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High Endurance Cutters

Several ships came from the Navy in 1946, but only 2 205′ Fleet Tugs and 2 213′ Rescue Vessels remained in service in 1947
Ocean Weather Stations became prominent in the 1950s to support the fast growing transoceanic commercial aviation industry
Budget constraints allowed only 1 patrol boat and 2 inland tender classes to be commissioned before the 1960s
The Coast Guard relied on ships the Navy was decommissioning to fill the ranks
These Navy ships were newer than the old Cutters they were replacing
The Coast Guard also acquired Eagle in 1946
The Coast Guard acquired 12 Edsall-Class DEs to man OWS during the Korean War
CGC Courier performed a special mission for many years in the 50s and 60s
The budget strings loosened in the 1960s and 9 new classes were commissioned
The 1970s brought surface effect ships into the Fleet
The 1980s brought 2 new white hulls (the first in 20 years) and a new class of tugs

250′ Lake Class Patrol Gunboat
Part of a massive expansion by ADM Frederick Billard
Commissioned as First Class Cruising Cutters without hull numbers
Hull numbers were assigned in 1939, reclassified as Patrol Gunboats
The 250s were officially referred to as the Lake or the Chelan Class
Sent to the UK under Lend-Lease
Only a few saw service after the war
All were decommissioned by 1950
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Champlain
(HMS Sennen 41 – 46)
WPG 319 1929 – 1948 CGH
USCGC Itasca
(HMS Gorleston 41 – 46)
WPG 321 1930 – 1950 CGH
USCGC Saranac
(HMS Banff (41 – 46))
(later Sebek)
(later Tampa)
WPG 164 1930 – 1954 CGH
USCGC Sebek
(HMS Banff 41 – 46)
(former Saranac)
(later Tampa)
WPG 164 1930 – 1954 CGH
USCGC Tampa
(former Saranac)
(HMS Banff 41 – 46)
(former Sebek)
WPG 164 1930 – 1954 CGH
USCGC Cayuga
(HMS Totland 41 – 46)
(later Mocoma)
WPG 163 1932 – 1950 CGH
USCGC Mocoma
(former Cayuga)
(HMS Totland 41 – 46)
WPG 163 1932 – 1950 CGH

327′ Secretary/Treasury Class
Acquired by Commandant Russell Waesche
Designed to provide support for commercial transoceanic flights
Commissioned as First Class Cruising Cutters without hull numbers
Hull numbers were assigned in 1939, reclassified as Patrol Gunboats
Numbers were assigned alphabetically, not by date of commission
Hamilton was lead ship, but Bibb was assigned the lowest hull number
The 327s are officially referred to as the Secretary, Treasury or Hamilton Class
In WWII they were first used as convoy escorts in the Atlantic
Taney fought in the Pacific and then in the Med
Taney was upgunned with 4 5″/38s for antiair warfare in the Med
In 1945 they were converted to amphibious command ships
After the war they were reclassified back to Patrol Gunboats
Performed OWS duty after the war
All served in Vietnam
Reclassified High Endurance Cutters in 1967
Ingham was decommissioned in 1989
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Bibb
(former George M. Bibb)
WPG/WAGC
WPG/WHEC
31 1937 – 1985 Built in Philadelphia and stationed in Norfolk
1939: Neutrality/Greenland/OWS Patrols
Convoy duty and amphibious command ship in WWII
Typical post-war duties – OWS
14 October 1947: Ocean Station Charlie off Greenland
Bermuda Sky Queen, a Boeing 314 Flying Boat, was forced to ditch late at night
30 foot waves prevented a rescue attempt until the next morning
All 62 passengers safely evacuated on 15 October
Unable to safely tow the aircraft, Bibb sank it with gunfire
Deployed to Vietnam
Sunk as a reef off Florida
CGH
USCGC Campbell
(former George W. Campbell)
WPG/WAGC
WPG/WHEC
32 1936 – 1982 Built in Philadelphia and stationed in Stapleton, New York
2 October 1939: performed the first Neutrality Patrol
1941: used as a test bed to see if 327s could serve as convoy escorts
Convoy duty and amphibious command ship in WWII
22 February 1943: Rammed and sank U-606
Typical post-war duties – OWS
Deployed to Vietnam
Crowned as first official Queen of the Fleet in mid 1970s
Sunk as a reef off Hawaii
CGH
USCGC Duane
(former William J. Duane)
WPG/WAGC
WPG/WHEC
33 1936 – 1985 Built in Philadelphia and stationed in Oakland
1939: Neutrality/Greenland/OWS Patrols
Convoy duty and amphibious command ship in WWII
17 April 1943: assisted CGC Spencer in sinking U-175
Typical post-war duties – OWS
Deployed to Vietnam
Queen of the Fleet from 1982 to 1985
Sunk as an artificial reef off Key Largo, Florida
CGH
USCGC Ingham
(former Samuel D. Ingham)
WPG/WAGC
WPG/WHEC
35 1936 – 1988 Built in Philadelphia and stationed in Port Angeles, Washington
1939: Neutrality/Greenland/OWS patrols
Convoy duty and amphibious command ship in WWII
17 December 1942: sank U-626
Typical post-war duties – OWS
Deployed to Vietnam
Queen of the Fleet from 1985 to 1988
Retired as the most decorated cutter in the Coast Guard Fleet
Only cutter to be awarded two Presidential Unit Citations
Currently centerpiece of the Ingham Memorial Museum in Key West, Florida
CGH
USCGC Spencer
(former John C. Spencer)
WPG/WAGC
WPG/WHEC
36 1937 – 1980 Built in Philadelphia and stationed in Cordova, Alaska
1939: Neutrality/Greenland/OWS Patrols
Convoy duty and amphibious command ship in WWII
21 February 1943: Sank either U-225 or (more likely) U-529
Typical post-war duties – OWS
Deployed to Vietnam
First of the 327s to be decommissioned in 1974
Served as an Engineering Training School until scrapped in 1980
CGH
USCGC Taney
(former Roger B. Taney)
WPG/WAGC
WPG/WHEC
37 1936 – 1986 Built in Philadelphia and stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii
One of the first ships to return fire during the 7 December 1941 attack
Defended the Honolulu Power Plant
The only 327 not deployed in the North Atlantic convoy run
Patrolled in the Pacific until 1943
1943: The only 327 to mount 4 5″/38 guns
Joined the Mediterranean convoy run
Typical post-war duties – OWS
Deployed to both Korea and Vietnam
1977: Last Coast Guard Cutter on OWS when Station Hotel was discontinued
Decommissioned on 7 December 1986
Museum ship in Baltimore
CGH

255′ Owasco/Lake Class
Replaced the 250 Lake Class given to the UK
Commissioned as Patrol Gunboats
The first white hulls commissioned with hull numbers
The 255s are officially referred to as the Lake or Owasco Class
Most served in Vietnam
Reclassified as High Endurance Cutters in 1967
All were decommissioned in 1973/1974
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Owasco WPG/WHEC 39 1945 – 1973 CGH
USCGC Winnebago WPG/WHEC 40 1945 – 1973 CGH
USCGC Chautauqua WPG/WHEC 41 1945 – 1973 CGH
USCGC Sebago WPG/WHEC 42 1945 – 1972 CGH
USCGC Iroquois WPG/WHEC 43 1946 – 1965
USCGC Wachusett WPG/WHEC 44 1946 – 1973 CGH
USCGC Escanaba WPG/WHEC 64 1946 – 1974 CGH
USCGC Winona WPG/WHEC 65 1946 – 1974 CGH
USCGC Klamath WPG/WHEC 66 1946 – 1973 CGH
USCGC Minnetonka WPG/WHEC 67 1946 – 1974 CGH
USCGC Androscoggin WPG/WHEC 68 1946 – 1974 CGH
USCGC Mendota WPG/WHEC 69 1945 – 1973 CGH
USCGC Pontchartrain WPG/WHEC 70 1945 – 1973 CGH

311′ Casco Class
Acquired from the Navy for OWS duty
Originally classified as Light Seaplane Tenders
The first 3 were “given” to the Coast Guard and were renamed
The rest were “loaned” to the Coast Guard and retained
their navy names
The 311s were officially referred to as the Casco Class
With crew reduced to post-war standards berthing was palatial
With aviation fuel tanks changed to ship service fuel tanks
the ships could cruise forever
Reclassified as High Endurance Cutters in 1967
Many turned over to Vietnam in 1972
All but 1 decommissioned in 1972
Unimak served until 1988
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Dexter
(ex USS Biscayne)
WAVP/WHEC 385 1946 – 1968 CGH
USCGC McCullough
(ex USS Wachapreague)
WAVP/WHEC 386 1946 – 1972 To South Vietnam CGH
NS
USCGC Gresham
(ex USS Willoughby)
WAVP/WHEC 387 1946 – 1973 CGH
USCGC Rockaway WAVP/WHEC 377 1948 – 1972 CGH
USCGC Half Moon WAVP/WHEC 378 1948 – 1970 CGH
USCGC Unimack WAVP/WHEC 379 1948 – 1988 Sunk as reef in Virginia CGH
NS
USCGC Yakutat WAVP/WHEC 380 1948 – 1971 To South Vietnam CGH
NS
USCGC Barataria WAVP/WHEC 381 1948 – 1969 CGH
USCGC Bering Strait WAVP/WHEC 382 1948 – 1971 To South Vietnam CGH
NS
USCGC Castle Rock WAVP/WHEC 383 1948 – 1971 To South Vietnam CGH
NS
USCGC Cook Inlet WAVP/WHEC 384 1948 – 1971 To South Vietnam CGH
NS
USCGC Casco WAVP/WHEC 370 1949 – 1969 CGH
NS
USCGC Mackinac WAVP/WHEC 371 1949 – 1968 CGH
NS
USCGC Humboldt WAVP/WHEC 372 1949 – 1969 CGH
USCGC Matagorda WAVP/WHEC 373 1949 – 1967 CGH
USCGC Absecon WAVP/WHEC 374 1946 – 1972 To South Vietnam CGH
USCGC Chincoteague WAVP/WHEC 375 1949 – 1972 To South Vietnam CGH
USCGC Coos Bay WAVP/WHEC 376 1949 – 1966 CGH
NS

378′ Hamilton Class High Endurance Cutter
Commissioned as High Endurance Cutters
The first cutters of the modern era
Not acquired from another service and never reclassified
With the 210s, first new CG built capital ship since 1936
The 378s were officially referred to as the Hamilton Class
Being replaced by the National Security Cutter, Large
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Hamilton WHEC 715 1965 – Active
USCGC Dallas WHEC 716 1967 – Active CGH
USCGC Mellon WHEC 717 1967 – Active CGP
USCGC Chase WHEC 718 1968 – Active CGP
USCGC Boutwell WHEC 719 1968 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Sherman 378 Hamilton 720 1968 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Gallatin WHEC 721 1968 – Active CGH
USCGC Morgenthau WHEC 722 1969 – Active CGP
USCGC Rush WHEC 723 1968 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Munro WHEC 724 1971 – Active CGH
USCGC Jarvis WHEC 725 1970 – Active CGH
USCGC Midgett WHEC 726 1971 – Active CGH
CGP