USCGC Cape Starr

• USCGC Cape Starr (WPB-95317) was a 95-foot Cape class patrol boat built for the United States Coast Guard, launched in 1953. • This cutter was constructed at the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, as part of a fleet designed during the Cold War for coastal patrol and search and rescue missions. • Initially, Cape Starr was homeported in Hilo, Hawaii, where she played a crucial role in maritime law enforcement and search and rescue operations in the Pacific. • During her service, Cape Starr participated in numerous search and rescue missions, including the response to fishing vessel emergencies and assisting distressed mariners in the Pacific region. • She was involved in several drug interdiction operations, reflecting the Coast Guard’s growing role in combating narcotics trafficking during the latter half of the 20th century. • In 1969, Cape Starr was transferred to Key West, Florida, expanding her duties to include migrant interdiction and coastal patrols in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. • Cape Starr’s crew once rescued the crew of a sinking vessel in rough seas, a story that was featured in local newspapers and highlighted the bravery of Coast Guard personnel. • She was known for her reliability and seaworthiness, often enduring hurricanes and severe storms while continuing her missions along US coastlines. • After decades of service, Cape Starr was decommissioned in the late 1980s as part of the Coast Guard’s modernization program and was later transferred to another government agency or sold. • The legacy of USCGC Cape Starr lives on in Coast Guard history as an example of the vital role small patrol boats have played in safeguarding America’s coasts and maritime interests.