USCGC Cape Upright (95303)

• Class and Type: The USCGC Cape Upright (WPB-95303) was a 95-foot Cape-class patrol boat, part of a series built for the United States Coast Guard in the 1950s. • Construction: She was constructed by the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, and was commissioned in 1953. • Primary Missions: Cape Upright was designed primarily for law enforcement, search and rescue (SAR), anti-smuggling, and coastal patrol duties during her service. • Homeport Assignments: Over her career, she was stationed at various ports, including Provincetown, Massachusetts, and Miami Beach, Florida. • Cuban Refugee Operations: During the 1960s and 1980s, Cape Upright was involved in the interdiction of Cuban refugees and migrants during periods of mass exodus, notably during the Mariel Boatlift in 1980. • Vietnam War Service: While Cape Upright herself did not serve in Vietnam, several Cape-class cutters were transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy as part of Operation Market Time; Cape Upright’s sisters saw extensive combat use. • Drug Interdiction: Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Cape Upright was actively involved in anti-drug smuggling operations along the southeastern United States and Florida Straits. • Search and Rescue Successes: The cutter participated in numerous at-sea rescues, saving both recreational boaters and commercial mariners in distress in the Atlantic and Caribbean waters. • Hull Number: Her official hull number was WPB-95303, indicating she was the third vessel of the 95-foot patrol boat class. • Decommissioning and Transfer: USCGC Cape Upright was decommissioned in 1990 and was transferred to the government of The Bahamas, where she continued service as part of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.