USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722)

USCGC "Morgenthau" (WHEC 722), commissioned on March 10, 1969, was the eighth of twelve 378-foot "Hamilton"-class high endurance cutters (WHECs) built by Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana. First homeported at Governors Island, New York, "Morgenthau" was active in the Vietnam War, conducting underway replenishment, naval gunfire support, and patrol duties off the coast of Vietnam until relieved by a 311' cutter in 1971. Her current motto, translated from latin, is "Pride of the Pacific."Fact|date=May 2007. "Morgenthau" is currently homeported at Integrated Support Command Alameda, Coast Guard Island, Alameda, California.

In 1977, "Morgenthau" became the first cutter to have women permanently assigned, followed shortly thereafter by USCGC|Gallatin|WHEC-721.Fact|date=May 2007 Currently homeported at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, California, her Pacific coast activities have included drug interdiction and seizures, foreign and domestic fisheries enforcement, search and rescue, and alien migrant interdiction.

In 1989, "Morgenthau" was decommissioned to undergo a major mid-life renovation to upgrade berthing and living spaces, rejuvenate engineering systems, and modernize her major weapons and sensors. Upon recommissioning in 1991, "Morgenthau" resumed her missions in the Pacific Ocean. In the fall of 1996, "Morgenthau" was the first U.S. Coast Guard Cutter to deploy to the Persian Gulf. Participating in Operation Vigilant Sentinel, "Morgenthau" enforced Iraq’s compliance with United Nations sanctions. After returning from the Persian Gulf, "Morgenthau" continued her Pacific duties, often deploying to the Maritime Boundary Line in the Bering Straits to monitor Alaska’s valuable fisheries and environmental resources, as well as continued alien migrant and drug interdiction efforts off the coasts of Guam and Central and South America.

During a drug interdiction patrol off the coast of Mexico in early 2001, "Morgenthau" seized $32 million worth of cocaine. Also in 2001, during a fisheries patrol, "Morgenthau" discovered a Russian vessel fishing in U.S. waters. When the vessel refused to heave to and allow a Coast Guard law enforcement team aboard, "Morgenthau" pursued the vessel across the Bering Sea and up to Russian territorial seas. This resulted in a joint US-Russian law enforcement action, which further cemented cooperative law enforcement actions between the two nations. Later in 2001, during an extensive dry-dock period, "Morgenthau" was the first 378-foot cutter to install a stern flap, improving her fuel efficiency and ride quality. Because of the increased fuel efficiency, "Morgenthau" has never since been able to complete full power trials on turbines, as she reaches her maximum speed at a shaft horse power significantly lower than other ships in her class. After the terrorist attacks on September 11th, "Morgenthau" participated in Operation Noble Eagle to safeguard America’s prominent port cities through closer scrutiny of maritime traffic.

In 2002, "Morgenthau" traveled to Southeast Asia to assist, train, and teach law enforcement techniques to naval forces of several nations in the East Asian littoral.

External links

* [http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/morgenthau/ "Morgenthau" home page]
* [http://mcweb.woodstock.edu/~eugenet/Morgenthau.html A detailed log of Morgenthau's Vietnam duty 1970-71]