[5][7] Engine exhaust was ported through the transom rather than through a conventional stack and this permitted a 360 degree view from the bridge; a feature that was very useful in search and rescue work as well as a combat environment.

[8] The design specifications for Point Dume included a steel hull for durability and an aluminum superstructure and longitudinally framed construction was used to save weight.

[5][6][10][11] After delivery in 1961, Point Dume was assigned a homeport of Fire Island, New York, where she served as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat.

[5] At the request of the United States Navy, in April 1965, she was alerted for service in South Vietnam and assigned to Coast Guard Squadron One in support of Operation Market Time along with 16 other Point class cutters.

[12][13] While the crew completed overseas training and weapons qualifications at Coast Guard Island and Camp Parks, California, Point Dume was loaded onto a merchant ship, and transported to Subic Bay, Philippines in May 1965 where she was refitted for combat service.

After sea trials, the Division left Subic Bay for Da Nang on 16 July 1965 in the company of USS Snohomish County, their temporary support ship.

[19] Shortly thereafter, Point Dume came under fire from an unidentified aircraft along with the heavy cruiser USS Boston and the Australian destroyer HMAS Hobart.

[20] Evidence showed later during a board of inquiry that it was a friendly fire incident involving U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy aircraft mistaking the ships for enemy targets.