USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69) was an Owasco class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard.

Named after Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, the ship was commissioned as a patrol gunboat with ID number WPG-69 on 2 June 1945.

Her ID was later changed to WHEC-69 (HEC for "High Endurance Cutter" - the "W" signifies a Coast Guard vessel).

On 13 January 1955, she assisted the disabled FV Stephen Margo 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Diamond Shoals.

On 11 and 12 March 1957, Mendota assisted the disabled FV Stella Maris 63 miles (101 km) southwest of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.

On 25 January 1958, Mendota towed the disabled USN tug Sagamore and the destroyer escort Stewart to Southport, ME.

In March 1965, she served as on-scene commander following a mid-air collision of two USAF aircraft 200 miles (320 km) south of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

Mendota coordinated a search for the SV Stella Maris, a 26-foot (7.9 m) yacht with a single crew member sailing from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda, in October 1966.

The cutter steamed 29,288 miles (47,134 km) in the Western Pacific Ocean from March through October, 1969, and was underway 70-percent of that time.

Combat operations summary Mendota also conducted naval gunfire support (NGS) missions during her tour.

For one month, from 6 May through 6 June 1969, CAPT C. S. Marple, USCG, the commanding officer of Mendota, was Senior Officer Present Afloat for Administration, or SOPA (ADMIN), Hong Kong, and the ship's personnel handled all administrative matters for U.S. naval vessels visiting Hong Kong.

The crew also maintained a permanent Shore Party detachment to assist and supervise liberty visits ashore.

She transited the Panama Canal in both directions, and visited Hawaii, Guam, Bangkok, Thailand, Kaohsiung, Formosa, and Subic Bay in the Republic of the Philippines.