The 378' High Endurance Cutter

[LTGunner]

The 378' High Endurance Cutter
History and Lifecycle of the Secretary / Hero Class Coast Guard Cutters



The Hamilton prepares to undergo her pre-acceptance trials in early 1967.  Note her incomplete paint scheme.  All of the cutters were built by the Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans between 1965 and 1972.

From the USCG Historian's Web Site: The 378-foot High Endurance Cutter class are the largest cutters, aside from the three major Icebreakers, ever built for the Coast Guard. They are powered by diesel engines and gas turbines, and have controllable-pitch propellers. Equipped with a helicopter flight deck, retractable hangar, and the facilities to support helicopter deployment, these 12 cutters were introduced to the Coast Guard inventory in the 1960s. Beginning in the 1980s and ending in 1992, the entire class was modernized through the Fleet Renovation and Modernization (FRAM) program. The first of the class was the Hamilton (WHEC-715) commissioned in 1967. Highly versatile and capable of performing a variety of missions, these cutters operate throughout the world's oceans.

378-foot WHECs in Service:

BOUTWELL (WHEC 719)  Alameda, CA
CHASE (WHEC 718)  San Diego, CA
DALLAS (WHEC 716)  Charleston, SC
GALLATIN (WHEC 721)  Charleston, SC
HAMILTON (WHEC 715)  San Diego, CA
JARVIS (WHEC 725)  Honolulu, HI
MELLON (WHEC 717)  Seattle, WA
MIDGETT (WHEC 726)  Seattle, WA
MORGENTHAU (WHEC 722)  Alameda, CA
MUNRO (WHEC 724)  Alameda, CA
RUSH (WHEC 723)  Honolulu, HI
SHERMAN (WHEC 720)  Alameda, CA


378-foot High Endurance Cutter (WHEC) Data Sheets

[LTGunner]

     Birth of the 378' Cutter
   
       "Artist's concept of the 378-foot USCGC HAMILTON (WHEC-715)."                               USCGC Hamilton by Joseph McGlynn (ID# 87048)
                  photo no. 11-26-65; 26 November 1965

The ocean station patrols were an important, sometimes dangerous, and always arduous duty for the cutters.  Nevertheless, the existence of large sea-going cutters and the need for replacement vessels primarily to keep these patrols going led to the new 378-foot cutter construction program.
Thirty-six of the new 378-foot cutters were envisioned but budget realities and the reduction of the ocean station program cut down the total number constructed to twelve.  Nevertheless these multi-mission cutters have been a great bargain to the taxpayers as each is still in commission after 30 years.  All of the cutters were built by the Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans between 1965 and 1972.  Source

                                                            378' Cutter Build History

                           

[LTGunner]

The 378' High Endurance Cutters Join the Fleet

       
Picture: USCGC SHERMAN (WHEC 720) at USCG Base Boston, Circa 1969 (Photo: Burkhardt Collection)

Within years of joining the USCG Cutter Fleet, Coast Guard 378' Cutters were off to the seas off Viet Nam as part of
COAST GUARD SQUADRON THREE. The Navy assigned the cutters to the Gulf of Thailand for 5"/38 gunfire support of Ong Doc as well as logistic support to patrol boats.  Squadron Three operated from bases in Da Nang, Cat Lo and An Thoi.  Squadron Three

As time went on, the Coast Guard was asked to increase its support and did so by providing five high-endurance cutters ranging in size from 255 to 378 feet. Coast Guard Squadron Three was born. The large cutters kept their peacetime white paint job instead of taking a coat of gray, like the patrol boats. They were quickly nicknamed "White Ghosts" by the Viet Cong.  The cutters had five-inch deck guns and therefore brought with them far greater firepower than the patrol boats had. The ships were shallow draft, and could run in close to the shore and bring their big guns down on enemy encampments.

Shortly after their arrival, Squadron Three ships began battling the Viet Cong. The cutter Rush, working with an Australian destroyer, brought its guns to the aid of a small Special Forces camp in the village of new Song Ong Doc. The village, located in the middle of Viet Cong-held territory, was being overrun. Gunfire from the two ships drove off the attackers and left 64 Viet Cong dead. Like the patrol boats, the large cutters were multi-mission ships. They supported amphibious assaults and gave logistical support for Coast Guard patrol vessels and the Navy PCFs (Patrol Craft Fast).

         

378' WHEC Viet Nam / Gulf of Thailand Deployments

Hamilton (WHEC 715) 1 Nov 69 - 25 Nov 70

Dallas (WHEC 716) 3 Nov 69 - 19 June 70

Chase (WHEC 718) 6 Dec 69 - 28 May  70

Mellon  (WHEC 717) 31 Mar 70 - 2 July 70

Sherman (WHEC 720) 22 Apr 70 - 25 Dec 70 

Rush (WHEC 723)  28 Oct 70 - 15 July 71

Morgenthau  (WHEC 722) 6 Dec. 70 - 31 July 71

Source: The Coast Guard in Viet Nam, The Reservist, November 1996

[LTGunner]

378' High Endurance Cutter Operations: Protecting America’s Fisheries

The Bartlett Act, passed in 1964, prohibited foreign fishing in U.S. territorial waters and authorized the seizure of foreign vessels in violation. Amendments to the act broadened the protected area to include the 12-mile contiguous zone, prohibited processing operations and provided a maximum penalty of $100,000.

The most significant legislation is the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Adopted by Congress in 1976, the act established the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone. More recently, President Clinton advocated responsible stewardship of the earth’s resources, including the goal of sustainable development of fisheries. This directive sought to project a U.S. leadership role in the proper management of ocean resources for the rest of the world.

Regional Fishery Management Councils In addition to establishing the EEZ, the Magnuson Act created eight Regional Fishery Management Councils, tasked with developing Fishery Management Plans to improve the sustainability of fish in the FEZ. The councils are comprised of principal state officials with fishery management responsibility, individuals nominated by the governors of the states within the councils’ areas and NMFS regional directors. These members are representatives of the fishing industry, the recreational fishing community or others with substantial knowledge of fisheries. The Coast Guard provides enforcement and safety guidance on proposed management regulations and updates on existing regulation enforcement. Source







Photos Courtesy of COAST GUARD PHOTOGRAPHS (Thanks to **** Levesque)

[LTGunner]

378' High Endurance Cutter Operations: High Profile Missions

M/V Prinsendam, October 1980
   
                                                                             (M/V Prinsendam Rescue by Artist Tony Falcone, Prospect, Connecticut)

In 1980, the United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) MELLON assisted in the rescue of 520 passengers and crewmembers from the burning luxury liner Prinsendam, operated by Holland America Line. The Prinsendam was a 427-foot-long cruise liner built in 1973. The liner was transiting through Gulf of Alaska waters, approximately 120 miles south of Yakutat, Alaska, at midnight on October 4, 1980, when fire broke out in the engine room. The vessel’s master declared the fire out of control one hour later and the Prinsendam sent a distress call requesting immediate assistance. The Coast Guard’s rescue coordination center in Juneau received the message and began to organize a rescue effort. Aircraft were immediately sortied to the scene, including an HH-3 helicopter and a C-130 turbo prop maritime patrol aircraft. At the time, CGC MELLON was on patrol near Vancouver, BC, a distance of 550 nautical miles from Prinsendam. CGC MELLON and other cutters diverted to assist. The 1000-foot supertanker, Williamsburgh, also diverted to render assistance.

    The master of the Prinsendam ordered the vessel abandoned at approximately 0630. The crew and passengers of the cruise liner filled the lifeboats with only 15 passengers and 25 crewmembers remaining on the Prinsendam. Williamsburgh arrived at 0745 and immediately passengers and crew were transferred from the lifeboats into the helicopter and then to the deck of the supertanker. The remaining crew and passengers from the surrounding lifeboats were transferred to the Williamsburgh. Sometime in the mid-afternoon the USCGC BOUTWELL arrived to assist. Those in critical condition were transferred to the USCGC BOUTWELLand taken to Sitka for treatment. CGC Mellon arrived around 1830 that night and dispatched a team to provide medical assistance onboard the Williamsburgh. At around 2100, 20 passengers and 2 Air Force aviator technicians were still reported missing in one of the Prinsendam’s lifeboats. The Coast Guard Command in Juneau directed the USCGC BOUTWELL and an HC-130 Hercules to search for the missing lifeboat. At around 0100 the next morning, some 18 hours after the ordeal had begun, the Boutwell spotted a flare from the lifeboat. Shortly thereafter, the lifeboat’s passengers were recovered and the rescue was over with no deaths or serious injuries and all passengers and crew from the Prinsendam accounted for.

    On October 11, 1980, the Prinsendam capsized and sunk, only 7 years after being built at Shipyard de Merwede in the Netherlands. She has been seriously damaged by a fire during construction. The Sinking of the Prinsendam By: Explore North

[LTGunner]

378' High Endurance Cutter Operations: Cold War Defense Operations

24 Jul 1982-USCGC MIDGETT maintained surveillance of Soviet Intelligence Trawler (AGI) Sarychev off of Strait of Juan de Fuca.  The USS OHIO (SSBN 726) was inbound to Bremerton. USCGC MIDGETT was tasked to follow and pick up sono buoys dropped by the AGI Sarychev.

(Photos of Soviet Vessel Gavril Sarychev LTGunner Photo Collection)

Ironically, the USCGC MUNRO would see this vessel again during the Search, Rescue & Salvage Operations of the Korean Airline Flight 007 (KAL-007) Shot Down on 1 September 1983. 

Heavy weather and Soviet interference hampered the search operations.  The Soviet ships, up to twenty two at one time continually harassed the operation by forcing the U.S. ships to maneuver to avoid possible collision.  As you can imagine the difficulty in maneuvering a ship while dragging a underwater side scanning sonar in order to avoid a collision.

USCGC Munro's Part in the Search, Rescue & Salvage Operations of the Korean Airline Flight 007 (KAL-007)

KAL 007, the U.S. Seventh Fleet, and the Great Russian Ruse

[LTGunner]

Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM)



Beginning in the 1980s and ending in 1992, each 378 was modernized through a three-year "Fleet Renovation and Modernization program" otherwise known as FRAM.  The work involved the replacement of the cutters' armament, installation of new electronic systems, some structural alterations and habitability enhancements as well as a complete overhaul of all propulsion systems. Source: WebCutters

       FRAM 378 Build Schedule

[BuoyJumper]

Tim,

Jerry has a great photo of pre FRAM 378s at Boston posted   Here

[LTGunner]

Post FRAM 378 Operations

   

  

[vftb]

Great topic Gunner    Since I was never on a "White One" I'm looking forward to input from all those that have been

[JerryM]

I'm sure all the Gunners Mates / WEPS folks will get at least as much of a kick out of this statement about the Vietnam deployment (from the official Sherman site) as I did:

The old 5”gun, (now replaced by a sleeker, quicker 76mm mount) answered 152 calls for naval gunfire support

I'm sure that "sleeker, quicker 76 mm mount" would have really been useful.

[sparky]

Shoot I'm old...I got out after 4.5 years the same year these cutters were commissioned!

[Cupamud]

Great topic Gunner,

These were my introduction to the Coast Guard fleet, and being a former Sonar Technician, my primary time afloat. I did some shipriding out of GTMO & Mayport as an ET so I did get to experience (and appreciate) 180s, 210s, and 270s, and finished out on Polar Sea, but the 378s were always truly home.

Pre-FRAM, I served in Sherman (Alameda: 80-82), Munro (Honolulu: 86--TAD to work on some pracs), Chase (Boston: 88) and then cross-decked to FRAM'ed Hamilton (Bath to Boston to San Pedro: 88-91), and finally Rush (96-99). From PORT WEPS 10-man to DECK 30 to the Chiefs' Mess and ending up in the Wardroom, I grew up with these.

Thank you for all the photos and info on this thread. For many years I had document copies from the congressional committee discussing FRAM (from my days insructing at the schoolhouse in San Diego), but sadly, through many moves and culling the herd of "stuff," I'm fairly certain those went or I'd post some of that dialogue here.

best regards,

Larry   

[EX-CG-GM]

I'm sure all the Gunners Mates / WEPS folks will get at least as much of a kick out of this statement about the Vietnam deployment (from the official Sherman site) as I did:

The old 5”gun, (now replaced by a sleeker, quicker 76mm mount) answered 152 calls for naval gunfire support

I'm sure that "sleeker, quicker 76 mm mount" would have really been useful.

"sleeker"....Sleek was always such an important priority for me.  I mean, who would actually want a big square, clumsy looking housing made out of steel when one could have a nifty, modern fibreglass one that was all rounded off?

Oh, you mean fibreglass doesn't actually stop bullets?      Bummer!   


 

 

[Cupamud]

Stan,

Not being a GM, I did get the "opportunity" of sitting in the fusesetter position in the 5" on Sherman so I spent more time watching the mount action vs. doing anything. In a purely 'rounds down range' mood, I like the 76mm rate of fire vs. the 5". Oh, and even though it's fiberglass, the fact that I'm not sitting IN it, works for me too.

 

Best regards,

Larry