USCG

USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284) was a Wind-class icebreaker commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1947. Designed for polar operations, Edisto conducted numerous Arctic and Antarctic missions, including Operation Highjump and Operation Deep Freeze, supporting scientific research and resupply missions. Throughout her service, she played a vital role in icebreaking, search and rescue, and maintaining access to remote polar bases during the Cold War. Edisto was decommissioned in 1974, leaving a legacy of pioneering polar service in both hemispheres.

USCGC Firebush (WLB-393) was a 180-foot Iris-class buoy tender commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1944. Built by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding Company in Duluth, Minnesota, Firebush primarily served in Alaskan and later Atlantic waters, performing vital aids-to-navigation, search and rescue, and icebreaking missions. Throughout her career, she contributed to maritime safety by maintaining buoys and lighthouses and supporting coastal operations. After over six decades of service, Firebush was decommissioned in 2003, marking the end of her distinguished career in the Coast Guard fleet.

USCGC Forward (WMEC-911) is a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter commissioned in 1989 and homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia. Named after Revenue Cutter Service leader Walter Forward, the cutter has played a vital role in law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense missions throughout the Atlantic and Caribbean. Forward has participated in numerous high-profile drug interdictions, migrant operations, and disaster response efforts, including relief operations following major hurricanes. The cutter frequently operates with allied navies and has contributed to joint maritime security initiatives to protect U.S. and international interests.

USCGC Gresham refers to several cutters that served with the United States Coast Guard, the most notable being USCGC Gresham (WPG-85). Originally commissioned in 1897 as a revenue cutter, Gresham saw extensive service in both World War I and World War II, conducting patrol, escort, and rescue missions along the U.S. East Coast and in the North Atlantic. The cutter played a key role in enforcing Prohibition laws, aiding distressed vessels, and supporting wartime convoy operations. After decades of distinguished service, Gresham was finally decommissioned in 1944, marking the end of her long and varied career.

USCGC Mackinaw (WLBB-30) is a modern United States Coast Guard heavy icebreaker commissioned in 2006 to replace the original USCGC Mackinaw (WAGB-83), which served from World War II until 2006. Homeported in Cheboygan, Michigan, WLBB-30 is specifically designed for icebreaking operations on the Great Lakes, ensuring the safe passage of commercial shipping during harsh winter months. The cutter also performs search and rescue, law enforcement, and environmental response missions in the region. As the only heavy icebreaker assigned exclusively to the Great Lakes, the Mackinaw plays a crucial role in maintaining year-round economic activity and maritime safety in the area.

USCGC McCulloch was a revenue cutter commissioned by the United States in 1897, originally serving under the United States Revenue Cutter Service before merging into the U.S. Coast Guard. Notably, the McCulloch participated in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War in 1898, providing crucial support to Admiral Dewey's fleet. Following her wartime service, the cutter performed patrol, law enforcement, and rescue missions along the West Coast and Pacific regions. McCulloch remained active until she sank after a collision with a passenger steamship off the coast of California in 1917.

USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1946. Named after Lake Mendota in Wisconsin, the cutter primarily operated in the Atlantic, conducting law enforcement, search and rescue, and ocean station duties during the early years of the Cold War. In the late 1960s, Mendota served in Vietnam as part of Operation Market Time, helping to interdict the flow of supplies to North Vietnamese forces. The vessel was decommissioned in 1971, having played a significant role in both peacetime and combat missions throughout its service.

USCGC RELIANCE (WMEC-615) is the lead ship of the Reliance-class medium endurance cutters in the United States Coast Guard. Commissioned in 1964, the cutter has served extensively along the U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Its missions have included search and rescue, law enforcement, drug interdiction, and migrant operations. Over its distinguished service, RELIANCE has participated in numerous high-profile operations, earning accolades for its role in safeguarding U.S. maritime interests.

USCGC Sassafras (WLB-401) was a 180-foot seagoing buoy tender of the United States Coast Guard, commissioned in 1944. Built in Duluth, Minnesota, she served during World War II, performing vital aids to navigation, search and rescue, and icebreaking duties. Over her long career, Sassafras operated in various locations, including the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and was eventually homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii. After more than five decades of distinguished service, she was decommissioned in 2003 and later transferred to the Nigerian Navy.