USCGC Point Turner

• Commissioning and Class: USCGC Point Turner (WPB-82365) was an 82-foot Point-class cutter commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1967. • Vietnam War Service: Point Turner was one of 26 Point-class cutters deployed to Vietnam as part of Coast Guard Squadron One (Operation Market Time), tasked with interdicting North Vietnamese supply routes by sea. • Combat Engagements: While operating in Vietnam, Point Turner participated in several firefights with Viet Cong forces, earning the crew the Combat Action Ribbon. • Crew Size and Accommodations: The cutter was designed to be operated by an 8-man crew, but during Vietnam service, the crew complement increased due to increased operational demands and the addition of Vietnamese trainees. • Hull Number: The hull number WPB-82365 identifies it as the sixty-fifth Point-class cutter built, reflecting a mass production effort during the Cold War era. • Armament Modifications: Prior to Vietnam deployment, Point Turner was up-gunned from standard peacetime armament to include a combination over-under .50 caliber machine gun/81mm mortar, making it more effective in combat. • Transfer to South Vietnam: In 1970, USCGC Point Turner was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Navy as part of the Vietnamization process and was renamed RVNS Lê Tấn Hùng (HQ-719). • Distinguished Service: The cutter and her crew were recognized for their role in saving lives at sea, intercepting enemy smugglers, and supporting ground forces with naval gunfire during their deployment. • Postwar Fate: After the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, the fate of RVNS Lê Tấn Hùng (formerly Point Turner) is uncertain, with some sources suggesting it was scrapped or scuttled. • Legacy: The story of USCGC Point Turner exemplifies the multi-role nature of Coast Guard cutters, serving both in peacetime law enforcement and wartime combat, and highlights the versatility and bravery of their crews.