USCGC Point Slocum ( WPB - 82313 ) USCGC " Point Slocum " ( WPB - 82313 ) was an Point class cutter constructed at the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay , Maryland in 1961 for use as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat . Since the Coast Guard policy in 1960 was not to name cutters under in length , it was designated as " WPB - 82313 " when commissioned and acquired the name " Point Slocum " in January 1964 when the Coast Guard started naming all cutters longer than . Construction and design details . " Point Slocum " was built to accommodate an 8 man crew . She was powered by two VT600 Cummins diesel main drive engines and had two five - bladed propellers . The main drive engines were later replaced by VT800 Cummins engines . Water tank capacity was and fuel tank capacity was at 95 % full . Engine exhaust was ported through the transom rather than through a conventional stack and this permitted a 360 degree view from the bridge ; a feature that was very useful in search and rescue work as well as a combat environment . The design specifications for " Point Slocum " included a steel hull for durability and an aluminum superstructure and longitudinally framed construction was used to save weight . Ease of operation with a small crew size was possible because of the non - manned main drive engine spaces . Controls and alarms located on the bridge allowed one man operation of the cutter thus eliminating a live engineer watch in the engine room . Because of design , four men could operate the cutter ; however , the need for resting watchstanders brought the crew size to eight men for normal domestic service . The screws were designed for ease of replacement and could be changed without removing the cutter from the water . A clutch - in idle speed of three knots helped to conserve fuel on lengthy patrols and an eighteen knot maximum speed could get the cutter on scene quickly . Air - conditioned interior spaces were a part of the original design for the Point class cutter . Interior access to the deckhouse was through a watertight door on the starboard side aft of the deckhouse . The deckhouse contained the cabin for the officer - in - charge and the executive petty officer . The deckhouse also included a small arms locker , scuttlebutt , a small desk and head . Access to the lower deck and engine room was down a ladder . At the bottom of the ladder was the galley , mess and recreation deck . A watertight door at the front of the mess bulkhead led to the main crew quarters which was ten feet long and included six bunks that could be stowed , three bunks on each side . Forward of the bunks was the crew ' s head complete with a compact sink , shower and commode . Accommodations for a 13 man crew were installed for Vietnam service . History . After delivery in 1961 , " Point Slocum " was assigned a homeport of St . Thomas , Virgin Islands , where she served as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat . At the request of the United States Navy , in October 1965 , she was alerted for service in Vietnam and assigned to Coast Guard Squadron One in support of Operation Market Time along with 8 other Point class cutters . While the crew completed overseas training and weapons qualifications at Coast Guard Island and Camp Parks , California , " Point Slocum " was loaded onto a merchant ship , and transported to Subic Bay , Philippines arriving in January 1966 where she was refit for combat service . Shipyard modifications included installation of new single - sideband radio equipment , additional floodlights , small arms lockers , bunks , additional sound - powered phone circuits , and the addition of 4 M - 2 machine guns . The original Oerlikon 20 mm cannon was replaced with a combination over - under 50 caliber machine gun / 81mm trigger - fired mortar that had been developed by the Coast Guard for service in Vietnam . For service in Vietnam , two officers were added to the crew complement to add seniority to the crew in the mission of interdicting vessels at sea . " Point Slocum " was assigned to Division 13 of Squadron One to be based at Cat Lo Navy Base near Vung Tau , along with , , , , , , and . After sea trials , the Division left Subic Bay for Cat Lo on 19 February 1966 in the company of , their temporary support ship . They arrived at their new duty station on 23 February and began patrolling the coastal waters near the Rung Sat Special Zone . Duty consisted of boarding Vietnamese junks to search for contraband weapons and ammunition and check the identification papers of persons on board . On 20 June 1966 " Point League " and " Point Slocum " along with " Point Hudson " assisted with the capture of a North Vietnamese trawler loaded with ammunition near the mouth of the Cổ Chiên River . After the trawler was run aground she caught fire and and provided firefighting teams assisted by " Point League " and " Point Slocum " ; both cutters pulled alongside the burning trawler and directed fire hoses on the cargo holds full of ammunition . Important intelligence was gathered by the cutter crews . As a part of the Vietnamization Program South Vietnamese Navy crewmen were assigned to the cutter for training purposes beginning in February 1969 . After the crew of " Point Slocum " trained a Vietnamese replacement crew , she was turned over to the Republic of Vietnam Navy as a part of the Vietnamization Program and recommissioned as RVNS " Nguyễn Ngọc Thạch " ( HQ - 706 ) , 11 December 1969 .