USCGC SHERMAN

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Branch

U.S. Coast Guard

Members

About USCGC SHERMAN

USCGC SHERMAN (WHEC-720) was a high endurance cutter of the United States Coast Guard, commissioned in 1968. The Sherman served with distinction in the Vietnam War, conducting naval gunfire support and interdiction missions. Over her decades of service, she participated in numerous drug interdiction operations, migrant rescues, and fisheries enforcement patrols. The cutter was decommissioned in 2018 and later transferred to the Sri Lanka Navy, where she was recommissioned as SLNS Gajabahu.

Unit Members

David Roadman

U.S. Coast Guard

USCGC SHERMANView Profile

Bernard Cantz

U.S. Coast Guard

USCGC SHERMANView Profile

Photos

Thomas Blair - Today 2010

U.S. Coast Guard • 2010

About USCGC SHERMAN

About this Unit

Historical Facts

• Namesake: USCGC Sherman (WHEC-720) was named after John Sherman, a former Secretary of the Treasury who served under President Rutherford B. Hayes. • Commissioning: Sherman was commissioned into the U.S. Coast Guard on 3 September 1968, as part of the Hamilton-class high endurance cutters. • Vietnam Service: Sherman served during the Vietnam War, participating in Operation Market Time, which involved interdicting supplies by sea to North Vietnamese forces. • Drug Interdiction: In 2007, Sherman made one of the largest drug seizures in Coast Guard history at that time, intercepting the fishing vessel Gatun with over 20 tons of cocaine aboard. • International Operations: Sherman was deployed to various international missions, including serving as an enforcement platform for United Nations sanctions against Iraq in the 1990s. • Rescue Missions: Over her career, Sherman was credited with saving hundreds of lives at sea, performing multiple high-profile search and rescue operations. • Homeports: The cutter was homeported in several locations, including Boston, Massachusetts; Alameda, California; and Honolulu, Hawaii. • Modernization: Sherman underwent a major Fleet Renovation and Modernization (FRAM) program in the late 1980s, which upgraded her weapons and electronics systems. • Decommissioning: After nearly 50 years of service, Sherman was decommissioned on 29 March 2018, making her one of the longest-serving cutters of her class. • Transfer to Sri Lanka: After decommissioning, Sherman was transferred to the Sri Lanka Navy in 2018, where she was recommissioned as SLNS Gajabahu (P626), continuing her legacy in a new role.