The USCGC Evergreen (WLB-295, WAGO-295, and WMEC-295) was originally built as a 180 feet (55 m) sea going buoy tender

USCG Seagoing Buoy Tender

The Seagoing Buoy Tender is a type of U.S. Coast Guard cutter originally designed to service aids to navigation, throughout the waters of the United States, and wherever U.S. shipping interests require. The Coast Guard has maintained a fleet of seagoing buoy tenders dating back to its origins in...

 (WLB). A Cactus, or A-class vessel, Evergreens preliminary design was completed by the United States Lighthouse Service

United States Lighthouse Service

The United States Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses, was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States from the time of its creation in 1910 until 1939...

 and the final design was produced by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...

 (also the builders). The keel was laid on 15 April 1942. It was launched on 3 July 1942 and commissioned on 30 April 1943. The original cost for the hull and machinery was $871,946.

Evergreen is one of 39 original 180 feet (55 m) seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942-1944. All but one of the original tenders, the , were built in Duluth. Like all of these tenders, the Evergreen was named after a plant.

Starting In 1948, Evergreen served as part of the International Ice Patrol, in addition to her duties as a buoy tender. In 1956, Evergreen served as the commanding vessel in the rescue of survivors from the Andrea Doria

SS Andrea Doria

SS Andrea Doria[p] was an ocean liner for the Italian Line home ported in Genoa, Italy, most famous for its sinking in 1956, when 46 people died. Named after the 16th-century Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, the ship had a gross register tonnage of 29,100 and a capacity of about 1,200 passengers and...

sinking. In 1964, Evergreen was converted to an oceanographic vessel and re-designated WAGO-295. During the conversion, a computer was installed, and Evergreen became the first government oceanographic ship to have one. As an oceanographic vessel, she was also converted from a black hull paint scheme to a white hull paint scheme, which the vessel wore until it was decommissioned. In 1968 Evergreen suffered a major fire in her engine room while tied to the pier. The fire was extinguished and the vessel was repaired. In 1972, Evergreen underwent extensive modification, including the addition of a bow thruster, and changes to her superstructure. In 1982, when the Coast Guard's oceanographic research program ended, the vessel was converted to a Medium Endurance Cutter, and re-designated WMEC-295.

Evergreen was decommissioned on 26 June 1990. She was used by the Navy as a target and sunk in 1992.