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