Summary
USCGC Rush (WHEC-723) was a United States Coast Guard high endurance Hamilton-class cutter. The ship was named after Secretary of the Treasury Richard Rush. Rush was launched on November 16, 1968, commissioned on July 3, 1969, and was decommissioned on February 3, 2015 after 45 years of Coast Guard service.
 USCGC Rush (WHEC-723)
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USCGC Rush |
| Namesake | Richard Rush |
| Builder | Avondale Shipyards |
| Cost | $20 million |
| Launched | 16 November 1968 |
| Commissioned | 3 July 1969 |
| Homeport | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Identification |
|
| Motto |
|
| Fate | Transferred to the Bangladesh Navy |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 3,250 tons |
| Length | 378 ft (115.2 m) |
| Beam | 43 ft (13.1 m) |
| Draft | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) |
| Range | 14,000 miles |
| Endurance | 45 days |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 Over-the-Horizon type |
| Complement | 167 personnel |
| Sensors and processing systems | AN/SPS-40 air-search radar |
| Armament | |
As of January 2017, the ship serves in the Bangladesh Navy as BNS Somudra Avijan.
History edit
Construction edit
As all Hamilton-class cutters, Rush was constructed at Avondale Shipyard near New Orleans, Louisiana and launched November 16, 1968, she was the fifth Coast Guard Cutter to be named after Secretary of the Treasury Richard Rush, the nation's eighth Secretary of Treasury.
Record Storm edit
During the 1970's Rush was based out of Alameda Island in San Francisco Bay and performed regular patrols of Alaskan waters and the Bering Sea. Rush has the distinction of having ridden out "the most powerful storm, at least in terms of depth of pressure, to affect Alaska in modern history" of October 25, 1977.[1] As the storm built, the bridge crew recorded a atmospheric pressure drop of one inch in twenty minutes. Under command of Captain Norman E. Fernald, Rush sustained damage to her sonar dome and superstructure, but completed her patrol. During the storm the decision was made to turn the Rush to take a following sea. The crew was sent to general quarters and the con was given to the Operations Officer, Lt. Paul Lundgren, who accomplished the turn on the side of a single wave.
Eastwood affair edit
The Rush assisted in the rescue of the East Wood affair, an incident of piracy in early 1993 aboard the cargo ship East Wood (also Eastwood). Chinese illegal immigrants took control of East Wood before she was taken back by her crew.
Decommissioning edit
On February 3, 2015, the United States Coast Guard officially decommissioned Rush with a ceremony held in Honolulu, Hawaii.[2]
edit
The Coast Guard has transferred Rush (now BNS Somudra Avijan) to the Bangladesh Navy as part of a Foreign Military Sale through the Foreign Assistance Act.[3]
Rush is the Bangladesh Navy's second Hamilton-class cutter acquisition. The Bangladesh Navy's first Hamilton-class cutter acquired was USCGC Jarvis, given to Bangladesh in 2013. Jarvis is now named BNS Somudra Joy. The Bangladesh Navy designates these former Hamilton-class cutters as "patrol frigates."
Awards edit
USCGC Rush has earned numerous awards. Many of the ship's awards were earned for participation in the Vietnam War, as part of Operation Market Time. Awards listed were current to May 2014.[4]
| ||
|
|
|
  |
|
  |
 |
|
  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1st Row | Coast Guard Commendation Medal | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | Combat Action Ribbon | Presidential Unit Citation w/ Hurricane Katrina clasp | Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award |
| 3rd Row | Coast Guard Unit Commendation w/ Operational Distinguishing Device and four stars | Navy Unit Commendation | Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ Operational Distinguishing Device and six stars |
| 4th Row | Coast Guard E Ribbon w/ seven stars | Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation | National Defense Service Medal w/ service star |
| 5th Row | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Vietnam Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| 6th Row | Humanitarian Service Medal | Special Operations Service Ribbon | Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon |
| 7th Row | Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation | Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation | Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Notes edit
- ^ "Bering Sea Superstorm Bottoms out at 924 mb | Weather Extremes".
- ^ "Bissell Crosswave Reviews 2021 - Best for This Price? | US Consumer News". 20 May 2021.
- ^ "USCG Transfers Cutter Rush Over To Bangladesh Navy". VesselFinder. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ Medals and Awards Manual, p. 2-5 to 19-1
References edit
United States Coast Guard. (2008). Medals and Awards Manual: COMDTINST M1650.25D. Washington, DC, U.S. Government Printing Office.
External links edit
Media related to USCGC Rush (WHEC-723) at Wikimedia Commons