Return to White Hulls

Medium Endurance Cutters

By 1993 the Coast Guard recognized the need for major Fleet renovations
Immediately, the new 87′ PB would replace the 82s
Many one-of-a-kind cutters were scheduled to be decommissoned
Project Deepwater was placed on contract in 2001 to address other issues
A newly designed 418′ National Security Cutter would replace the 378s
A newly designed Fast Response Cutter (FRC) would replace the 110s
Design issues caused the FRC to be replaced by the off-the-shelf Sentinel-Class
A newly designed Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) would replace the 210s and 270s
Design issues also forced cancellation of the OPC
A new design contract was awarded in February 2014
The aging 210s and 270s will remain in service for the forseeable future

230′ Storis Class Medium Endurance Cutter
Built as a supply cutter for the Greenland patrol
Basically a stretched 180′ buoy tender with an Duck on the fantail
Stationed in Boston after the war
1 July 1957 Set out with CGCs Spar and Bramble to find
a deep water channel through the Arctic Ocean
This transit ended the 450 year search for the Northwest Passage
Returned to Greenland via the passage and then transited to Alaska
via the Panama Canal becoming the first cutter to
circumnavigate the North American Continent
Performed ice breaking duty until 1972
Converted to Medium Endurance Cutter
Decommissioned in 2007
Known as the Galloping Coast of the Alaskan Coast
Queen of the Fleet 1991 to 2007
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Storis WAGB/WAGO/WMEC 38 1942 – 2007 CGH

213 Diver Class Medium Endurance Cutter
Commissioned in 1944 as USS Shackle (ARS 9)
Transferred to the Coast Guard in 1946
Served in Boston
Took part in the Two Tankers Rescue in 1952
and on International Ice Patrol cruises
1968 to 1971: Oceanographic Research Cutter (WAGO)
Attached to Office of Naval Research
and Scripps Oceanographic Institute
as part of the NOAA National Data Buoy Project
Became known as NOAA’s Ark
1978: desiganted a Medium Endurance Cutter
1990: transferred to Eureka, CA and operated in Alaskan waters
1998: Transferred to Ketchikan, AK
Queen of the Fleet from 2007 to 2011
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Acushnet
(ex USS Shackel ARS 9)
WAT/WMEC 167 1946 – 2011 CGH

210′ Reliance Class Medium Endurance Cutter
The longest serving white one still in active service
Scheduled to be replaced by the OPC, which was cancelled
Design contract for a replacement was awarded in February 2014
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Reliance WPC/WMEC 615 1964 – Active CGP
USCGC Diligence WPC/WMEC 616 1946 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Vigilant WPC/WMEC 617 1964 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Active WPC/WMEC 618 1965 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Confidence WPC/WMEC 619 1966 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Resolute WPC/WMEC 620 1966 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Valiant WPC/WMEC 621 1967 – Active CGH
USCGC Courageous WPC/WMEC 622 1968 – Active
USCGC Steadfast WPC/WMEC 623 1968 – Active CGH
USCGC Dauntless WPC/WMEC 624 1968 – Active CGH
CGP
USCGC Venturous WPC/WMEC 625 1968 – Active CGH
USCGC Dependable WPC/WMEC 626 1968 – Active CGH
USCGC Vigorous WPC/WMEC 627 1969 – Active CGH
USCGC Durable WPC/WMEC 628 1968 – Active
USCGC Decisive WPC/WMEC 629 1968 – Active CGH
USCGC Alert WPC/WMEC 630 1969 – Active CGH
CGP

270 Famous Class Medium Endurance Cutter
Scheduled to be replaced by the OPC, which was cancelled
Design contract for a replacement was awarded in February 2014
Model: Yes

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Pictures
USCGC Bear WMEC 901 1983 – Active CGH
USCGC Tampa WMEC 902 1984 – Active CGH
USCGC Harriet Lane WMEC 903 1984 – Active CGH
CGH
USCGC Northland WMEC 904 1984 – Active
USCGC Spencer WMEC 905 1986 – Active CGH
USCGC Seneca WMEC 906 1987 – Active CGH
USCGC Escanaba WMEC 907 1987 – Active
USCGC Tahoma WMEC 908 1988 – Active CGH
USCGC Campbell WMEC 909 1988 – Active CGH
USCGC Thetis WMEC 910 1989 – Active
USCGC Forward WMEC 911 1990 – Active CGH
USCGC Legare WMEC 912 1990 – Active CGH
USCGC Mohawk WMEC 913 1991 – Active CGH

Edenton Class Medium Endurance Cutter
Commissioned in 1971 as USS Edenton
Acquired by the Coast Guard in 1999
Named for author Alex Haley
Acquired ti replace the aging Acushnet
Serves in Alaska
Alex Haley joined the Coast Guard in 1939 as a Steward
He developed his writing skills during the Pacific war
After the war he petitioned the Coast Guard to creat a photojournalist rate
Haley became the first Coast Guard PJ and the first PJ Chief Petty Officer
Haley retired from the Coast Guard in 1959
He worked as an interviewer for Playboy
and had an impressive list of interviewees
His first book was The Autobiography of Malcolm X
In 1976 he published Roots
Haley died in 1992
Model: No

Designation Name Class Hull Service Comments Picture
USCGC Alex Haley
(ex USS Edenton)
WMEC 39 2000 – Active