USCGC Active ( WMEC - 618 ) USCGC " Active " ( WMEC - 618 ) is a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter . " Active " was launched at Bay Shipbuilding Company , Sturgeon Bay , Wisconsin on July 31 , 1965 . Commissioned as a Coast Guard Cutter on September 1 , 1966 , she is long , has a beam , displaces 1000 tons , and draws of water . She is powered by two diesel engines , combined for a total of . Quarters are provided for up to 12 officers and 70 enlisted members . " Active ' s " cruising range is at , designed with an operating endurance of about 30 days . At top speed of , " Active " has an approximate range of . " Active ' s " armament consists of a single 25 mm gun on the forecastle . 50 caliber machine guns can also be mounted on the forecastle . bridge or fantail . The " Active " has a flight deck which allows for the deployment of a Coast Guard HH - 65 Dolphin or MH - 68A Stingray Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron ( HITRON ) . USCGC " Active " has received several awards in recent years for its outstanding service to the maritime community , including oil spill clean ups in Prince William Sound , Alaska during the Exxon Valdez oil spill . Missions . " Active " is assigned primarily to law enforcement and search and rescue duties . The law enforcement duties involve counter - narcotic operations , fisheries , and environmental protection . To add to its diverse mission capability , " Active " also participates in public relations activities such as the Portland Rose Festival and Seattle Sea Fair . " Active " has received several awards in recent years for its outstanding service to the maritime community . " Active " was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for exemplary service from 1987 to 1989 and a Coast Guard Unit Commendation for outstanding service from 1989 to 1991 . " Active " was awarded the Special Operations Service Ribbon for the " Exxon Valdez " oil spill cleanup in Prince William Sound , Alaska , participation in the Portland Rose Festival , the Coast Guard Bicentennial celebration at San Francisco Fleet Week in October 1992 , and for the 1994 at sea apprehension of the motor vessel JIN YINN No . 1 carrying 123 illegal Chinese migrants . " Active " has been awarded fifteen Cutter Achievement Ribbons for “ clean sweeps ” of all training requirements during Tailored Ships Training Availability . " Active " has also received two National Defense Service ribbon s . " Active " was awarded a Coast Guard Unit Commendation for exceptional meritorious service from 12 to 26 August 1997 for the interdiction of the motor vessel LAPAS No . 3 carrying 60 illegal Chinese migrants . In August 1998 , " Active " participated in a cooperative counter - drug operation with Mexican authorities that resulted in the interdiction of the fishing vessel LADY DOUNIA and the seizure of 2 . 55 metric tons of cocaine . " Active " earned the Special Operations Service Ribbon for actions in a November 1998 counter - drug operation with Canadian authorities resulting in the apprehension of the fishing vessel BLUE DAWN and the seizure of 14 tons of hashish . Recently , " Active " received the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation for exceptional meritorious service on 23 and 24 January 2000 in interdicting the Mexican fishing vessel VALERA , resulting in the seizure of 5 . 5 metric tons of cocaine . On May 2 , 2001 " Active " seized the Belize flagged fishing vessel SVESDA MARU with 13 . 2 tons of cocaine , the largest maritime cocaine seizure in history and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation Award . " Active ' s " deployments are normally scheduled for 45 to 55 days . Inport periods for maintenance are scheduled between deployments , lasting four to six weeks . Every four years the ship undergoes a major maintenance period lasting six to eight weeks .