USCGC Mendota (WHEC 69)

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.