USCGC Owasco (WHEC-39)

• Namesake: USCGC Owasco (WHEC-39) was named after Lake Owasco, one of New York’s Finger Lakes, following the Coast Guard tradition of naming cutters after significant American bodies of water. • Class: Owasco was the lead ship of the Owasco-class high endurance cutters, designed during World War II to serve as multi-mission ocean-going patrol vessels. • Construction: Built by Western Pipe & Steel in San Pedro, California, she was launched on 18 December 1944 and commissioned on 18 May 1945. • Delayed WWII Service: Although commissioned during World War II, Owasco was completed too late to see wartime action, but contributed significantly in the postwar era. • Peacetime Missions: Owasco’s peacetime missions included law enforcement, search and rescue, ocean station keeping, and serving as a weather ship in the Atlantic. • Korean War Era: During the Korean War, Owasco provided weather reporting and plane guard services, supporting military and commercial transatlantic flights. • Homeport: Her long-time homeport was New London, Connecticut, a hub for many Coast Guard operations on the Atlantic seaboard. • Vietnam War Service: Owasco served extensively during the Vietnam War as part of Operation Market Time, interdicting enemy supply lines and providing naval gunfire support. • Rescue Operations: Owasco was credited with several dramatic rescues at sea, including saving the crew of the Norwegian freighter Norwegian Reefer in 1966. • Decommissioning: After nearly three decades of service, USCGC Owasco was decommissioned on 27 June 1973 and later sold for scrap, ending her distinguished career.