Combat Deaths

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World War II (1939-1945)

USCGC Hamilton [W-34]
January 29, 1942
Sank off coast of Iceland after being struck by an enemy torpedo.

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USCGC Wakefield
January 30, 1942
While fueling in Singapore the Wakefield suffered a direct hit from ordnance dropped by two formations of Japanese aircraft. The bombs destroyed the ship’s hospital and caused fires in several sections, but all of the damage was above the waterline and the ship was ultimately saved.

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USS Colhoun
August 30, 1942
While patrolling off Guadalcanal the Colhoun came under attack by Japanese aircraft. After suffering multiple direct hits the ship sank.

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USS Gregory . USS Little
September 5, 1942
A US Navy aircraft attempting to illuminate an enemy submarine with flares inadvertently illuminated the Little and the Gregory, exposing their position to a Japanese surface destroyer force off Savo Sound, Guadalcanal. Though outgunned, the US ships opened fire the on enemy destroyers to prevent their continued shelling of Henderson Field, but took direct hits from the Japanese Yudachi which left both foundering and ablaze. The Japanese, to assure their kill, steamed between the two stricken ships firing shells and strafing survivors. The Gregory sank stern first before the Little went down on an even keel two hours later. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz paid sincere tribute to these gallant ships, stating, “With little means, the ships performed duties vital to the success of the campaign.”

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USS Muskegat [W-48]
September 9, 1942
A weather patrol steamship that disappeared with all hands in the North Atlantic and is believed to have been torpedoed and sank by the enemy submarine U-755.

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USS McCawley
September 27, 1942
Medal of Honor recipient Douglas Munro was serving on the McCawley when he was killed attempting to evacuate a force of US Marines from Point Cruz, Guadalcanal.

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SS Caribou
October 14, 1942
A civilian passenger ferry attacked and sunk by enemy submarine U-69 while traversing the Cabot Strait south of Newfoundland as part of a convoy. The Coast Guardsmen on board were part of a security and signalling detachment assigned to keep communications with the convoy and protect the ferry.

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USS Joseph Dickman
November 8, 1942
As part of the Western Naval Task Force, the Joseph T. Dickman and Charles Carroll took part in the first amphibious invasion ever launched across an entire ocean, delivering forces to North Africa in an effort to seize the Port of Casablanca. While landing troops Coast Guardsmen from each ship were killed by enemy fire as they operated troop transports near the beachhead.

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USCGC Escanaba
June 13, 1943
Escorting her last convoy from Narsarssuak to St. John’s, Newfoundland the Escanaba struck a floating enemy mine and sank with the loss of all but two men.

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USS Joseph Dickman
July 10, 1943
While disembarking soldiers during the invasion of Sicily the Joseph Dickman lost one Coast Guardsman to fire from a German aircraft.

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LCI-319
September 9, 1943
Strafed by a German aircraft while operating as a salvage and recovery ship on the beach at Salerno, Italy during the Allied invasion.

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LST-167
September 25, 1943
Lost during the Battle of Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands after being hit with two bombs dropped from enemy aircraft.

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LST-66
December 26, 1943
A Coast Guardsman was killed by a bomb dropped from an enemy aircraft near LST-66 as the vessel transported troops to Cape Gloucester, New Britain. LST-66 was officially credited with shooting down three Japanese planes during the action.

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USS Leopold
March 9, 1944
While escorting a convoy through the mid-Atlantic the Leopold was struck by a torpedo fired from enemy submarine U-255. The ship was badly damaged and abandoned.

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USS Menges
May 3, 1944
While escorting a convoy off coast of the coast of Algiers the Menges was hit by a torpedo fired from enemy submarine U-371. The ship remained afloat and was later returned to active service.

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D-Day
June 6, 1944
The men named below were killed during the Allied invasion of Normandy.

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LST-327
August 27, 1944
While operating in a convoy of landing craft transiting the English Channel LST-372 was severely damaged by a torpedo fired from enemy submarine U-92.

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USS Callaway
January 8, 1945
A kamikaze broke through heavy antiaircraft fire as US forces staged for the invasion of Lingayen and crashed into the starboard wing of the Callaway’s bridge. The resulting fires kept material damage to a minimum and the ship remained afloat, but many of the crew were killed.

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USS Bayfield
February 20, 1945
Landed troops and served as a hospital at Iwo Jima for ten days, losing a sole Coast Guardsman to enemy fire as he operated a troop transport near shore.

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LST-18 . PC-590
March 12, 1945
During the Palawan Island landings each ship lost a man to enemy fire while operating near the beachhead.

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LST-884
April 1, 1945
During the assault of Okinawa Gunto the ship lost a man to enemy fire while operating near the beachhead.

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FS-255
May 11, 1945
Torpedoed and sank while anchored in Taloma Bay, Philippines.

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LCI-90
June 4, 1945
Hit by a Japanese kamikaze aircraft off Okinawa.

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Vietnam (1965-1975)

USCGC Point Welcome
August 11, 1966
Killed in a friendly fire incident at the mouth of the Cua Viet River.

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USCGC Point Cypress
December 5, 1968
Killed while conducting boarding operations off the Ca Mau Peninsula.

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Point Orient
March 22, 1969
Killed while conducting boarding operations.

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Global War on Terror (2001 – )

USS Firebolt . USCG TACLET South
April 24, 2004
Killed in a waterborne suicide attack in the Persian Gulf.