U.S. Coast Guard

USCGC Cape Starr (WPB-95322) was a 95-foot Cape-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1953. Designed for law enforcement, search and rescue, and maritime patrol duties, Cape Starr served primarily along the U.S. East Coast during the height of the Cold War. The cutter participated in numerous search and rescue missions, enforcing maritime laws and assisting distressed vessels. After decades of service, USCGC Cape Starr was decommissioned in the late 1980s, marking the end of its distinguished operational career.

USCGC Cape Upright (WPB-95303) was a 95-foot Cape-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1953. Designed primarily for law enforcement, search and rescue, and maritime patrol duties, she operated along the U.S. East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Throughout her service, Cape Upright played a key role in interdicting illegal activities and providing aid to vessels in distress. The cutter was decommissioned in 1990, marking nearly four decades of dedicated service to maritime safety and security.

USCGC Cimarron (WLR-65502) is a 65-foot river buoy tender commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1964. Assigned to the Eighth Coast Guard District, she has operated primarily along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, maintaining vital navigational aids for commercial and military vessels. Throughout her service, Cimarron and her crew have supported flood response missions, search and rescue operations, and ensured the safe passage of maritime traffic on America's inland waterways. As part of the Coast Guard's inland fleet, she exemplifies the service's commitment to safety, security, and stewardship on the nation's rivers.

USCGC Columbine (WAGL/WLI-208) was a U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender built in 1942 and originally commissioned to aid in navigation and support maritime operations during World War II. Serving primarily along the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River, Columbine was responsible for maintaining aids to navigation, ensuring safe passage for both military and commercial vessels. Over her decades of service, the cutter also participated in search and rescue operations, environmental protection missions, and disaster response efforts. Columbine was decommissioned in 1972, marking the end of her long and distinguished career supporting the Coast Guard’s mission.

USCGC Cosmos (WLI-293) was a 100-foot inland buoy tender commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1943. Built during World War II, Cosmos was primarily tasked with maintaining aids to navigation along inland waterways, ensuring safe passage for military and commercial vessels. Throughout her service, she operated mainly in the Great Lakes region, playing a crucial role in supporting maritime operations and logistics. After decades of reliable service, the Cosmos was eventually decommissioned as newer vessels took over her vital mission.

USCGC Point Franklin (WPB-82350) was a Point-class cutter commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1967. Designed for law enforcement, search and rescue, and coastal patrol duties, she served primarily along the U.S. coasts during her operational career. Point Franklin was notable for her advanced design features, including a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, which increased durability and performance. After decades of service, she was eventually decommissioned and transferred to another nation as part of U.S. military assistance programs.

USCGC Farallon (WPB 1301) is an Island-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1986. Named after the Farallon Islands off the coast of California, she primarily operated out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, where her missions included maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and counter-narcotics patrols throughout the Caribbean Sea. Farallon played a key role in interdicting illegal drug trafficking and migrant smuggling, often coordinating with other U.S. and allied assets. After more than three decades of service, she was decommissioned in 2022 and transferred to the Dominican Republic Navy as part of U.S. security cooperation efforts.

USCGC GREENBRIER (WLR-75500) is a 75-foot river buoy tender serving in the United States Coast Guard. Commissioned in 1990, GREENBRIER is based out of Natchez, Mississippi, and operates primarily along the lower Mississippi River and its tributaries. The vessel’s primary mission is to maintain aids to navigation, ensuring safe passage for commercial and military vessels in the region. Named for the Greenbrier River in West Virginia, the GREENBRIER continues the legacy of earlier Coast Guard and Lighthouse Service vessels that served inland waterways since the early 20th century.

Certainly! Here is a concise military history of each of the listed units: **USCGC Hamilton (WMSL-753):** Commissioned in 2014, the USCGC Hamilton is a Legend-class national security cutter of the United States Coast Guard. Named after Alexander Hamilton, she has conducted numerous law enforcement, counter-narcotics, and search and rescue missions in the Atlantic and Caribbean, often intercepting large quantities of illicit drugs. Hamilton represents the cutting edge of Coast Guard capabilities and regularly participates in joint international maritime operations. **MIO New Orleans:** Marine Inspection Office (MIO) New Orleans has long served as a key Coast Guard facility for the inspection, regulation, and safety enforcement of commercial vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico and Lower Mississippi River. Established to ensure maritime safety and environmental protection, MIO New Orleans has played a vital role in supporting regional security, especially during incidents such as Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. **VTS New York:** Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) New York, operated by the US Coast Guard, is one of the busiest vessel traffic management centers in the world. Established in the 1970s, it provides continuous monitoring and navigational assistance for ships entering and exiting the Port of New York and New Jersey, significantly enhancing maritime safety and security for one of America’s most critical harbors. **VTS New Orleans:** Vessel Traffic Service New Orleans, also managed by the Coast Guard, oversees vessel movements along the Lower Mississippi River, a critical artery for American commerce. Since its inception, VTS New Orleans has improved navigation safety, coordinated traffic during high-risk conditions such as hurricanes and floods, and played an essential role in maintaining the efficient flow of goods through the Port of New Orleans.

USCGC Ida Lewis (WLM-551) is a Keeper-class coastal buoy tender of the United States Coast Guard, commissioned in 1997. Named after the famed lighthouse keeper Ida Lewis, the vessel is primarily tasked with maintaining aids to navigation along the New England coast. Homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, USCGC Ida Lewis has also participated in search and rescue operations, environmental protection missions, and homeland security patrols. Over its service, the cutter has played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of maritime traffic in some of the busiest and most challenging waters of the Northeast United States.

USCGC JEFFERSON ISLAND (WPB-1340) is an Island-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1991. Built at Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana, the cutter was designed for maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and homeland security missions. Throughout her service, JEFFERSON ISLAND conducted numerous drug interdictions, migrant operations, and fisheries enforcement patrols, primarily in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The cutter has played a vital role in upholding U.S. maritime interests, often working alongside other federal agencies and international partners until her decommissioning in 2022.

USCGC Klamath (WHEC-66) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1946. Initially stationed on the West Coast, Klamath performed a range of peacetime missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, and ocean station duties. During the Vietnam War, the Klamath was deployed as part of Operation Market Time, conducting coastal patrols and interdiction operations to prevent the infiltration of supplies by sea. The cutter served with distinction until her decommissioning in 1973, contributing significantly to Coast Guard operations during the Cold War era.

USCGC Lamar (WSC-144) was a 125-foot Active-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1927. Originally designed for Prohibition-era law enforcement, she served on the East Coast, conducting anti-smuggling and search and rescue operations. During World War II, Lamar was adapted for wartime service, performing convoy escort and coastal patrol duties to safeguard American waters from enemy submarines and other threats. After decades of service, she was decommissioned in the late 1940s, reflecting the evolving needs of the Coast Guard in the postwar period.

USCGC LIBERTY (WPB-1334) was an Island-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1989. Based in Auke Bay, Alaska, LIBERTY conducted search and rescue, law enforcement, and fisheries patrol missions in the challenging waters of Southeast Alaska. The cutter was notable for its role in enforcing maritime laws, protecting living marine resources, and ensuring maritime safety in the region. After decades of service, USCGC LIBERTY was decommissioned in 2021 as part of the Coast Guard's fleet modernization efforts.

USCGC Lilac (WLM-227) was a United States Coast Guard buoy tender launched in 1933 and commissioned the same year. Built at the Pusey & Jones Shipyard in Wilmington, Delaware, Lilac served primarily along the East Coast, maintaining aids to navigation and performing icebreaking duties. Throughout World War II, the vessel supported wartime logistics by ensuring crucial harbor channels and navigational routes remained open and safe. Decommissioned in 1972, USCGC Lilac is now preserved as a museum ship in New York City, recognized as the last surviving steam-powered lighthouse tender in America.

USCGC Mallet (WTR-761) was an Iris-class buoy tender constructed for the United States Coast Guard during World War II. Launched in 1944, Mallet primarily served along the U.S. East Coast and in the Caribbean, performing vital aids-to-navigation duties, search and rescue operations, and logistical support missions. The cutter played a key role in maintaining safe waterways by servicing buoys and other navigational markers critical to both military and commercial shipping. After decades of dedicated service, USCGC Mallet was decommissioned in 1969, marking the end of her contribution to U.S. maritime safety and security.

USCGC Marlin (WPB-87310) is a Marine Protector-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 2000. Assigned primarily to Sector Key West, Florida, Marlin conducts a variety of missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, and homeland security operations in the Straits of Florida and the Caribbean. The cutter has played a significant role in migrant interdiction and drug enforcement operations, often working in coordination with other Coast Guard units and federal agencies. USCGC Marlin exemplifies the Coast Guard’s commitment to maritime safety and national security in one of the busiest and most challenging maritime regions in the United States.

USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter of the United States Coast Guard, commissioned in 1946. Initially designed for anti-submarine warfare during World War II, her service began too late to see action in the conflict. Throughout her career, Mendota performed a variety of missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, and ocean station duties in the Atlantic Ocean. She was decommissioned in 1971, marking nearly 25 years of peacetime and Cold War maritime service.

USCGC Metompkin (WPB 1325) was an Island-class patrol boat commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1988. Named after Metompkin Island, Virginia, she was primarily assigned to maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and homeland security missions along the U.S. East Coast. Throughout her service, Metompkin played a key role in drug interdiction operations and migrant interdiction efforts, reflecting the Coast Guard’s expanding post-Cold War missions. After more than two decades of active duty, Metompkin was decommissioned in 2011 as part of the Coast Guard’s modernization and fleet renewal program.

USCGC Mobile Bay (WTGB-103) is a Bay-class icebreaking tug of the United States Coast Guard, homeported in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Commissioned in 1979, the cutter is primarily tasked with icebreaking operations on the Great Lakes, ensuring vital winter navigation for commercial shipping. In addition to icebreaking, Mobile Bay performs aids-to-navigation duties, search and rescue, and environmental protection missions. Throughout its service, the vessel has played a crucial role in maintaining safe and efficient maritime traffic in the region's challenging winter conditions.

USCGC Monhegan (WPB-1305) was a United States Coast Guard Island-class patrol boat commissioned in 1989. Stationed at various times along the Atlantic coast, Monhegan was primarily tasked with search and rescue, law enforcement, and maritime security operations. The cutter participated in numerous drug interdiction missions and migrant interdiction patrols, playing a key role in upholding U.S. maritime laws. After over two decades of service, Monhegan was decommissioned in 2021 as part of the Coast Guard's fleet modernization program.

USCGC MORRO BAY (WTGB-106) is a Bay-class 140-foot icebreaking tug of the United States Coast Guard, commissioned in 1981. Homeported in Cleveland, Ohio, MORRO BAY’s primary missions include domestic icebreaking, search and rescue, and aids to navigation in the Great Lakes region. Over the decades, the cutter has played a critical role in ensuring wintertime maritime commerce by keeping shipping lanes open and assisting vessels trapped by ice. MORRO BAY is also involved in multi-mission operations, such as environmental protection and port security, supporting both local and national Coast Guard objectives.

USCGC Oak (WAGL-239) was a buoy tender of the United States Coast Guard, commissioned in 1940. Built in Duluth, Minnesota, Oak served throughout World War II, primarily tasked with maintaining aids to navigation and conducting search and rescue operations along the U.S. East Coast. Over her decades of service, she also supported icebreaking operations and law enforcement missions. Oak was decommissioned in 1976 after a distinguished career, exemplifying the vital support role of Coast Guard buoy tenders in ensuring maritime safety and security.

USCGC Obion (WLR-65519) is a United States Coast Guard river buoy tender that was commissioned in 1964. Built to maintain aids to navigation along the inland waterways, Obion has operated primarily on the Mississippi, Ohio, and Illinois Rivers. Throughout her service, she has played a vital role in ensuring safe riverine navigation for both military and commercial traffic, especially during periods of high water and severe weather. The vessel’s dedicated crew has also assisted in search and rescue operations and provided support during national emergencies, showcasing the multifaceted mission of the Coast Guard’s inland fleet.