[4][6] Engine exhaust was ported through the transom rather than through a conventional stack permitting a 360 degree view from the bridge a useful feature in search and rescue work.

A watertight door at the front of the mess bulkhead led to the crew quarters which was ten feet long with six stowable bunks, three on each side.

[4][5][9][10] After delivery in 1962, Point Gammon was assigned a homeport of Fort Bragg, California, where she served as law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat.

On 20 April 1965, she dewatered and towed the disabled pleasure craft Amigo del Mar into Port Richmond, California.

[4] 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.

[11][12] While the crew completed overseas training and weapons qualifications at Coast Guard Island and Camp Parks, California, Point Gammon 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 (LST-1126), their temporary support ship.