Return to By Era

1946 to 1999

Short Term Navy Acquisitions

These Cutters saw very limited duty before being returned to the Navy or scrapped 110′ SC-497 Class Subchaser Model: Yes Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures USCGC “Air” Class WSC 1946 Never operational For a list of names see Link CGH 184′ PCE Class Coastal Patrol Boat Model: Yes Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments …

Korea

306′ Edsall Class Destroyer Escort Acquired from the Navy Used as Ocean Weather Station ships during the Korean War Then returned to the Navy Model: Yes Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures USCGC Newell DE/WDE 322/422 1951 – 1954 Manned by CG in WWII NS USCGC Falgout DE/WDE 324/424 1951 – 1954 Manned by …

Voice of America

USCGC Courier Radar Picket Ship Built in 1945 as the C1-M-AV1 Class cargo ship Coastal Messenger Transferred to the Department of State in 1952 Converted to communications vessel for use in Operation Vagabond The idea was to broadcast the Voice of America to countries behind the Iron Curtain The ship could easily move from hot …

White Hulls

Black Hulls

Red Hulls

269′ Wind Class Icebreaker First US icebreakers designed to break arctic ice Four were built for the Coast Guard in 1944 Three of the four were sent to Russia under Lend Lease A fifth was started for the Coast Guard At the same time, 3 were started for the Navy The breakers that returned from …

Special Mission Cutters

Type C1-M-AV1 Cargo Ship Maritime Commission general cargo ships Used for LORAN construction and support Model: Yes Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures               USCGC Unalga (ex USS Tipton) MC/AKA/WAK 2169/215/185 1945 – 1950   USCGC Kukui (ex USS Colquit) AK/WAK 174/186 1946 – 1972 To the Philippines …

Training Cutters

The Coast Guard has used a variety of cutter types for training Some were retired operational cutters Others were acquired from the Navy Curlew was carried over from the war Eagle was acquired from Germany as a war prize 125 “Buck-and-a-Quarter” Medium Endurance Cutter Part of a massive expansion by ADM Frederick Billard Commissioned as Second Class …

Small Boats

Lifeboats Lifeboats were the companions to the surfboats They were self bailable and self rightable and much heavier They were generally kept in the water so they were faster to launch But they were not easily used on large sandy beaches where piers could not be built The original boat was a borrowed British boat …