The US Coast Guard (USCG) will decommission today Sherman (WHEC 720), its ninth high endurance cutter.
The decommissioning ceremony will take place at Coast Guard Base Honolulu at 2 pm local time.
In late-January, the cutter returned from its final deployment, completing a 76-day patrol in the Bering Sea.
Sherman’s operational resume includes action in the Vietnam War, major drug interdictions – including the largest individual cocaine seizure in US history, maritime law enforcement cases, living marine resource protection, alien migration interdiction and numerous rescues.
Launched in September 1968, Sherman was the sixth of twelve Hamilton-class high endurance cutters built by Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans. high endurance cutters are the largest cutters, aside from the three major icebreakers and national security cutters, ever built for the USCG.
Sherman is also one of only two USCG cutters to hold the Vietnam Service Award and only USCG cutter to hold the Combat Action Ribbon for action in the Vietnam War.
What is more, Sherman is the last remaining active US warship in the Coast Guard or Navy to have sunk an enemy vessel in combat.