USCGC Mohawk ( WPG - 78 ) The fifth US Coast Guard cutter named " Mohawk " ( WPG - 78 ) was built by Pusey & Jones Corp . , Wilmington , Delaware , and launched 1 October 1934 . She was commissioned on 19 January 1935 . Active service . She was first assigned patrol and general icebreaking duties on the Hudson and Delaware Rivers , and the outbreak of war found her stationed at Cape May , New Jersey . In accordance with Executive Order No . 89 - 29 of 1 November 1941 , " Mohawk " was directed to serve as part of the naval forces of the United States . Assigned to North Atlantic escort operations with the Greenland Patrol , where she served for the entire war , " Mohawk " launched a total of 14 attacks against submarine contacts between 27 August 1942 and 8 April 1945 . On the evening of the 27 August 1942 the USS Laramie ( AO - 16 ) was torpedoed while steaming in convoy at the eastern end of Belle Isle Strait . The " Mohawk " escorted the " Laramie " into port at Sydney , Nova Scotia on 30 August 1942 . One of " Mohawk ’ s " most famous deeds was being the last ship to radio General Dwight D . Eisenhower on the day before the Normandy invasion confirming that the weather was going to be clear enough to proceed . Unfortunately , she hit an iceberg shortly after the message was sent and sustained a hole in her side . After a temporary fix in Greenland , she returned to the United States for permanent repairs to the hull . " Mohawk " also survived a friendly fire attack from British planes . While on patrol near Iceland , she was misidentified by British planes , which bombed her , damaging the main deck . She returned to Boston for emergency repairs . Post war . At the end of the War , she was transferred to her old homeport of Cape May , after her war - time armament was removed , she was stationed at Cape May , from 25 November until 5 January 1946 , when she proceeded to New York on special duty . She returned to Cape May on 19 February 1946 . On 6 April 1946 " Mohawk " was ordered to be placed " in reserve , in commission " status , with a skeleton crew , at Cape May , New Jersey . There was some discussion of converting " Mohawk " and her sister cutters into lightships but this was eventually deemed to be impractical . On 8 October 1947 " Mohawk " was ordered to be decommissioned and placed in storage at the Coast Guard Yard . She was declared " surplus to needs of CG " on 13 July 1948 and was put up for sale . She was sold on 1 November 1948 to the Delaware Bay and River Pilots ' Association , and was used as a pilot boat on the Delaware River for more than 30 years . The Mohawk was taken in ownership by Caribbean Transport Lines in lieu of back payment for mooring fees on Staten Island . The ship ' s plight was shared with the nation via the National Trust for Historic Preservation ' s Preservation911 Program in 2001 . USS Mohawk CGC Memorial Museum . The USS " Mohawk " CGC Memorial Museum was founded by the Miami Dade Historical Maritime Museum . The ship was berthed in Key West , at Truman Waterfront . " Mohawk " was found in a Staten Island scrap yard by Frans Boetes , then president and CEO of " Mohawk ’ s " Memorial Museum . She had been there rusting for over 15 years . After some initial repairs , she was towed to Miami , where substantial repairs were made , and on to Key West where she was berthed at the inner quay wall , at the old Navy pier in the Truman Waterfront . USCGC Mohawk ' s final voyage . Starting May 16 , 2012 , " Mighty MO " was in port at Fort Myers Beach , FL , to be cleaned and getting ready to be scuttled 28 miles off the coast of Lee County in its final service as a Veteran ' s Memorial artificial reef . She was sunk on July 2 , 2012 .