Coast Guard Boat Information, Where to Find It

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Chuck Hill

U.S. Coast Guardsmen from the Sentinel-class fast-response cutter USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC 1147) board a vessel suspected of smuggling illegal narcotics during Focused Operation Crimson Barracuda in the Arabian Sea, April 10, 2024.

Marine Link has a brief overview of boats used by the Coast Guard. It provides a brief description of nine types and reports how many are in the inventory, but I knew there were a lot more.

It left out a lot of different types, including the 22 foot Cutter boat, large (used on 210-foot medium endurance cutters, 225-foot seagoing buoy tenders, and Cutters Alex Haley and Mackinaw), the small RHIB used on 87 foot WPBs, the Transportable Port Security Boats, and several special purpose boats.

The first full rate production cutter boat large, hull 22335, is delivered to Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless in Pensacola, Florida, Feb. 7, 2022. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

So I went looking for where a complete listing of Coast Guard boat types might be found.

Absolutely the best, most comprehensive source I found was “Boats Of The United States Coast Guard,” Prepared by the Office of Boat Forces (CG-731), 2024. It list 43 different types, including a photo, specifications, and numbers built and inservice.

The Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9) website also has detailed information about on going Response Boat, Medium and Response Boat, Small programs.

“The Coast Guard gave an overview of its boats fleet, including current and potential acquisition programs, during the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans in November 2024.”

The overview included some very interesting statistics about Coast Guard boats and their operations.

I’d would also like to recommend the annual Almanac issue of the Navy League’s Seapower Magazine as a ready reference and not just for Coast Guard boats. Three pages cover 16 types of Coast Guard boats and in most cases it also indicates how many of each type are in use, but it also includes almost 200 pages covering systems and leadership for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Maritime Administration, and NOAA.

As I started writing this post, I went back through my photo library and pulled some photos. It’s not detailed. It certainly isn’t complete, but perhaps it will help to comprehend the diversity of the Coast Guard fleet of boats. Also included are four photos (the last four below) from the overview presentation at the International Workboat Show linked above.

47-Foot Motor Life Boat (MLB) 47231 from Station Morrow Bay, 4 Dec 2007. Photo by Mike Baird

33-foot special purpose craft-law enforcement (SPC-LE) smallboat crew from Coast Guard Station Key West, Fla.,pulls alongside CGC Eagle in Atlantic April 13,2012.Several types of SPCs.SPC-LE ideal platform to interdict drug smugglers’ go-fast boats.can plane in under 3seconds top speed 60mph+.Enclosed heated air-conditioned cabin has shock mitigating seats,reducing fatigue, capable of operating more than 30 miles from shore. U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Brandyn Hill

RIMPAC 2018 will also be the first time that US Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team West (MSRT-W) participates in RIMPAC SOCAL. US Navy Photo

Long Range Interceptor and Over the Horizon Cutter Boat. Two small boat crews from Coast Guard Cutter Stratton are underway for operations in the Bering Sea, April 30, 2021. Cutter crews use the small boats to conduct a variety of missions including search and rescue and law enforcement. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy Ensign Molly Dolan.

Preliminary general arrangement drawing of the third generation of long range interceptor cutter boats to be made for the Coast Guard. Courtesy of MetalCraft Marine U.S. Inc.

A Coast Guard crew tests a newly delivered over the horizon V cutter boat near Cape May, New Jersey. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Response Boat, Medium (RB-M). Photo from Vigor

Arctic Survey Boat

29-foot Response Boat – Small II (RB-S II) 29249 passing by Pier 9, Honolulu Harbor. 9 March 2024.

Cutter Boat, Large (22 foot)

A United States Coast Guard (USCG) Port Security Unit (PSU) boat crew fire blank ammunition from .50 caliber heavy machine gun and M240b medium machine guns mounted on a patrol vessel during training.

Photo of a Coast Guard Maritime port security unit patrolling in a TPSB boat

36 foot Special Purpose Craft, Law Enforcement II

27’ Special Purpose Craft, Shallow Water II, by RECONCRAFT, 48 delivered

Trailerable Aids to Navigation Boat

Cutter Boat, AtoN, Small. Intended for the Waterways Commerce Cutters.

This Day in Coast Guard History, July 13

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

July 13

Sri Lanka Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Gajabahu, former USCGC Sherman

2001 CGC Sherman became the third cutter to circumnavigate the globe when she returned to the United States from a six-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of U.N. operations. During this cruise she conducted 219 queries, 115 boardings, and five diverts. Her crew saved 38 lives, including 11 Iraqi smugglers when their vessel sank in a storm off UAE. She towed a 33,000 ton carrier foundering in 50-foot seas off the Cape of Good Hope, saving 22 lives and keeping the ship from running aground at the entrance to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Her crew also saved 5 Costa Rican fishermen found after they were adrift for 21 days. (CGC Eastwind was the first cutter to circumnavigate the globe on a cruise in 1960-1961 and Southwind followed in 1968-1969.)

This Day in Coast Guard History, July 12

Posted on July 12, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

July 12

1953 Coast Guard aircraft and surface craft of the Search and Rescue Group at Wake Island joined with a large naval task unit in conducting an intensive search for a Transocean Air Lines DC-6 aircraft, Flight 512, last reported about 300 miles east of Wake Island. The scene of the crash was located although there were no survivors.

MCKINLEYVILLE, CA, 07.10.2019, Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jordan Akiyama, D 11

1994 Coast Guard HH-65 CG-6541 crashed in the early hours of July 12, 1994 near Shelter Cove, California, while responding to a sailing vessel in distress. When heavy pre-dawn fog made a visual approach impossible, the air crew performed several unsuccessful approaches to the sailing vessel, striking a shoreline cliff on the third attempt and taking the lives of all four crew members: LT Laurence Williams, LT Mark Koteek, ASMCS Peter Leeman, and AM1 Michael Gill.

Aerial view of Kotzebue, Alaska, U.S. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown

2013 The Coast Guard opened its seasonal forward operating location (FOL) in Kotzebue on October 12, 2013 in preparation for the anticipated increase of maritime activities in Western Alaska and the Bering Strait. FOL Kotzebue, part of Coast Guard Arctic Shield 2013, consisted of one Kodiak-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter with supporting air and ground crews, and was based out of the Alaska Army National Guard Hangar in Kotzebue.

Northwest Arctic Borough Alaska incorporated and unincorporated areas Kotzebue highlighted. From Wikipedia by Rcsprinter123

This Day in Coast Guard History, July 11

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

Portrait of Hamilton authoring the first draft of the U.S. Constitution in 1787

1804 Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded Alexander Hamilton in a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hamilton died the following day. Hamilton had been the first Secretary of the Treasury and had founded the Revenue Marine.

Revenue Cutter Dallas 1815

1818 The Revenue Cutter Dallas seized and libeled the Venezuelan privateer Cerony off Savannah for having violated the nation’s neutrality laws.

US Coast Guard crew of cutter Spencer watched as a depth charge exploded near U-175, North Atlantic, 500 nautical miles WSW of Ireland, 17 Apr 1943. Photo by Jack January

1941 Congress reconfirmed the military “status” of the Coast Guard, stating: “The Coast Guard shall be a military service and constitute a branch of the land and naval forces of the United States at all times and shall operate under the Treasury Department in time of peace and operate as part of the Navy, subject to the orders of the Secretary of the Navy, in time of war or when the President shall so direct.” (14 U.S.C. 1)

1942 The U.S. Maritime Service was transferred back to the War Shipping Administration after being under Coast Guard administration since February 28, 1942.

“Finnish and Canadian Firms Team Up to Offer Arctic Security Cutters to U.S. Coast Guard” –SixtyDegreesNorth

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Canadian CG MPV. Credit Aker Arctic.

Here we have a post from Peter Rybski (prybski@gmail.com) thought many of my readers might find interesting. It’s reprinted with his permission.

It suggests that a partnership of Canadian and Finnish shipyards may be in the lead to provide two Arctic Security Cutters using the design for the Canadian Coast Guard’s Multi-Purpose Vessel, a light icebreaker, and that follow on ships of this class would be built in the US.

This is not the first time Peter’s analysis has appeared here:

“Analyzing the Arctic Security Cutter Request for Information” –Sixty Degrees North

We have been following the Canadian Coast Guard’s Multi-purpose vessel program.

Canadian CG MPV. Credit Aker Arctic.

Note also that Canadian Shipbuilder Davie has announced an intention to acquire and modernize Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation with facilities in Port Arthur and Galveston.

Aerial photo of Gulf Copper Dry Dock and Rig Repair in Galveston, Texas. In the dry dock is the former USS Texas, length 573 ft (175 m) (overall), beam 95 ft 2.5 in (29.020 m), displacement 27,000 tons, so big enough for a Polar Security Cutter. Shutterstock photo by Felix Mizioznikov.

Finnish and Canadian Firms Team Up to Offer Arctic Security Cutters to U.S. Coast Guard

According to the proposal, Seaspan’s Multi-Purpose Icebreaker design would be built in Finland by Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC), with Aker Arctic (who did the concept design) providing support.

PETER RYBSKI

JUL 11, 2025

I’m currently away from Finland, visiting family in the USA. Last week, while I was grilling hamburgers and hot dogs during a family Independence Day Barbecue, a regional Finnish newspaper (Satakunnan Kansa) ran a very interesting article:

RMC’s Nieminen returned from a sales trip to the USA: “Rauma Shipyard is Number One.”

RMC is part of a consortium that is offering two icebreakers to the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as extensive training.

Caption: “We would have the shipyard ready for use at just the right time,” says RMC CEO Mika Nieminen hopefully.

(translation via google, with some corrections for clarification):

A satisfied man walked through Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on Thursday afternoon. RMC CEO Mika Nieminen returned from a sales trip to the USA, where he brought back some good news.

Nieminen was presenting the ship design of the consortium he represents to the US Coast Guard and the reception was excellent.

“Our ship design exceeded expectations and it is the design that the Coast Guard wants. The number one is the Rauma shipyard, which would also build it. The feedback was very positive.”

In addition to RMC, the consortium represented by Nieminen includes the Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards and the Finnish ship design firm Aker Arctic Technology Oy.

The Canadian shipyard will start building medium-sized icebreakers based on the same model next year. Canada plans to build 16 icebreakers. This same ship model is now being offered to the US Coast Guard, but with RMC building the ships.

This is clearly referring to Seaspan’s Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design, which I discussed in a recent article:

Analyzing the Arctic Security Cutter Request for Information

PETER RYBSKI

JUN 15

Read full story

Canada’s Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI, formerly known as the Multi-Purpose Vessel): Modern design that meets all of the listed requirements [for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic Security Cutters]. The first flight of six vessels (of a planned sixteen) are scheduled to be built by Seaspan at their Vancouver shipyard….

Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyard is at capacity through approximately 2029. While they will begin building MPIs for the Canadian Coast Guard, there is no room to build one for the U.S. Coast Guard in the relevant timeframe….

Building MPIs at RMC is an interesting idea, but I have no idea if that is actually under consideration.

It is more than just under consideration. According to the Satakunnan Kansa article, RMC would build the first two MPIs for the U.S. Coast Guard in Finland by 2028. The deal would also involve working with U.S. shipbuilders to ensure they had the training and skill to build subsequent vessels of the class in the USA. Cost information is not yet available.

Canadian Coast Guard Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI). Source: Seaspan
Note: The MPI image does not show the right propulsors; it will use Steerprop’s contra-rotating propulsors (CRP). Additionally according to Seaspan, the design could easily be upgraded to PC3. Confirmation from Seaspan and Aker Arctic.

In April, Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat published an article about negotiations between the U.S. Coast Guard and RMC to build a significant number of icebreakers, but the details were not subsequently confirmed. Before publishing this article, I reached out to RMC, Seaspan, and Aker Arctic for comments. As of press time, Aker Arctic and Seaspan responded, confirming many of the details in the article.

Arto Uuskallio, Head of Sales at Aker Arctic, commented via e-mail:

It’s natural that we are involved, since the MPI is an Aker Arctic concept, and it’s good to have a partner onboard who understands the possibilities and limitations of the ship concept. More detailed comments will likely come from the shipyards.

Dave Hargreaves, Seaspan’s Senior Vice President for Strategy, Business Development, and Communication, provided the following comments via e-mail:

We have consulted with many U.S. and non-U.S. shipyards regarding their readiness and aptitude to build the MPI design for the U.S. Coast Guard ASC program including Rauma Shipyard in Finland.

Rauma has a track record of delivering ice-capable vessels in less than 36 months — including recent programs. As a fully capable, end-to-end shipyard, Rauma is the lowest risk and best option to meet the 36-month requirement. Unlike other shipyards, Rauma has an active panel line and block fabrication facility that is ready to start production today — it does not require any further investment or ramp up in workforce to begin construction. This significantly lowers the risk of meeting the schedule requirement.

Together, with Rauma and Aker, Seaspan has developed a comprehensive plan detailing how we will work with a U.S. shipyard to transfer the design, knowledge, expertise and build plans to enable future ASC vessels to be built in the United States. This approach will deliver a comprehensive, U.S.-built ASC fleet for the U.S. Coast Guard while enhancing domestic icebreaker shipbuilding — avoiding the delays, costs and risks of long-term, high-investment alternatives.

I take his comment about schedule risk as a subtle dig at Davie/Helsinki Shipyard. I’ve been reading these press releases and comments long enough to see the back-and-forth, sometimes subtle, between Seaspan and Davie, and RMC and Helsinki Shipyard. I expect to read more of this, but am much more interested in tracking the progress of ongoing ship construction (such as the Canadian Polar Icebreakers being built by Seaspan and Davie) than in following their rhetorical barbs.

Helsinki Shipyard has an excellent track record of delivering icebreakers in less than thirty-six months, as I noted here.

Rauma Marine Constructions was unable to provide additional comments by publication time, but did say that more information would be coming out soon.

Thoughts and Comments

The Multi-Purpose Icebreaker is a solid design, and Rauma Marine Constructions is a capable shipyard with a solid track record. As my goal in writing about icebreakers has always been to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in getting the ships that it needs in a relevant timeline, I view the Seaspan/RMC/Aker consortium’s proposal as a positive development.

Davie does not comment on any of its ongoing negotiations, but it seems likely that it is offering its MPPS-100 to the U.S. Coast Guard to be built first in Helsinki Shipyard, and later (perhaps) in Texas.

The only announced player without any information about its proposed design is the United Shipbuilding Alliance created by Bollinger and Edison Chouest Offshore.

May the U.S. Coast Guard get the best ships for its needs in the shortest amount of time and at a good price! I’ll certainly be tracking all of these details closely.

Thanks for reading. Be sure to subscribe and share so that you never miss an update on this fast-moving and important topic.

Until next time-

All the Best,

PGR

“Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane returns home following patrol in Oceania” –News Release / French OPV Comparison

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Chuck Hill

U.S. Coast Guardsmen assigned to medium endurance cutter USCGC Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) moor the cutter at a pier in Taiohae, French Polynesia, May 18, 2025. The crew visited Nuka Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia, as part of their 73-day patrol supporting Operation Blue Pacific. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Kenneth Shellenberger)

Below is a news release from Coast Guard District Oceania. That Harriet Lane is patrolling in the Western Pacific is getting to be routine, but I am publishing it here, first because I love the photo above, but also because I thought you might be interested in the French Overseas Patrol Vessel Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai mentioned in the text. It is one of a class of six and was commissioned in July 2024.

I did a post on the class in June 2024, “The Félix Éboué class, a Modern, Minimalist, Medium Endurance Cutter.” I published the photos below as part of that post, but am posting them below for convenience. This class is essentially the embodiment of my Cutter X concept, taking the crew, equipment, and capabilities of a Webber class WPC and putting them in a more seaworthy hull with the greater endurance the Webber class lacks.

Earlier I compared the class to the Webber class, but let’s compare and contrast the French OPV with the Bear Class ships like Harriet Lane.

————————————Bear Class———————Félix Éboué class

Displacement: ———–1800 tons————————–1300 tons
Length: ——————-270 ft (82 m)———————-80 m (262 ft 6 in)
Beam: ——————–38 ft (11.6 m)———————-11.8 m (38 ft 9 in)
Draft: ———————14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)—————–3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Propulsion: —————7,000 SHP————————10,320 SHP
Speed: ——————–19.5 knots————————-24 knots
Range: ———————6,370 nmi @ 15 knots ———5,500 nmi
Complement: ————-100——————————30, accommodations for 59
Boats: ———————-8 m + 6 m———————-2x 8m
Helo Deck & hangar ——-Yes—————————–No
UAV: ————————–No——————————Yes
Space for Container——-No——————————Yes
Electric motors for Loiter–No——————————Yes

Biggest difference is crew size, closer to an FRC than an MEC. Harriet Lane’s crew may be less than 100 since removal of the Mk75 gun and Mk92 fire control, but still three times as large.

The French OPV, using less horsepower than the Webber class are faster by 4.5 knots. The MEC still has greater range, but the French OPV’s range is notably more than twice that of the Webber class. The greater displacement might suggest the MEC is more seaworthy but the positioning of the French OPV’s bridge well aft would make watch standing there more comfortable. I have to say, I like the look of the French ship’s bow a lot better than that on the Bear class.

Harriet Lane has a flight deck and hangar but sails without an embarked helicopter, while the French OPV has only facilities to support a projected VTOL UAV with a catapult launched UAV filling in for now.

Forgoing the larger flight deck and hangar allows the French OPV a more spacious Fantail with space for containerized systems and a stern ramp for boat operations.

The French OPV seems to have better boat handling facilities with both stern ramp and davit launched 8 meter RHIBs.

Auguste Bénébig. Photo: http://www.meretmarine.com

The second of the French Navy’s six new overseas patrol vessels (POMs), the Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai, which will be based in French Polynesia and has been named in tribute to a Companion of the Liberation native of this Pacific territory, Photo: http://www.meretmarine.com

The Teriieroo at Teriierooiterai fitting out at the end of July, 2023 in Boulogne. Photo: http://www.meretmarine.com

Stern ramp for 8 meter RHIB. French Navy overseas patrol vessel (POM), Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai, fitting out 2023. Photo: http://www.meretmarine.com

Second 8 meter RHIB and davit on starboard side. French Navy overseas patrol vessel (POM), Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai, fitting out 2023. Photo: http://www.meretmarine.com

Aliaca aerial drone on its launch catapult. French Navy overseas patrol vessel (POM), Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai, fitting out 2023. Photo: http://www.meretmarine.com

Editor’s Note: Click here to download video.

HONOLULU – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) returned to Honolulu Wednesday following a 73-day patrol in support of Coast Guard Oceania District’s Operation Blue Pacific.

The Harriet Lane crew departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in April to conduct joint operations and territorial integrity missions across Oceania. Patrolling more than 15,000 nautical miles around the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, and American Samoa, the cutter’s crew worked alongside interagency and Pacific Island partners to reinforce the rules-based international maritime order in the region.

“The crew demonstrated their professionalism, grit, and dedication to strengthening maritime governance in Oceania,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Brennan Augustine, senior maritime enforcement specialist aboard the Harriet Lane. “The crew’s commitment and teamwork with our law enforcement partners protects America’s maritime borders and drives stability in the region.”

The Harriet Lane crew exercised partnerships with Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Zealand, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement through bilateral maritime law enforcement agreements, professional exchanges, and domestic federal maritime law enforcement operations.

In the Cook Islands’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Harriet Lane crew and two Ministry of Marine Resources officers conducted six boardings of fishing vessels, resulting in one suspected violation.

In French Polynesia, the crew conducted joint operations and exercises with French Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific (ALPACI) to enhance collective maritime domain awareness while sustaining rules-based international norms regarding high seas fishing. Coordinating with an ALPACI aviation asset, the Harriet Lane crew conducted two Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) high seas boardings and inspections on commercial fishing vessels, resulting in one potential violation.

The crew conducted 14 additional high seas boarding and inspections on commercial fishing vessels, resulting in two potential violations of conservation and management measures under the WCPFC.

While in American Samoa, the Harriet Lane crew hosted a reception attended by U.S. Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen’s staff delegation, American Samoa Attorney General Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde, the Assistant Director of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement Pacific Islands Division, and representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, American Samoa Department of Port Administration, American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, as well as command and crew from the French Overseas Patrol Vessel Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai. Event attendees discussed the deterrence of threats to regional security and illicit maritime activities that affect U.S. border security, regional security and economic prosperity.

Commissioned in 1984, Cutter Harriet Lane is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Honolulu to support Coast Guard missions in the Pacific region. The service’s medium endurance cutter fleet supports a variety of Coast Guard missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, maritime defense, and protection of the marine environment.

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This Day in Coast Guard History, July 10

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

July 10

1820 The Revenue cutter Gallatin captured 19 men illegally recruited for the Columbian privateer Wilson and chased that vessel and her Spanish prize, Santiago, to sea from the harbor at Charleston, South Carolina.

1882 At 5 o’clock in the afternoon, during a violent storm of wind and rain, the steam-yacht John Bueg, of Rochester, New York, having on board a party of twelve excursionists, consisting of two men, two women, and eight children, was driven ashore one mile and a half east of the harbor piers at Charlotte, Lake Ontario, New York. She was discovered by a surfman of Station No. 4, Ninth District, who waded out to her in the surf, carried the children in his arms, and then assisted the women to shore. The yacht was towed off by a steamer, having sustained slight damage.

2021 CGC Healy (WAGB 20) departed Seattle on 10 July 2021, for a months-long Arctic deployment and circumnavigation of North America. Arctic domain.

This Day in Coast Guard History, July 9

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

July 9

The USCGC McLane, docked at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan. Photo from JJonahJackalope via Wikipedia.

1942 USCGC McLane and the Coast Guard-manned patrol craft USS YP-251 reportedly sank the Japanese submarine RO-32 off Sitka, Alaska. However, the Navy Department did not officially credit either vessel with the sinking. The RO-32 was stricken from the Japanese Navy rolls in April, 1942 as obsolete and Japanese records indicated that no Japanese submarine was lost or damaged in Alaskan waters on that date.

1943 Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, commenced on this date. Coast Guard-manned ships landed the first Allied troops in the assault, including 24 LCI(L)s of Flotilla 4 under the command of CAPT Miles Imlay and LSTs 326 and 381. Coast Guard-manned attack transports USS Joseph T. Dickman, Leonard Wood, and Samuel Chase also participated.

USS Joseph T. Dickman (APA-13) underway in April 1942. Her camouflage is Measure 32R.
US Navy photo #: NH 99278 from the collections of the Naval Historand Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com.

US Coast Guard manned Attack Transport USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) underway 28 April 1944. Source Robert Hurst

U.S. Navy attack transport USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) at anchor, circa in 1943. USCG photo.

1946 Sixteen Coast Guardsmen were killed when the B-17 aircraft they were flying as passengers in crashed into Mount Tom, Massachusetts. These Coast Guardsmen were all returning from duty in Greenland.

1986 A fire broke out at the Bayonne, New Jersey gasoline mixing faciility. Coast Guard units responded to fight the fire.

Another Containerized Weapon System

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Chuck Hill

The War Zone has identified,

“An unknown containerized launcher able to fire the same suite of artillery rockets and ballistic missiles as the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System(MLRS) and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) seen at the U.S. Army’s Fort Bragg earlier this year has been identified. This comes as the Army’s top general in the Indo-Pacific region has highlighted the value of “boxes of rockets” hiding in plain sight as part of a broader strategy that “gives our adversary pause.”

Just wanted to note that this and similar types of containerized weapons could be mounted on flight decks or even buoy decks of cutters. In Alaska where there are essentially no Navy surface vessels and few roads, this could be important in the first days of a conflict.

This Day in Coast Guard History, July 8

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

July 8

1791 Secretary of the Treasury authorized Collectors of Customs to disburse for cutters and to pay officers as agents of the Secretary.

Coast Guard AIRSTA Cape Cod HH-3F hoist an ill crewman from Soviet ship Skaltste Bereg.

1977 A Coast Guard HH-3F from AIRSTA Cape Cod flew 260 miles offshore to hoist an ill crewman from the 500-foot Soviet refrigerator ship Skaltste Bereg.