View source for USCGC Rush (WHEC-723)

{{other ships|USRC Rush|USS Rush}}
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| Ship image = USCGC Rush WHEC-723.jpg
| Ship caption = USCGC ''Rush'' (WHEC-723)
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{{Infobox ship career
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| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United States|coast guard}}
| Ship name = USCGC ''Rush''
| Ship namesake = [[Richard Rush]]
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| Ship builder = [[Avondale Shipyard]]s
| Ship original cost = $20 million
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| Ship launched = 16 November 1968
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| Ship commissioned = 3 July 1969
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| Ship homeport = [[Alameda, California]](1970's)
[[Honolulu, Hawaii]]
| Ship identification = * {{MMSI Number|367283000}}
* [[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NLVS
| Ship motto = *''Kia'i Kai No Ka Oi''
*(Watch Over the Rainbow)
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| Ship fate = Transferred to the [[Bangladesh Navy]]
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| Ship displacement = 3,250 tons
| Ship length = {{convert|378|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
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* 2 [[Fairbanks-Morse]] [[diesel engines]]
* 2 [[Pratt and Whitney]] [[gas turbines]]
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| Ship speed = {{convert|29|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range = 14,000 miles
| Ship endurance = 45 days
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* Mark 12 [[5"/38-caliber gun]]
* Mk2 81mm Mortar
* [[Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes]] (2x3)
* post FRAM
* [[Otobreda 76 mm]] gun
* [[Phalanx CIWS]]
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'''USCGC ''Rush'' (WHEC-723)''' was a [[United States Coast Guard]] [[USCG high endurance cutter|high endurance]] {{sclass|Hamilton|cutter|0}} cutter. The ship was named after [[Secretary of the Treasury]] [[Richard Rush]]. ''Rush'' was launched on November 16, 1968, commissioned on July 3, 1969, and was [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] on February 3, 2015 after 45 years of Coast Guard service.

As of January 2017, the ship serves in the [[Bangladesh Navy]] as {{ship|BNS|Somudra Avijan}}.

==History==

===Construction===
As all ''Hamilton''-class cutters, ''Rush'' was constructed at [[Avondale Shipyard]] near [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] and launched November 16, 1968, she was the fifth Coast Guard Cutter to be named after [[Secretary of the Treasury]] [[Richard Rush]], the nation's eighth Secretary of Treasury.

===Record Storm===
During the 1970's ''Rush'' was based out of Alameda Island in San Francisco Bay and performed regular patrols of [[Alaska]]n waters and the [[Bering Sea]]. ''Rush'' has the distinction of having ridden out "the most powerful storm, at least in terms of depth of pressure, to affect Alaska in modern history" of October 25, 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/bering-sea-superstorm-bottoms-out-at-924-mb.html|title = Bering Sea Superstorm Bottoms out at 924 mb &#124; Weather Extremes}}</ref>  As the storm built, the bridge crew recorded a atmospheric pressure  drop of one inch in twenty minutes. Under command of Captain Norman E. Fernald, ''Rush'' sustained damage to her [[sonar]] dome and [[superstructure]], but completed her patrol.  During the storm the decision was made to turn the ''Rush'' to take a following sea. The crew was sent to general quarters and the con was given to the Operations Officer, Lt. Paul Lundgren, who accomplished the turn on the side of a single wave.

===''Eastwood'' affair===

The Rush assisted in the rescue of the [[East Wood affair|''East Wood'' affair]], an incident of piracy in early 1993 aboard the cargo ship ''East Wood'' (also ''Eastwood''). Chinese illegal immigrants took control of ''East Wood'' before she was taken back by her crew.

===Decommissioning===
On February 3, 2015, the United States Coast Guard officially decommissioned ''Rush'' with a ceremony held in Honolulu, Hawaii.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2457034/Coast-Guard-Cutter-Rush-decommissioned-after-45-years-of-service|title = Bissell Crosswave Reviews 2021 - Best for This Price? &#124; US Consumer News|date = 20 May 2021}}</ref>

===Bangladesh Navy===
The Coast Guard has transferred ''Rush'' (now {{ship|BNS|Somudra Avijan}}) to the Bangladesh Navy as part of a Foreign Military Sale through the [[Foreign Assistance Act]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vesselfinder.com/news/3353-USCG-Transfers-Cutter-Rush-Over-To-Bangladesh-Navy#.VVCMK_aAI1Y.linkedin|title=USCG Transfers Cutter Rush Over To Bangladesh Navy|website=VesselFinder|date=8 May 2015|access-date=25 June 2017}}</ref>

''Rush'' is the Bangladesh Navy's second ''Hamilton''-class cutter acquisition. The Bangladesh Navy's first ''Hamilton''-class cutter acquired was {{ship|USCGC|Jarvis|WHEC-725|6}}, given to Bangladesh in 2013. ''Jarvis'' is now named {{ship|BNS|Somudra Joy}}. The Bangladesh Navy designates these former ''Hamilton''-class cutters as "[[List of ships of the Bangladesh Navy|patrol frigates]]."

==Awards==
USCGC ''Rush'' has earned numerous awards.  Many of the ship's awards were earned for participation in the [[Vietnam War]], as part of [[Operation Market Time]]. Awards listed were current to May 2014.<ref>Medals and Awards Manual, p. 2-5 to 19-1</ref>

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="3"| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Coast Guard Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Combat Action Ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=hurricane|ribbon=USA - CG PUC Hurricane Katrina.png|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award.png|width=108}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=award-star|ribbon=Coast Guard Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=6|type=award-star|ribbon=Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=7|type=award-star|ribbon=Coast Guard Excellence Ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Bicentennial Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Special Operations Service Ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon.svg|width=108}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Vietnam gallantry cross unit award-3d.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=VNCivilActionsRibbon-2.svg|width=108}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|width=108}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
!1st Row
|colspan="3"| [[Coast Guard Commendation Medal]]
|-
!2nd Row
|[[Combat Action Ribbon]]
|[[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]] w/ [[Hurricane Katrina]] clasp
|[[Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award]]
|-
!3rd Row
|[[Coast Guard Unit Commendation]] w/ [[Operational Distinguishing Device]] and four [[5/16 inch star|stars]]
|[[Navy Unit Commendation]]
|[[Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation]] w/ [[Operational Distinguishing Device]] and six [[5/16 inch star|stars]]
|-
!4th Row
|[[Coast Guard E Ribbon]] w/ seven [[5/16 inch star|stars]]
|[[Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation]]
|[[National Defense Service Medal]] w/ [[service star]]
|-
!5th Row
|[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]]
|[[Vietnam Service Medal]]
|[[Global War on Terrorism Service Medal]]
|-
!6th Row
|[[Humanitarian Service Medal]]
|[[Special Operations Service Ribbon]]
|[[Sea Service Ribbon|Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon]]
|-
!7th Row
|[[Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation]]
|[[Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation]]
|[[Vietnam Campaign Medal]]
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
United States Coast Guard. (2008). ''Medals and Awards Manual: COMDTINST M1650.25D''. Washington, DC, U.S. Government Printing Office.

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|USCGC Rush (WHEC-723)}}

{{Hamilton class cutter}}
{{1993 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rush}}
[[Category:Ships of the United States Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Hamilton-class cutters]]
[[Category:1968 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1993]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bridge City, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Ships transferred from the United States Coast Guard to the Bangladesh Navy]]