Built as a coast guard cutter by General Engineering & Dry Dock Company, Alameda, California for the U.S.A. Coast Guard.
16 November 1929 launched as the USCGC ITASCA, one of the Lake Class (12 ships).
Displacement 2,065 tons, dim. 76 x 12.8 x 4.9m.
Powered by one turbine driven General Electric AC motor, 3,350 shp, speed 16 knots. One shaft.
Armament: 1 – 5 inch, 1 – 3 inch and 2 – 6 pdrs. guns, when built.
Crew 97.
12 July 1930 commissioned, building cost USA$900,000.
1931 Stationed in Honolulu.
02 July 1937, while conducting a supply operation in the Central Pacific, she makes the last know radio contact with Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan. At that time she was standing off Howland Island to act as radio contact for the Electra, the plane the two were flying in.
Radio communications were very poor in that area.
The ITASCA received some messages from the plane at 19.30 GMT the following transmission was received from the Electra.
“KHAQO calling ITASCA, we must be on you but cannot see you… gas is running low”.
At 20.14 GMT the ITASCA received the last voice transmission from Amelia given positioning data.
The ITASCA continued to transmit on all frequencies until 21.30 hours GMT when they determined that Amelia must have ditched at sea and began to implement search procedures.
By President Roosevelt a search was ordered involving 9 naval vessels and 66 aircraft for an estimated cost of USA$4 million. Also many merchant ships were looking for the plane and crew.
The search was called off on 18 July 1937.
1939 Stationed in San Diego.
30 May 1941 decommissioned, and one day later commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS GORLESTON (Y-92), named after a coast guard station on the British coast.
She was one of the Lake Class Cutters that were leaned to Great Britain under the Lease Lend Agreement of 1941.
Within a week of her commissioning HMS GORLESTON was at war. Whilst on passage to the Clyde with her sister ship HMS LANGAURD the two vessels were despatched to the assistance of the merchantman EMPIRE DREW which had been torpedoed early on 12 June 1941.
After arrival at the Clyde she underwent some repairs, modification and a boiler clean. A radar was fitted in.
Her passage crew was relieved and Commander R.W. Keymer of the Royal Navy took over command. Captain Keymer stayed on board for 2½ years.
24 August 1941 she sailed as escort with convoy OS4 from the Clyde bound for Bathurst, throughout the passage the crew of HMS GORLESTON were continually active, given medical assistance to the crew of the cargo vessel MEERMIK and FIDELITY, she put also an electrician on board her sister HMS LULWORTH.
During the passage there were two submarine attacks on the convoy, which resulted in the loss of 5 merchantmen with a total tonnage of 42,000 tons. Arrived at Bathurst on 09 September 1941.
She sailed again on 16 September as Senior Officer Escort for convoy SL 37, and this was her pattern of her time when she was under West Africa command. She took part in much salvage and towing operations, picked up 250 survivors and landed this safely. Took also part in anti submarine work.
September 1943 transferred to the East Indies Fleet, and whilst in route to the Indian Ocean, she was assigned to another towing operation.
She sailed from Alexandria on 27 March 1944. Early in the morning of 18 April she came in collision with the American Liberty ship MARK ANNA in which she badly damaged her bow, thanks to her ice strengthening bow she was saved from more serious damage.
Returned to Port Said for repairs, after her repairs returned to her escort duties.
During the summer of 1945 used as Escort Leader, she headed an armada of more than 200 ships during Operation Zipper and Dracula, in what was the last assault of World War II starting the invasion of Malaya.
23 April 1946 she returned to the US Coast Guard and renamed again ITASCA.
04 October 1950 decommissioned and sold on 28 September 1950 for scrap to Patapsco Scrap Corporation of Baltimore, Maryland.
Marshall Islands 1987 44c sg118, scott?