[2][4] Richard Etheridge, and the first and third vessels in the class, Bernard C. Webber, and William Flores, are all based in Miami, Florida.

On March 18, 2014, Richard Etheridge landed 1,500 pounds (680 kg) of illicit drugs captured as part of Operation Martillo.

[7] Richard Etheridge is armed with a remote-control 25 mm Bushmaster autocannon and four, crew-served M2HB .50-caliber machine guns.

It is equipped with a stern launching ramp, like the Marine Protector class and the eight failed expanded Island-class cutters.

[8] According to Marine Log, modifications to the Coast Guard vessels from the Stan 4708 design include an increase in speed from 23 to 28 knots (43 to 52 km/h; 26 to 32 mph), fixed-pitch rather than variable-pitch propellers, stern launch capability, and watertight bulkheads.