High endurance cutter

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National Security cutters, USCGC Bertholf and USCGC Waesche, cruise together. First 2 National Security cutters, the Bertholf and Waesche, cruise together.jpg
National Security cutters, USCGC Bertholf and USCGC Waesche, cruise together.

The designation of high endurance cutter (WHEC) was created in 1965 when the United States Coast Guard adopted its own designation system. High endurance cutters encompass the largest cutters previously designated by the United States Navy as gunboats, destroyer escorts, and seaplane tenders. [1] The term High Endurance Cutter may refer to any of five individual ship classes that have seen service in the Coast Guard.

Contents

Class history

Treasury-class cutter WHEC-37 USCGC Taney (WHEC-37) in Baltimore.jpg
Treasury-class cutter WHEC-37
Hamilton-class cutter USCGC Boutwell USCG Cutter Boutwell patrols the Arabian Sea.jpg
Hamilton-class cutter USCGC Boutwell

The US Coast Guard's predecessor, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service designated cutters and craft based on classes. From approximately 1890 through to the formation of the US Coast Guard in 1915, the largest cutters were considered "First" class, coastal cutters and large tugs "Second" class, and small tugs and cutters "Third" class. Small harbor craft and similar vessels were referred to as "Launches".

With the formation of the US Coast Guard in 1915 classes were replaced by names. First class vessels became Cruising Cutters, while second and third class vessels became Harbor Cutters. This was further divided in 1920 when former second class ships were designated Inshore Patrol Cutters. Small craft continued to be referred to as Launches.

Starting during Prohibition as part of the US Coast Guard's response to liquor smuggling, the service commissioned a number of ex-US Navy destroyers to enhance the fleet. These vessels were classified as Coast Guard Destroyers until 1942 when the Coast Guard adopted Navy-style ship classifications. To distinguish US Navy ships from Coast Guard ships, the prefix letter "W" was affixed in front of all Coast Guard ship classifications. "W" was selected as it was unused in the Navy, and was thus free to be assigned without changing or confusing existing classifications.

Following the conclusion of World War II, the Coast Guard was transferred back to control of the US Treasury Department, but retained the ship classification system.

In 1965 the Coast Guard began classifying all large cutters as High Endurance Cutters (WHEC).

Coast Guard Destroyers

During prohibition and post-World War II, several destroyers and destroyer escorts were transferred to the Coast Guard.

Sampson-class destroyers

Tucker-class destroyers

O'Brien-class destroyers

Cassin-class destroyers

Paulding-class destroyers

Clemson-class destroyers

Edsall-class destroyer escorts

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USS <i>Paulding</i> Paulding-class destroyer

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The Medium Endurance Cutter or WMEC is a type of United States Coast Guard Cutter mainly consisting of the 270-foot (82 m) Famous- and 210-foot (64 m) Reliance-class cutters. These larger cutters are under control of Area Commands. These cutters have adequate accommodations for crew to live on board and can do 6 to 8 week patrols.

<i>OBrien</i>-class destroyer Destroyer class of the US Navy

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<i>Tucker</i>-class destroyer Destroyer class of the US Navy

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Treasury-class cutter United States Coast Guard cutter class

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The Defoe Shipbuilding Company was a small ship builder established in 1905 in Bay City, Michigan, United States. It ceased to operate in 1976 after failing to renew its contracts with the United States Navy. The site of the former company is now being developed for business and housing on the bank of the Saginaw River.

USS <i>Biscayne</i> Tender of the United States Navy

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USS <i>Coos Bay</i> Tender of the United States Navy

USS Coos Bay (AVP-25) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946 that saw service during the latter half of World War II. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard from 1949 to 1966 as the cutter USCGC Coos Bay (WAVP-376), later WHEC-376.

USS <i>Unimak</i> Barnegat-class small seaplane tender

USS Unimak (AVP-31) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946 that saw service in World War II. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard as the cutter USCGC Unimak (WAVP-379), later WHEC-379, WTR-379, and again WHEC-379, from 1949 to 1975 and from 1977 to 1988.

USCGC <i>Chautauqua</i>

USCG Chautauqua (WHEC-41) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter which served with the US Coast Guard from 1945 to 1973. Originally intended for World War II service, she was commissioned only days before the end of hostilities and consequently never saw combat.

USCGC <i>Wachusett</i> (WHEC-44)

USCGC Wachusett (WHEC-44) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. She was commissioned too late for service in that war and consequently did not see wartime service until the Vietnam War.

USCGC <i>Winona</i>

USCGC Winona (WHEC-65) was an Owasco class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. The war ended before the ship was completed and consequently she did not see wartime service until the Vietnam War.

USCGC <i>Klamath</i>

USCGC Klamath (WHEC-66) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. The war ended before the ship was completed and consequently Klamath did not see wartime service until the Vietnam War.

USCGC <i>Androscoggin</i>

USCGC Androscoggin (WHEC-68) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. The war ended before the ship was completed and consequently Androscoggin did not see wartime service until the Vietnam war.

USCGC <i>Mendota</i> (WHEC-69) US Coast Guard vessel

USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69) was an Owasco class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. The ship was commissioned three months before the end of the war and did not see combat action until the Vietnam war.

USS <i>Humboldt</i> Tender of the United States Navy

USS Humboldt (AVP-21) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1941 to 1947 that served in the Atlantic during World War II. She was briefly reclassified as a miscellaneous auxiliary and redesignated AG-121 during 1945. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard as the cutter USCGC Humboldt (WAVP-372), later WHEC-372, from 1949 to 1969,

USS <i>Barataria</i> (AVP-33) Tender of the United States Navy

The second USS Barataria (AVP-33) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946. She saw service in the later stages of World War II and was decommissioned postwar. She then was transferred to the United States Coast Guard and was in commission as the Coast Guard cutter USCGC Barataria (WAVP-381), later WHEC-381 from 1949 to 1969, serving in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War during her lengthy Coast Guard career.

<i>Casco</i>-class cutter Class of United States Coast Guard cutter

The Casco class was a large class of United States Coast Guard cutters in commission from the late 1940s through the late 1980s. They saw service as weather reporting ships in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans until the early 1970s, and some saw combat service during the Vietnam War.

USS Cherokee (AT-66) was a US Navy fleet tug of the Navajo class, later renamed the Cherokee class. She was launched on 10 November 1939 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Staten Island, New York and sponsored by Miss E. Mark; and commissioned 26 April 1940. Cherokee served during World War II in the North African campaign. She was redesignated ATF-66 on 15 May 1944.

References

  1. "WHECS: A Photo Gallery". www.uscg.mil. Archived from the original on 2006-10-27.