The USCGC Owasco (WHEC-39) was an Owasco-class high endurance cutter built for the United States Coast Guard, launched on June 18, 1944, by the Western Pipe and Steel Company in San Pedro, California. Commissioned on May 18, 1945, she was originally designed as a gunboat to serve in World War II but was commissioned only weeks before the war's end, thus missing combat during that period. Following her commissioning, she was converted to peacetime use at the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, where her armament was reduced and observation and aerological equipment installed, completed by May 1946. Owasco's primary duties included law enforcement, ocean station patrols, and search and rescue missions. Her homeport was initially Galveston, Texas, before being moved to Boston, and later to New London, Connecticut, where she remained during her operational career. She participated in notable incidents, such as escorting the damaged MV Stockholm after its collision with the Andrea Doria. Her ocean station patrols involved spending 28 days at sea in a designated 210-mile square, collecting meteorological and oceanographic data, providing navigational signals, and offering weather forecasts to passing aircraft. During storms in January 1962, she sustained damage from high winds and ice, with crew members fighting to keep her stable using various tools, including baseball bats and axes. In 1967, Owasco was deployed to South Vietnam as part of Operation Market Time, tasked with intercepting North Vietnamese supply lines. She operated in the South China Sea, conducting patrols, inspections, and gunfire support, armed with a 5-inch main battery, 81 mm mortars, and machine guns. Her crew engaged in combat actions, including rescuing a Navy Swift boat under fire, for which several crew members received commendations. She provided extensive logistical support to allied vessels and carried out numerous interdiction and destruction missions, including damaging bunkers, structures, and enemy supply routes. After returning to peacetime service, Owasco continued patrols and training, earning recognition for operational readiness before being decommissioned on June 27, 1973, and sold for scrap in 1974. Her service history highlights her versatility and importance in both peacetime operations and combat support during the Vietnam War, marking her as a significant vessel in the Coast Guard's fleet.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.