USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69)
USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69), in Montego Bay, Jamaica, 1966
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| History | |
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| Class and type: | Owasco class cutter |
| Name: | Mendota |
| Namesake: | Mendota Lake, Minnesota |
| Operator: | United States Coast Guard |
| Builder: | Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Maryland |
| Commissioned: | 2 June 1945 |
| Decommissioned: | 1 November 1973 |
| Fate: | Scrapped 1974 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1,342 tons light, 1,978 fully loaded (1966) |
| Length: | 254’oa; 245’bp |
| Beam: | 43’1” |
| Draft: | 17’3” (1966) |
| Propulsion: | 1 x Westinghouse 18-P-601 electric motor driven by a turbine, shaft horsepower 4,000 (1945) |
| Speed: | 17 knots |
| Range: | 6,157-miles @17.0 knots, 10,376 mi (16,699 km) @10 knots (1966) |
| Complement: | 10 officers, 3 warrants, 130 men (1966) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: | 1 x MK-12 M1 5”/38; Hedgehog; 1 x MK-52 M3 director; 1 x MK 26 M3 fire control radar; 2 x MK 44 triple-tube torpedo launchers (added in 1965). |
USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69) was an Owasco class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. The ship was commissioned three months before the end of the war and did not see combat action until the Vietnam war.
Mendota was built by the Coast Guard yard at Curtis Bay, Maryland, one of only two Owasco class vessels not to be built by Western Pipe & Steel. Named after Mendota Lake, Wisconsin, the ship was commissioned as a patrol gunboat with ID number WPG-69 on 2 June 1945. Her ID was later changed to WHEC-69 (HEC for "High Endurance Cutter" - the "W" signifies a Coast Guard vessel).
Mendota was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from April 1946 to January 1947. She was used for law enforcement, ocean station, and search and rescue operations. She was stationed at Wilmington, NC, from January 1947 to 29 February 1972 with the same duties assigned.
From 14 May to 23 July 1947, Mendota shared an International Ice Patrol with the cutter Spencer. Another International Ice Patrol was shared with the cutter Mocoma from 26 April to 3 July 1948. While serving on ocean station Charlie in early January 1949, Mendota had to leave early due to an acute case of appendicitis. From 28 to 31 March 1950, she towed the disabled MV Edison Mariner until a commercial tug arrived. On 21 and 22 August 1950, she towed the disabled MV South Bend Victory until relieved by a commercial tug. On 2 January 1952, she medevaced a crewman from FV Silver Bay at 44°47’N, 56°22’W. On 2 March 1952, she provided medical aid to MV Rachel Jackson at 37°30’N, 66°08’W. On 9 March 1952, she recovered a buoy and transferred it to the tender Madrona. On 12 and 13 March 1952, Mendota medevaced a crewman from MV Saxton Star and transferred him to MV Queen of Bermuda. On 18 September 1953, she medevaced a crewman from MV Government Camp.
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