Casco-class cutter
1941 class of American coast guard cutters
The Casco class was a large class of United States Coast Guard cutters in commission from the late 1940s through the late 1980s. They saw service as weather reporting ships in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans until the early 1970s, and some saw combat service during the Vietnam War.
Design
Between 1941 and 1946, the United States Navy acquired 35 Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders, designated "AVP" in the Navy's alphanumeric hull numbering system and designed to logistically and administratively support a squadron of flying boats operating from undeveloped areas and, with a substantial anti-air, antisurface, and antisubmarine capability, to escort larger seaplane tenders. Most of them served during World War II, although even during the war the Navy determined the number of Barnegats to be surplus to requirements; as a result, one was completed as a catapult training ship for Navy floatplane pilots (retaining its "AVP" designation) and four were converted during construction into motor torpedo boat tenders, redesignated "AGP".
After World War II, the Navy had a surplus of seaplane tenders, and the Coast Guard was looking for ships to serve on ocean stations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on weather-reporting duties, also performing law enforcement and search and rescue operations as required. The Barnegats were reliable, long-ranged, and seaworthy, and had good habitability, and, suitably modified, were good candidates to meet the Coast Guard's requirements; in the words of the Coast Guard's assessment of the Barnegats, "The workmanship on the vessel is generally quite superior to that observed on other vessels constructed during the war. The vessel has ample space for stores, living accommodations, ships, offices and recreational facilities. The main engine system is excellent. . . .The performance of the vessel in moderate to heavy seas is definitely superior to that of any other cutter. This vessel can be operated at higher speed without storm damage than other Coast Guard vessels."
Acquisition and modifications
The Navy transferred three of the seaplane tenders outright to the Coast Guard in 1946; they entered service that year and in 1947.
The public source identifies “Casco-class cutter” as 1941 class of American coast guard cutters. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Casco-class, cutter and class.
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