USCGC Modoc ( WPG - 46 ) USCGC " Modoc " ( WPG - 46 ) was a 240 - foot " Tampa " class United States Coast Guard cutter designed for multi - mission roles . She had a top speed of sixteen knots , and was armed with a pair of 5 - inch deck guns . With the breakout of war it was armed with depth charges , additional guns , sonar , and radar and transferred to the Navy . The " Modoc " , along with her sister ships USCGC Mojave ( WPG - 47 ) and USCGC Tampa ( WPG - 48 ) joined the Greenland Patrol . The ship is most remembered for its role in the sinking of the " Bismarck " . " Modoc " was rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoy ships when she was put in the middle of the battle . Anti - aircraft fire from Bismarck came close to hitting the ship . In addition HMS " Norfolk " was about to fire on the cutter when HMS " Prince of Wales " identified her as US Coast Guard . Despite all of the hectic action around the ship , she survived the war . The " Modoc " was returned to the Treasury Department on December 1945 , and served as a patrol cutter until decommissioning in 1947 . She was sold to a private owner and was converted to a merchant ship steaming Central and South American waters . After changing hands several times , the " Modoc " was finally scrapped in 1964 . History . The " Modoc " was launched as a Coast Guard cutter by Union Construction Company in Oakland , California on 1 October 1921 . She was sponsored by Jean Lemard . " Modoc " was placed in commission on 14 January 1922 . She was one of four Tampa - class 240 - foot cutters , the others being " Haida " , " Mojave " , and " Tampa " . These were the first USCG vessels with turbo - electric transmission and were the largest and most advanced cutters for their time . Home ported at Wilmington , North Carolina , " Modoc " began Atlantic ice patrol service with the International Ice Patrol in 1923 . For much of the next 18 years , she and another cutter alternated on 15 - day patrols off the Grand Banks , using Halifax , Nova Scotia , and Boston as their bases . Transferred to the United States Navy by Executive Order No . 8029 of 1 November 1941 , " Modoc " joined the Greenland Patrol , whose orders were to do " a little of everything . " This duty involved keeping convoy routes open , breaking and finding leads in ice for the Greenland convoys , escorting the convoys and rescuing survivors from torpedoed ships , constructing and maintaining aids to navigation , and reporting weather conditions . Ships of the patrol were also expected to discover and destroy enemy weather and radio stations in Greenland , continue hydrographic surveys , maintain communications , deliver supplies , and conduct search and rescue operations . All of these duties , the Coast Guard performed with exemplary fortitude and faithfulness throughout the war . It was during this time that she was designated as WPG - 46 . In both World Wars , when submarines were more of a menace than icebergs , the International Ice Patrol was suspended so that the cutters could perform more important escort duty . During these years there was but one major collision ; British ship " Svend Foyne " struck a berg 21 January 1943 . Before she sank " Modoc " rescued 128 survivors . " Modoc " , in company with cutters " Northland " and " General Greene " rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoy ships , has also witnessed a large part of German ship " Bismarck " ' s death battle 23 to 27 May 1941 . Close to midnight 24 May " Modoc " found herself in the midst of an attack in which eight planes and three warships were involved . Antiaircraft fire from " Bismarck " whizzed dangerously close to the cutter ' s port bow . HMS " Norfolk " was about to take the cutter under fire until HMS " Prince of Wales " identified her as U . S . Coast Guard . The cutter was undamaged , although they were near the fighting and at times only six miles from " Bismarck " . The widespread movements of the combatants , 19 plus destroyers and smaller ships , had distributed danger over a wide area . Aircraft had played a continuous part in coordinating activities , thus adding to the danger of accidents to innocent bystanders , a role the cutters had to play prior to Pearl Harbor . On the Greenland Ice Patrol plodded many of the Coast Guard ' s older , smaller , and slower ships . They endured much discomfort amid the dangers of fog , storms , ice , and German raiders , but their work was vital to victory in the Atlantic . " Modoc " returned to the Treasury Department in accordance with Executive Order No . 9666 of 28 December 1945 , and served as a patrol cutter until decommissioning in 1947 . Sold to Manuel Velliantis in Honduras , she was converted for merchant use and renamed Amalia V . Registered in Ecuador in 1960 by Tropical Navigation Co . , she was renamed " Machala " , and served as a merchantman until scrapped in 1964 . " Modoc " received one battle star for World War II service .