View source for USCGC Dauntless

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| Ship image = [[Image:USCGC Dauntless WMEC-624.jpg|300px|USCGC Dauntless WMEC-624]]
| Ship caption = USCGC ''Dauntless'' (WMEC-624) in 1968
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| Ship country =United States 
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United States|coast guard}}
| Ship name = Dauntless
| Ship namesake = [[wikt:dauntless|Dauntless]]
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| Ship builder = [[American Ship Building Company]]
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| Ship laid down = 15 May 1965
| Ship launched = 21 October 1967
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| Ship commissioned = 10 June 1968
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| Ship homeport = [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]]
| Ship identification = *{{MMSI Number|367295000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NDTS
*[[Pennant number]]: WMEC-624
| Ship motto = *''Sin Miedo''
*(Without Fear)
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| Ship status = In commission Special Status 
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| Ship displacement = 759 tons
| Ship length = {{convert|210|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
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| Ship propulsion = 2 x Cooper-Bessemer Corporation FVBM-12 turbocharged diesel engines (1968); 2 x Alco diesels (1987)
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| Ship speed = max 18 knots; 2,700 mile range (1968)
| Ship range = cruise 14 knots; 6,100 mile range (1968)
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| Ship complement = 12 officers, 63 enlisted (1990)
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| Ship sensors = 2 x AN/SPS-64 (1987)
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| Ship armament = *1 × [[M242 Bushmaster|Mk 38 25mm machine gun]]
*2 × [[M2 Browning machine gun|M2HB .50 caliber machine gun]] (1987)
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| Ship aircraft facilities = [[Helipad]]
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'''USCGC ''Dauntless'' (WMEC-624)''' is a [[United States Coast Guard]] [[medium endurance cutter]], commissioned in 1968.

She is the first cutter in Coast Guard history to hold this name.  Like all ships in the ''Reliance'' class of 210-foot medium-endurance cutters, ''Dauntless'' is named for an aspirational trait, in this case meaning to "persevere fearlessly."  This trait is further reflected in the ship's motto ''Sin Miedo'' which, in Spanish, means "Without Fear."<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=US Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless celebrated for 56 years’ service during heritage recognition ceremony |url=https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3814233/us-coast-guard-cutter-dauntless-celebrated-for-56-years-service-during-heritage/ |location=Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida |publisher=United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security |date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024 |quote=Dauntless was named after the inspirational trait, which means to persevere fearlessly. It’s motto, “Sin Miedo," translated as “Without Fear,” also underscores the same spirit valued by the cutter’s crews. It is the first Coast Guard cutter to bear its name.}}</ref>

== Construction and career ==
''Dauntless'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] on May 15, 1967 and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on October 21, 1967 by the [[American Ship Building Company]] of [[Lorain, Ohio]]. She was [[Commissioned (ship)|commissioned]] on June 10, 1968.<ref name=Scheina-1990>{{cite book |last=Scheina |first=Robert L. |date=1990 |title=U.S. Coast Guard cutters and craft, 1946-1990 |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher=United States Naval Institute |page=40 |isbn=0-87021-719-4}}</ref> She is the tenth of the sixteen ''Reliance''-class cutters.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=US Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless celebrated for 56 years’ service during heritage recognition ceremony |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/474593/us-coast-guard-cutter-dauntless-celebrated-56-years-service-during-heritage-recognition-ceremony |location=Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida |publisher=Defense Visual Information Distribution Service |agency=U.S. Coast Guard |date=2024-06-21 |access-date=2024-08-13}}</ref>

''Dauntless'' was designed for search-and-rescue work. At launch, she had a small, high superstructure with 360-degree visibility and a correspondingly large helicopter pad aft without a hanger. To improve the view from the bridge and to ease helicopter operations, her engine exhaust was not routed through a stack but out through the [[transom (nautical)|transom]]. In practice, waves washing into the exhaust openings in heavy weather proved troublesome. The exhaust through the transom was replaced by a conventional stack during ''Dauntless''{{'}}s Mid-life Maintenance Availability in 1993. Afterwards the ship had a larger superstructure and a smaller helicopter pad. Her hull is welded steel and her superstructure aluminum, as is usual with contemporary warships.

At launch, ''Dauntless''{{'}}s main armament was an open-mount [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|Mark 22 3-inch/50 caliber gun]] on the [[forecastle|foredeck]]. During the Mid-life Maintenance Availability this gun was replaced by a [[M242 Bushmaster|25-mm/87 cal Bushmaster Mark 38]] and her Mark 22 gun was put on display onboard the [[USS Lexington Museum|USS ''Lexington'' Museum]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Harold A. Skaarup web pages|url=http://silverhawkauthor.com/artillery-tanks-and-afvs-in-the-usa-texas-3-corpus-christi-uss-lexington-and-san-antonio-the-alamo_929.html|access-date=2021-04-01|website=silverhawkauthor.com}}</ref> ''Dauntless'' is also armed with two [[M2 Browning|M2HB .50 caliber machine guns]]. Her design included space and weight reservations for [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog anti-submarine mortars]] and later [[Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes| Mark 32 anti-submarine torpedoes]] but these were never actually installed.<ref name=Polmar-2013>{{cite book |last=Polmar |first=Norman |date=2013 |title=The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher=Naval Institute Press |pages=590-591 |isbn=978-1-59114-687-2}}</ref><ref name=Scheina-1990/>

After her commissioning, ''Dauntless'' was homeported in [[Miami, Florida]] for 25 years, where she earned a reputation as one of the nation's premier "drug busters." ''Dauntless'' became the second cutter in history (after [[USCGC Steadfast|USCGC ''Steadfast'']]) to seize one million pounds of marijuana, an accomplishment signified by a large gold marijuana leaf painted on her [[superstructure]].  She became the first cutter to seize one ton of marijuana in a single bust when her crew boarded the fishing boat ''Big L'' on March 8, 9173. During her Coast Guard career, ''Dauntless'' has over 85 illegal narcotics "busts" to her credit, more than any other cutter. <ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=US Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless celebrated for 56 years’ service during heritage recognition ceremony |url=https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3814233/us-coast-guard-cutter-dauntless-celebrated-for-56-years-service-during-heritage/ |location=Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida |publisher=United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security |date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024 |quote=Dauntless spent its first 25 years assigned in the Coast Guard Seventh District area of responsibility and was homeported in Miami Beach...Of note, Dauntless has over 85 illegal narcotics interdictions to its credit, executing more busts than any other cutter...Dauntless became the first cutter in history to seize one ton of marijuana after its crew boarded the fishing vessel Big L...Dauntless was also the second cutter in Coast Guard history to seize one million pounds of marijuana, following in the footsteps of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623). This milestone accomplishment earned Dauntless the large gold marijuana leaf painted on its superstructure.}}</ref>

She has also played a leading role in [[search and rescue]] (SAR) operations.  During the mass Cuban exodus (see [[Mariel boatlift]]) between April 23 and May 13, 1980, over 25 vessels were towed to safety, eight persons adrift at sea were rescued, and 55 SAR cases were conducted.

President [[Ronald Reagan]] visited the cutter on November 17, 1982 and awarded her the Coast Guard Unit Commendation.  It was the first time in 19 years that a President visited a Coast Guard cutter.

The ship's most-publicized case occurred during January 1986, when ''Dauntless'' was second (after [[USCGC Point Roberts|USCGC ''Point Roberts'']]) to arrive{{Citation needed|date=August 2024|reason=Cited reference doesn't mention ''Point Roberts'' and says that ''Dauntless'' was first to arrive.}} and served as on-scene commander (until relieved by [[USCGC Dallas (WHEC-716)|USCGC ''Dallas'']]) for the response to the [[Space Shuttle]] [[Space Shuttle Challenger|''Challenger'']] [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|disaster]].  

In June 1993, she was decommissioned and entered Major Maintenance Availability (MMA) at the [[United States Coast Guard Yard|Coast Guard Yard]] in [[Curtis Bay, Baltimore|Curtis Bay]], [[Maryland]].  After 18 months and at a total cost of $21 million, the ship was completely overhauled from stem to stern.  The major renovations included the addition of an engine exhaust stack aft of the pilot house, a complete powerplant overhaul, installation of new navigation and communications systems, and extensive habitability improvements.  After MMA, ''Dauntless'' sailed to her new homeport of [[Galveston, Texas]] in March 1995. She was also drydocked for overhaul for ten months in 2009 at the [[Coast Guard Yard]] and for six months in 2022 at the [[Brooklyn Navy Yard]].<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=US Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless celebrated for 56 years’ service during heritage recognition ceremony |url=https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3814233/us-coast-guard-cutter-dauntless-celebrated-for-56-years-service-during-heritage/ |location=Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida |publisher=United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security |date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024}}</ref>

On November 24, 1995, ''Dauntless'' rescued 578 migrants from a grossly overloaded 75-foot coastal freighter, the largest number of migrants rescued from a single vessel in Coast Guard history.

After relocating to [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], ''Dauntless'' continued performing her primary missions of law enforcement, alien migrant interdiction operations, protection of marine resources, SAR, and later [[homeland defense]] in the [[Gulf of Mexico]].  Operational highlights included the four "drug busts" resulting in over 3,000 pounds of illegal drugs seized; and the September 2001 rescue of a young commercial mariner from [[Louisiana]] who had fallen overboard from the vessel on which he was working; he was successfully located and returned to his ship.  After the events of [[September 11, 2001]], ''Dauntless'' conducted several patrols dedicated to enhancing port security in the Gulf of Mexico.

In July 2018, ''Dauntless'' arrived at her newly assigned homeport of [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]], [[Florida]].

At a June 21, 2024 Naval Air Station Pensacola ceremony celebrating her 56 years of service, ''Dauntless'' was removed from active duty and placed in commission, special status{{emdash}}an inactive shipyard condition. Her crew departed to other duty stations to help address the Coast Guard's shortage of enlisted personnel.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=US Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless celebrated for 56 years’ service during heritage recognition ceremony |url=https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3814233/us-coast-guard-cutter-dauntless-celebrated-for-56-years-service-during-heritage/ |location=Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida |publisher=United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security |date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024}}</ref>

== Awards ==
The cutter's awards include the [[Coast Guard Unit Commendation]] (2), the [[Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation]] (5), the [[Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation]], the [[Coast Guard E Ribbon|Coast Guard "E" ribbon]] (7), the [[National Defense Service Medal]] (3), and the [[Humanitarian Service Medal]] (3).

==In fiction==
''Dauntless'' has appeared in two motion pictures: [[The Island (1980 film)|''The Island'']], in which (portraying the fictional USCGC ''New Hope'') she was boarded and seized by Caribbean pirates, and in the [[James Bond]] film ''[[Licence to Kill]]''<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=US Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless celebrated for 56 years’ service during heritage recognition ceremony |url=https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3814233/us-coast-guard-cutter-dauntless-celebrated-for-56-years-service-during-heritage/ |location=Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida |publisher=United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security |date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024}}</ref>

In the 2016 novel ''Goliath'' by Shawn Corridan and Gary Waid, ''Dauntless'' along with [[USCGC Alex Haley (WMEC-39)|''Alex Haley'']] are the two Coast Guard cutters that respond to the fire aboard and subsequent stranding of a Russian [[Ultra Large Crude Carrier|ULCC]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Corridan|first1=Shawn|last2=Waid|first2=Gary|title=Goliath|publisher=[[Oceanview Publishing]]|location=[[Longboat Key]], [[Florida]]|year=2016|isbn=978-1-60809-215-4}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:USCG Dauntless returns to port.jpg|USCGC ''Dauntless'' returning to port in December 2009.
File:USCG Dauntless returns to port -b.jpg|USCGC ''Dauntless'' returning to port in December 2009.
File:Shipboard landing in Gulf of Mexico 131114-G-HN254-156.jpg|USCGC ''Dauntless'' in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] on 14 November 2013.
File:Shipboard training aboard Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless (27369140420).jpg|USCGC ''Dauntless'' in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] on 10 June 2016.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Area-Cutters/CGCGCDAUNTLESS/History/ History]
*{{HAER |survey=TX-3402 |id=tx1349 |title=U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless, 3000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, Galveston County, TX |photos=11 |color=4 |data=14 |cap=2}}

{{Reliance class cutter}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dauntless}}
[[Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Texas]]
[[Category:Ships of the United States Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Reliance-class cutters]]
[[Category:1967 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Lorain, Ohio]]