US Coast Guard launches ship named after WWII Filipino American heroine

The US Coast Guard's newest vessel named after Filipino American.

During the final week of Filipino American History Month, the US Coast Guard made history by naming their newest ship after a Filipino hero of World War II.

The Coast Guard commissioned its 57th Fast Response Cutter during a ceremony held at Coast Guard Base Seattle, Oct. 24 and named it after Florence Finch, a Filipino American.

FLORENCE FINCH

"Florence Finch is a true Coast Guard and Filipino hero, and we couldn't be prouder to honor her legacy," said Coast Guard Vice Adm. Andrew Tiongson, Pacific Area Commander. 

"The cutter is now the only currently active ship in the United States military named after a Filipino American," he said.

(A US Navy destroyer, named after a Filipino American Telesforo Trinidad, a Medal of Honor awardee, is still under construction.)

The USCG cutter's namesake, Florence Ebersole Smith Finch, was a Filipino American and a member of the World War II resistance against the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. During the war, she assisted the movement by diverting fuel destined for enemy use, falsifying documents for resistance members to obtain supplies, and using her position to facilitate acts of sabotage. 

FYI: Read more about Florence Finch 

In 1944, she was discovered and arrested, tortured, tried, and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. She remained in captivity until early 1945, when American forces liberated the Philippines.

Finch moved back to the US following the war and joined the Coast Guard Reserves. Finch was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1947 and was also awarded the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Ribbon, the first woman to be so decorated.

During thec ommissioning ceremony, Florence Finch was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, which was presented to Finch’s family by retired Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award given by the United States Congress. It was presented to members of Finch's family  in attendance, including the cutter’s sponsor and Mrs. Finch’s daughter, Mrs. Betty Murphy.

The crew of the Florence Finch will primarily operate in the Pacific Ocean, Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Columbia River. The Sentinel-class FRC is designed for multiple missions, including search and rescue; fishery patrols; drug and migrant interdiction; ports, waterways and coastal security; and national defense.

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