About this Unit
USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722) was a high endurance cutter of the United States Coast Guard, commissioned in 1969. Named after former Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr., the cutter served for nearly five decades. Morgenthau participated in numerous missions, including combat operations during the Vietnam War, drug interdiction, search and rescue, and fisheries enforcement in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. After distinguished service, she was decommissioned in 2017 and transferred to the Vietnamese Coast Guard, where she continues to serve as CSB-8020.
Historical Facts
•
Historic Namesake: USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722) was named after Henry Morgenthau Jr., the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1934 to 1945, who oversaw the Coast Guard during World War II.
•
High Endurance Cutter: Morgenthau was one of the 12 Hamilton-class high endurance cutters, launched in 1968, designed for extended offshore patrols and missions.
•
Vietnam War Service: The cutter served in the Vietnam War, performing combat patrols and search and rescue missions as part of Operation Market Time, interdicting arms smuggling by sea.
•
Cold War Role: Morgenthau played a significant role in enforcing maritime law and U.S. interests during the Cold War, including fisheries patrols in the Bering Sea and North Pacific.
•
Innovative Technology: In 1989, Morgenthau became the first cutter to be equipped with a Shipboard Command and Control System (SCCS), integrating advanced computers and sensors.
•
Drug Interdiction Success: The crew of Morgenthau made several large drug busts in the 1980s and 1990s, including seizing over 15 tons of marijuana in a single operation.
•
Rescue Operations: Morgenthau was involved in numerous dramatic rescues, including saving Vietnamese "boat people" refugees in the South China Sea in the late 1970s.
•
Alaskan Waters: The cutter was homeported in Alaska for many years, enduring harsh conditions to protect U.S. economic zones, enforce fisheries laws, and support search and rescue.
•
Decommissioning and Transfer: Morgenthau was decommissioned on April 18, 2017, and transferred to the Vietnam Coast Guard, where she continues service as CSB 8020.
•
Legacy of Service: Over her nearly 50-year career, Morgenthau sailed over 1,500,000 miles, participated in countless missions, and became one of the Coast Guard’s most celebrated cutters.
