This Day in Coast Guard History – July 15

1870- Congress directed that the revenue cutters on the northern and northwestern lakes, when commissioned, shall be specially charged with aiding vessels in distress on the lakes.

1870- An Act of Congress (l6 Stat. L., 291, 309) directed the Lighthouse Board to mark all pierheads belonging to the United States situated on the northern and northwestern lakes, as soon as it was notified that the construction or repair of pierheads had been completed.

1972-CGC Absecon was decommissioned and transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy. This was the last of the seven 311-foot Casco-class cutters to be transferred to the South Vietnamese.  She was commissioned as the Tham Ngu Lao (HQ-15) on 15 July 1972.  She was seized by the North Vietnamese when the South fell in 1975.  The North Vietnamese gave her the hull number HQ-1 but did not apparently name her.  She was refitted with two or possibly four SS-N-2 launchers.  Her current status remains unknown.

(Source: USCG Historian’s Office)