USCGC Androscoggin (WHEC-68) - Peacetime Service

Peacetime Service

Androscoggin was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1947 and 1948. She was used primarily on ocean station duty in the North Atlantic. From 1948 to 3 July 1949, she was stationed at New York.

Decommissioned 1949

She was decommissioned and stored at the Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Maryland, from 31 October 1949 to 8 May 1950.

Recommissioned 1950

On 8 May 1950, Androscoggin received the crew from cutter Mocoma, was recommissioned, and stationed at Miami Beach, Florida, until 27 February 1973.

Androscoggin was now used primarily for law enforcement and search and rescue operations, but also served several ocean station tours. On 29 and 30 May 1952, she towed a disabled Navy PBM Mariner aircraft from 60 miles southeast of Miami to Miami, Florida. In 1956, she served on Campeche Patrol. In April and May 1956, she was assigned special duty relating to LORAN and visited Ecuador, Jamaica, Colombia, and Panama. In July 1956, she served on the annual reserve cruise to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. From 17 April to 4 July 1959, she shared International Ice Patrol duty with the Acushnet. She sailed to Reykjavík, Iceland, in January 1960 on a special mission.

Berlin crisis

In November 1961, she took part in a special mission involving the USAF and the Air National Guard relating to the Berlin crisis.

Training ship

In 1962, the Androscoggin served as Coast Guard schoolship at the Navy’s Fleet Sonar School, Key West.

Cuban refugees and other rescues

In late August 1965, she evacuated Cuban refugees from Cay Sal to Key West. On 10 January 1966, she rescued the crew from the sinking MV Lampsis and unsuccessfully attempted to save the vessel. On 3 February 1966, she stood by the distressed MV Aroin until a commercial tug arrived. On 19 February 1966, she rescued three Cuban refugees from Anguila Cay and transported them to Miami. On 25 May 1966, she embarked 12 Cuban refugees from Cay Lobos and transported them to Key West.

Movie and Television parts

When returning from an Echo patrol, Androscoggin was dispatched to Nassau to take part in the filming of the movie "Assault on a Queen," starring Frank Sinatra. In the final segments of the film, Androscoggin, through the miracle of special effects, saves the day by ramming and sinking a renegade submarine, thereby thwarting Sinatra's dastardly plan to rob RMS Queen Mary on the high seas. In the 1968 episode of Get Smart titled "Schwartz's Island" there are stock shots of a USCG Cutter with the designation W68; presumably the Androscoggin.