On 3 February 1944 Gentian was reassigned to Cape May, New Jersey and was used for maintaining navigational aids, search and rescue operations, annual ice breaking on the Hudson River, numerous tows of Coast Guard vessels to the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay, Maryland and law enforcement.

On 3 July 1948 she evacuated 42 persons from the disabled Swedish motor vessel Dagmar Salen, 20 miles (32 km) from the Overfalls lightship and extinguished an out-of-control engine room fire on the ship.

On 29–30 September 1959 she assisted in the Hurricane Gracie evacuation of the coastal areas of Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia and on 12–20 March 1960 participated in Operation Big Slam for drug interdiction.

In the early 1980s Gentian had major renovations to machinery, living spaces and superstructure under the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP).

On 27 November 1984 she seized vessel Princess and 17.5 tons of marijuana, and in September 1989 assisted in the Hurricane Hugo evacuation of the coastal areas of Charleston, South Carolina.In 1994 served in Operation Able Manner and Uphold Democracy off the coast of Haiti.