USCGC Steadfast

{{Short description|United States Coast Guard cutter}}

USCGC Steadfast (WMEC-623) was a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter in commission for 56 years. Commissioned in 1968, Steadfast was home ported in St. Petersburg, Florida for her first 24 years of service. In 1992, she was decommissioned for Major Maintenance Availability (MMA) to extend her service another 25 years. Following MMA in February 1994, Steadfast was re-commissioned and home ported in Astoria, Oregon until her decommissioning on February 1, 2024.

Steadfast completed over 330 Search and Rescue cases, interdicted over 1.6 million pounds of marijuana and 27,700 pounds of cocaine, seized over 65 vessels, and stopped over 3500 undocumented migrants on the high seas from entering the United States. Steadfast was the first, and is one of only two cutters (the other is USCGC Dauntless), to have a gold marijuana leaf painted on her superstructure, symbolizing one million pounds of marijuana seized.{{cite press release |author= |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}} Legend holds Steadfast was named "El Tiburón Blanco" (Spanish for "The White Shark") by Colombian drug smugglers in the 1970s for being such a nemesis to their illegal drug operations. Steadfast{{'}}s crew used the symbol of "El Tiburón Blanco" as one of their logos to epitomize Steadfast{{'}}s aggressive law enforcement posture.{{cite web |url=https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Area-Cutters/CGC-Steadfast/History/ |title=United States Coast Guard > Our Organization > Area Cutters > CGC Steadfast > History |author= |website= United States Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Homeland Security |publisher=Defense Media Activity |access-date=2022-11-10}}

On 21 September 1978, Douglas DC-3 N407D of Argosy Airlines crashed into the Caribbean Sea whilst on a ferry flight from Fort Lauderdale International Airport to José Martí International Airport, Havana. All four people on board were killed.{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19780921-0 |title=N407D Accident description |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=1 August 2010}} The aircraft disappeared off radar screens at 12:43 local time (17:43 UTC). A search was initiated, which Steadfast coordinated, but was called off on 24 September without any trace of N407D being found.{{cite web|url=http://www.bermuda-triangle.org/html/into_the_blue.html |title=Into the Blue |publisher=Bermuda Triangle |access-date=2 August 2010}}

USCGC Steadfast completed her final Coast Guard patrol on December 18, 2023{{cite press release |author= |title=U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast returns home after final patrol of Coast Guard service |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/460343/us-coast-guard-cutter-steadfast-returns-home-after-final-patrol-coast-guard-service |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Defense Media Activity |agency=U.S. Department of Defense |date=2023-12-18 |access-date=2023-12-24}} and was decommissioned in Astoria on February 1, 2024 after 56 years of service. Upon decommissioning the ship entered Excess Defense Article status and proceeded to Baltimore, Maryland where she was made available to sale to other countries via the Coast Guard's Foreign Military Sales Program.{{cite press release |author= |title=U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast decommissioned after 56 years of service |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/463246/us-coast-guard-cutter-steadfast-decommissioned-after-56-years-service |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Defense Media Activity |agency=U.S. Department of Defense |date=2024-02-01 |access-date=2024-02-06}} On August 3, 2024 the acting director-general of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Vice-Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim, announced that Steadfast was being prepared in Baltimore for MMEA service and was expected in Malaysia in the first quarter of 2025.{{cite news |author= |date= |title=MMEA to get ex-US Coast Guard cutter next year |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/03/mmea-to-get-ex-us-coast-guard-cutter-next-year |work=The Star Online |location=Kuantan |access-date=2024-08-29}}