USCGC Morgenthau

USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722)
USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722)
Official Photo: Morgenthau off Governors Island in New York Harbor circa 1970; lower Manhattan is seen in the background. The twin towers of the World Trade Center and 55 Water Street are all seen under construction.
History
United States
NameMorgenthau
NamesakeHenry Morgenthau Jr.
BuilderAvondale Shipyards
Commissioned10 March 1969
Decommissioned18 April 2017
HomeportHonolulu, Hawaii
Identification
Motto
  • Decus Pacifici
  • Pride of the Pacific
FateTransferred to Vietnam
Badge
Vietnam
NameCSB 8020
OperatorVietnam Coast Guard
Acquired27 May 2017
HomeportVũng Tàu, Vietnam
IdentificationMMSI number: 574120033
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeHamilton-class cutter
Displacement3,250 tons
Length378 ft (115 m)
Beam43 ft (13 m)
Draught15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion
Speed29 knots (53.7 km/h)
Range14,000 mi (22,531 km)
Endurance45 days
Complement160 (20 officers; 140 enlisted)
Sensors and
processing systems		AN/SPS-40 air-search radar
Armament

The USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722), was the eighth of twelve 378-foot dual-powered turbine/diesel Hamilton-class high endurance cutters (WHECs) built by Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Coast Guard commissioned the Morgenthau on March 10, 1969. After 48 years of continuous service the U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned the Morgenthau on April 18, 2017, and the ship was sold to Vietnam. On 27 May 2017 the Vietnam Coast Guard commissioned the former cutter as patrol ship CSB 8020.

In the 1960s-1970s the "jet-powered" Hamilton-class cutters were state-of-the-art and technologically innovative. In 2011 the Coast Guard acknowledged its Hamilton-class cutters had far exceeded their planned service life and phased them out over the next ten years, replacing them with National Security Cutters.[1]

In the 1960s the most distinctive aspect of these Hamilton-class cutters were the twin turbine engines capable of propelling the cutter from 0 to 30+ knots in 60 seconds (and with its large variable-pitch propellers, coming to a full stop equally fast). Moreover, due to the Cold War, Hamilton-class cutters were configured for anti-submarine warfare (ASW): including the ability to detect, track, and destroy submarines.

Each 378' cutter had a helicopter flight deck, and retractable hangar within which to store a helicopter for missions. Other features noteworthy at the time included a variable-pitch propeller and bow thruster, allowing the ship to berth horizontally to a dock. As modern ships the cutters had comfortable crew and officer quarters, and the capability to stay at sea for 45 days.

Over its 48-year career (1969-2017) Morgenthau received numerous awards, commendations, and unit citations, including a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation in 1971 during the Vietnam War, Combat Action Ribbon to the 1971 Captain and crew, and multiple Battle "E" (Battle Effectiveness Award) for the ship's demonstrated excellence and superior achievement during certification and qualification competitions.

The Morgenthau had two crests and unit motto (commonly referred to as "unit patches"). When commissioned, Morgenthau had a shield style crest, with the motto "Efficiency and Honor is Our Destiny."[2] When in 1977 Morgenthau moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and homeported in Alameda, the crest changed to a circular style with the Latin motto Decus Pacifici (although the Latin word decus can have different meanings, the US Coast Guard translates the motto as "Pride of the Pacific").[3][4]

  1. ^ "2011 U.S. Coast Guard Budget and Oversight Hearing". Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
  2. ^ "United States Coast Guard Patch Archive". Wess Wessling. 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  3. ^ "Morgenthau Crest". USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722). September 13, 2013. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  4. ^ "Decus". Google translate. Archived from the original on 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2016-11-13.