July 7, 2021 —
The ex-John Midgett, a Hamilton-class high endurance cutter, departs Hawaii on its way to Vietnam. Now known as CSB-8021, the cutter left Seattle June 1, 2021, and is due to arrive in Vietnam around July 10. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
The ex-John Midgett, one of the Coast Guard’s last three Hamilton-class high endurance cutters, departed Seattle June 1 for its new home in Vietnam through an Excess Defense Articles (EDA) transfer. Now known as CSB-8021, the cutter will join CSB-8020, which was transferred to Vietnam in May 2017. The vessel is scheduled to arrive around July 10.
Official transfer of the ex-John Midgett to the Vietnam Coast Guard occurred Aug. 14, 2020. In the interim, an eight-week dry dock repair and maintenance availability was completed at Lake Union Shipyard in Seattle and 88 Vietnam Coast Guard crewmembers were trained in the vessel’s use and maintenance. The normal transfer schedule was extended because of COVID-related international travel delays. The overhaul work, equipment, technical assistance and training is valued at around $17 million.
The ex-John Midgett was named for Chief Warrant Officer John Allen Midgett Jr., who served nearly 40 years in the U.S. Lifesaving Service and the Coast Guard. He is one of five Midgett family members to receive the Gold Lifesaving Medal. The cutter served in both domestic and international theaters. The Coast Guard continues to recognize the Midgett family’s history of distinguished service through the name of the eighth national security cutter – Midgett – commissioned in Honolulu in 2019.
This is the 10th transfer of a high endurance cutter (WHEC) through the Coast Guard Office of International Acquisition; the first occurred in 2011. An 11th WHEC, ex-Douglas Munro, is slated for transfer to Sri Lanka in fall 2021. WHECs are being replaced by the NSCs, nine of which are already in service.
In total, 137 vessels have been delivered to 32 countries through the EDA program since 1998, including motor lifeboats, tenders, patrol boats, and medium and high endurance cutters. In addition to helping build and sustain global maritime partnerships in support of the Coast Guard’s national maritime strategy, EDA transfers also help the service avoid the cost of disposing of these vessels, an avoidance totaling $150.4 million since 1998.
For more information: International Acquisition Program page