SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard officially commissioned the Coast Guard Cutter Florence Finch (WPC-1157) during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Seattle on Oct. 24, marking a historic moment as the first active military ship in the United States named after a Filipino American.
Rear Adm. Charles Fosse, the 13th District Commander, presided over the ceremony, attended by family members of Florence Finch, including her daughter, Betty Murphy, who served as the cutter’s sponsor.
Florence Ebersole Smith Finch was a trailblazer during World War II, known for her courageous resistance against the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. She played a critical role in the underground movement, diverting fuel from enemy use and facilitating sabotage operations. Arrested in 1944, she endured imprisonment and torture before being liberated by American forces in early 1945.
After the war, Finch returned to the U.S. and joined the Coast Guard Reserves, where she became a celebrated figure in both military and Filipino American communities. She received the Medal of Freedom in 1947 and was the first woman to be awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon.
During the commissioning ceremony, Finch was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor from Congress. The medal was presented to her family by retired Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project.
The Florence Finch will primarily operate in the Pacific Ocean, Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Columbia River. As part of the Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters, it is designed for various missions, including search and rescue, fishery patrols, and drug interdiction.
Leave a Reply