping in 1973.