USCGC Itasca was a Lake-class cutter of the United States Coast Guard launched on 16 November 1929 and commissioned 12 July 1930.

It acted as "picket ship" supporting Amelia Earhart's 1937 world flight attempt, and was the last vessel in radio contact with her and Fred Noonan as they were supposed to be reaching Howland Island in the Pacific.

In 1941, it was transferred to the United Kingdom and served as a convoy escort in World War II as HMS Gorleston.

In United States Coast Guard (USCG) service, Itasca performed Bering Sea patrols.

Itasca immediately headed to the area of the last radio transmission and started search operations northward of Howland Island.