Coast Guard begins ice breaking operations in western Great Lakes

The Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay, a 140-foot ice-breaking tug, escorts the motor vessel Calumet through Lake Michigan near Lansing Shoal, Feb. 2, 2014. The cutter was operating as part of Operation Taconite, which is the ice breaking operation for the northern Great Lakes. 
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Daniel R. Michelson.

SAULT STE MARIE, Mich. – U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie commenced Operation Taconite, Wednesday, in response to expanded ice growth in the commercial ports of western Lake Superior.

As one of two ice breaking operations that support the Great Lakes, Operation Taconite encompasses Lake Superior, St. Marys River, Straits of Mackinac, Georgian Bay, Green Bay, northern Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan.

Ice breaking operations are based on the following order of priorities: search and rescue and homeland security; urgent response to vessels; exigent community services, which includes ice breaking for flood control and to assist icebound communities in immediate need of food, fuel for heat or energy, and medical assistance; and facilitation of navigation.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Daniel R. Michelson.

In the coming weeks, various commercial waterways may close after due consideration is given to the protection of the marine environment and the safety of island residents who, in the course of their daily business, use naturally-formed ice bridges for transportation to and from the mainland.

The authority for Coast Guard domestic ice breaking was created in 1936, by Executive Order 7521 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt directing the U.S. Coast Guard to "assist in keeping open to navigation by means of ice breaking operations in so far as practicable, and as the exigencies may require, channels and harbors in accordance with the reasonable demands of commerce.”

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Nation’s only heavy icebreaker departs for Antarctic military operation

USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10) transits Elliott Bay with the skyline of Seattle, Washington, in the background on Nov. 26, 2019. The cutter is scheduled to assist with ice breaking operations in McMurdo Sound near Antarctica during Operation Deep Freeze 2020. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Steve Strohmaier.

SEATTLE — The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) departed Tuesday commencing their annual deployment to Antarctica where the cutter and crew will support Operation Deep Freeze 2020, a joint military service mission to resupply U.S. interests in Antarctica.

“We set out today on an important mission, saying goodbye to the friends and families who have supported us and our ship for the past seven-months since we returned from Operation Deep Freeze 2019,” said Capt. Gregory Stanclik, commanding officer of the Polar Star. “We are looking forward to this year’s mission to McMurdo Station with a ship that is running the best it has since reactivation. This mission is critical to the United States and our continued strategic presence on the Antarctic Continent and I have the best crew possible to ensure we safely accomplish our goal.”

USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10).
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Steve Strohmaier.

Homeported in Seattle, the 43-year-old Coast Guard cutter is the United States’ last remaining operational heavy icebreaker. This is the cutter’s seventh deployment in as many years to directly support the resupply of McMurdo Station – the United States’ main logistics hub in Antarctica.

Each year, the crew aboard the 399-foot, 13,000-ton Polar Star create a navigable path through seasonal and multi-year ice, sometimes as much as 21-feet thick, to allow a resupply vessel to reach McMurdo Station. The supply delivery allows Antarctic stations to stay operational year-round, including during the dark and tumultuous winter.

Commissioned in 1976, the Polar Star is showing its age. Reserved for Operation Deep Freeze each year, the Polar Star spends the winter breaking ice near Antarctica, and when the mission is complete, the cutter returns to dry dock in order to complete critical maintenance and repairs in preparation for the next Operation Deep Freeze mission.

The family of a crewmember aboard USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10) wave from the pier at Base Seattle, Nov. 26, 2019. The Polar Star crew departed its homeport for a deployment that will last several months. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Clark.

The Coast Guard has been the sole provider of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965, and is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with six new polar security cutters in order to ensure continued national presence and access to the Polar Regions.

In the fiscal year 2019 budget, Congress appropriated $655 million to begin construction of a new polar security cutter this year, with another $20 million appropriated for long-lead-time materials to build a second.

The Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, working through an integrated program office, awarded VT Halter Marine Inc., a fixed price incentive contract in April for the detail design and construction of the Coast Guard’s lead polar security cutter, including options for the construction of two additional PSCs.

Antarctica-USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10) Polar Icebreaker. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

“The Coast Guard greatly appreciates the strong support from both the Administration and Congress for funding the polar security cutter program,” said Adm. Karl Schultz, the commandant of the Coast Guard. “These new cutters are absolutely vital to achieving our national strategic objectives in the Polar Regions – presence equals influence, and we must be present to meet the Nation’s national security and economic needs there in the future.”

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Coast Guard medevacs a man 86 miles offshore of Naples, Florida

Archive image: U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Erick Lieb, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Clearwater, Florida, forward deployed to Great Inagua, Bahamas, walks to a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Coast Guard medevaced a man 86 miles offshore of Naples, Florida, Monday.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted an ill 53-year-old male crew member from a 44-foot fishing vessel and transported him to Tampa General Hospital for treatment.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg command center watchstanders were notified by the fishing vessel crew of reported various medical symptoms, and the Coast Guard District 7 duty flight surgeon recommended a medevac.

For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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Coast Guard aircrew assists Newport Fire & Rescue in rescuing injured woman on Yaquina Bay’s North Jetty

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew arrives on scene to hoist an injured woman off the Yaquina Bay North Jetty near Newport, Oregon, Nov. 25, 2019. Newport Fire and Rescue personnel were the first on scene to treat the woman who reportedly injured herself while climbing on the jetty. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin Loy.

NEWPORT, Ore. — A Coast Guard aircrew hoisted an injured woman off Yaquina Bay's North Jetty Monday afternoon.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Sector North Bend hoisted the injured 43-year-old woman, who reportedly broke her ankle, and transported her to Samaritan Hospital in Newport.

Watchstanders at the Sector North Bend command center received notification of the agency assist from Newport 911 dispatch at approximately 2 p.m. Newport Fire and Rescue personnel were the initial responders and provided stabilizing care to the injured woman. The fire and rescue personnel requested Coast Guard assistance with transportation of the injured woman off the jetty.

The Coast Guard reminds visitors to the Oregon Coast during this Thanksgiving week to be aware of the dangers that lurk near the ocean, including jetties. All are advised to exercise increased vigilance due to the expected arrival of a large storm that could be carrying hurricane force winds.

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Coast Guard rescues 3 sea turtles caught in illegal fishing gear near Brownsville, Texas

A Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crew rescues three green sea turtles caught in 200-yards of illegal gill net fishing gear approximately a quarter mile north of the mouth of the Rio Grande River, near Brownsville, Texas, Nov. 24, 2019. Gill net is a form of fishing gear consisting of a wall of netting with mesh sizes designed to allow fish to trap their heads through the netting and is illegal to use in Texas waters. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard rescued three sea turtles caught in 200-yards of illegal fishing gear approximately a quarter mile north of the mouth of the Rio Grande River, near Brownsville, Texas, Sunday.

Coast Guard Station South Padre Island crews spotted the illegal gill net fishing gear with five blacktip sharks and eight sea turtles entangled. Of the wildlife recovered, three green sea turtles were alive and released back to their habitat.

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

"This incident is yet another example of the negative impacts of illegal fishing gear being set in U.S. waters,” said Lt. Kurtis Mees, Station South Padre Island commanding officer.  “Not only does it impact this endangered species, but the entire ecosystem as a whole. Fortunately, we were able to free three live green sea turtles and remove this gill net before it trapped and killed any additional marine life."

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Gill net is a form of fishing gear consisting of a wall of netting with mesh sizes designed to allow fish to trap their heads and is illegal to use in Texas waters. Gill net has been a major source of mortality for all sea turtle species due to their susceptibility to become entangled in the net.

If you witness suspicious activity or illegal fishing in state waters (out to 9 miles offshore), please contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s “Operation Game Thief” at 1-800-792-GAME (4263). For all suspicious activity or illegal fishing occurring in federal waters (out to 200 miles offshore), please contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-0450.

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

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Coast Guard Cutter Stratton to return to Alameda following 162-day patrol

Archive image: Crew members aboard Coast Guard Cutter Stratton conduct basket hoisting evolutions with the air crew aboard an MH-65 dolphin helicopter in the Coral Sea July 12, 2019. The basket is lowered and hoisted back up to allow the crew to train in realistic scenarios and to build proficiency among both crews. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jasmine Mieszala)

The crew departed Alameda June 13 and has operated under the tactical control of the commander of the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet.  In the Western Pacific, the crew patrolled and conducted operations as directed, including enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by monitoring and gathering intelligence on vessels conducting ship-to-ship transfers in the East China, South China and Yellow Seas.ALAMEDA, Calif. — The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) are scheduled to return Friday to their homeport of Alameda following a 162-day deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean.

They also engaged in professional exchanges and visited ports in Fiji, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Crew members combated illegal fishing and conducted community relations events and capacity-building exercises with navies and coast guards throughout the region.

The U.S. Coast Guard has an enduring role in the Indo-Pacific, going back over 150 years. The service’s ongoing deployment of resources directly supports U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.

Archive image: the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton operates in the Western Pacific during Talisman Sabre July 18, 2019. One of the Coast Guard’s primary roles during TS 19 was to act as a forward screening vessel to ensure the safety of the force moving up behind Stratton. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jasmine Mieszala.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is proud to operate with our Pacific counterparts, and together we are dedicated to enhancing our capabilities and strengthening maritime governance and security while promoting individual sovereignty,” said Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Pacific Area.

Commissioned in 2010, Stratton was the third of the Coast Guard’s legend class national security cutters. Eight national security cutters are currently in service, including four homeported in Alameda and two in Honolulu.

These technologically-advanced ships are 418 feet long, 54 feet wide and have a 4,600 long-ton displacement. They have a top speed in excess of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, endurance of up to 90 days and can accommodate a crew of up to 170.

National security cutters feature advanced command-and-control capabilities, aviation support facilities, stern cutter boat launch and increased endurance for long-range patrols to disrupt threats to national security further offshore.

"The U.S. Coast Guard's unique authorities, capabilities, and missions make us the maritime safety and security partner of choice for sea-going countries around the world,” Fagan said. “Our increased presence throughout the Indo-Pacific will enhance regional stability and improve maritime governance and security.” 

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Coast Guard responds to diesel discharge from semi-submerged tugboat in Oregon Inlet, North Carolina

The semi-submerged tugboat Miss Bonnie sits in the water after alliding with the Old Bonner Bridge and is responsible for the potential maximum discharge of 6,000 gallons of diesel, Nov. 18, 2019, in Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. The cause of the allision is currently under investigation. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet.

OREGON INLET, N.C. — The Coast Guard is responding to a discharge of diesel from a semi-submerged tugboat in the vicinity of the Old Bonner Bridge in Oregon Inlet, Monday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received the report of a sheen by a 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet at approximately 10:00 a.m., which was reported to be leaking from the tugboat Miss Bonnie.

The tugboat allided with the Old Bonner Bridge on Nov. 17, 2019, at 11:09 a.m.

The maximum potential for the discharge is 6,000 gallons; however, it is estimated 3,000 gallons were onboard. The responsible party has deployed 200 feet of sorbent boom and 175 feet of containment boom around the vessel.

The responsible party is scheduled to deploy secondary ocean boom tomorrow, as well as conduct salvage operations once on-scene weather permits.

There have been no reports of impacts to wildlife at this time. The channel currently remains open to all vessel traffic.

The Coast Guard is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Scientific Support Coordinator to identify the most likely trajectory of the discharged diesel to determine necessary mitigation strategies for the preventative impact to environmentally sensitive areas.

Pictured is the diesel spill resulting from the semi-submerged tugboat Miss Bonnie, Nov. 18, 2019, in Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, which allided with the Old Bonner Bridge on Nov. 17, 2019. The cause of the allision is currently under investigation. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet.

“Protecting the marine environment is a top priority for the Coast Guard,” said Capt. Bion Stewart, commander of Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. “We are overseeing the responsible party’s actions to mitigate environmental impacts resulting from the discharge and to remove the vessel when it is safe to do so.”

Involved in the response are:

• Coast Guard Sector North Carolina Marine Safety Detachment
• PCL Construction
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Scientific Support Coordinator
• North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
• National Parks Service

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

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Coast Guard announces naming of new cutters after FDNY, NYPD, USCG Reserve 9/11 heroes

Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard commandant, announced Nov. 12, in New York City flanked by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill and FDNY Chief of Department John Sudnik, that two new cutters will be named in honor of Port Security Specialist 2nd Class Vincent Danz and Machinery Technician 1st Class Jeffrey Palazzo.

Palazzo served as a Coast Guard Reservist and FDNY firefighter at Rescue 5 in Staten Island. He perished while assisting others at the scene of the 9/11 attacks. Danz served as a Coast Guard Reservist, as well as an NYPD officer at the Emergency Services Unit in the Bronx. He was providing aid to victims on 9/11 when he perished during the World Trade Center collapse. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class John Hightower.

NEW YORK — The Coast Guard announced yesterday that two of its new Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) will be named in honor of two extraordinary public servants who served in the Coast Guard and also served in the New York City Fire Department and New York City Police Department, respectively, with both losing their lives responding on 9/11.

Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard commandant, made the announcement in New York City's Battery Park flanked by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill and FDNY Chief of Department John Sudnik, that the new cutters will be named in honor of Port Security Specialist 2nd Class Vincent Danz and Machinery Technician 1st Class Jeffrey Palazzo.

Palazzo served as a Coast Guard Reservist and FDNY firefighter at Rescue 5 in Staten Island. He perished while assisting others at the scene of the 9/11 attacks. Danz served as a Coast Guard Reservist, as well as an NYPD officer at the Emergency Services Unit in the Bronx. He was providing aid to victims on 9/11 when he perished during the World Trade Center collapse.

“We are humbled and grateful for the opportunity to honor these brave men whose service and sacrifice spanned three great first-responder organizations,” said Adm. Karl Schultz. “Their broad military and public service to both the Nation and City of New York demonstrated their incredible dedication and character. When the call came, they answered. We are certain that the men and women who serve aboard Coast Guard Cutter Vincent Danz and Coast Guard Cutter Jeffrey Palazzo in the future will proudly carry on their sense of honor, respect, and devotion to duty.”

Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard commandant, is joined on stage by Lisa Palazzo and Angela Danz-Donahue, during a ceremony naming two new cutters after their late husbands.

Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard commandant, announced Nov. 12, in New York City flanked by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill and FDNY Chief of Department John Sudnik, that two new cutters will be named in honor of Port Security Specialist 2nd Class Vincent Danz and Machinery Technician 1st Class Jeffrey Palazzo.

Palazzo served as a Coast Guard Reservist and FDNY firefighter at Rescue 5 in Staten Island. He perished while assisting others at the scene of the 9/11 attacks. Danz served as a Coast Guard Reservist, as well as an NYPD officer at the Emergency Services Unit in the Bronx. He was providing aid to victims on 9/11 when he perished during the World Trade Center collapse. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class John Hightower.

“On the day we needed them most, our city’s brave first responders ran toward danger without hesitation,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Officer Vincent Danz and Firefighter Jeffrey Palazzo lived and died in service to our city and our country, and I join the U.S. Coast Guard, NYPD and FDNY in remembering the sacrifices they made to keep us safe. They were heroes, plain and simple, and their spirit will live on through these vessels as they continue to protect our city and nation from harm.”

Firefighter Jeffrey Palazzo bravely served our city and his country, proudly wearing the uniforms of the FDNY and United States Coast Guard,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “We will never forget his bravery and the sacrifice he made working to rescue those trapped at the World Trade Center. His legacy will live on through the Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutter that will bear his name and rescue New Yorkers from danger for years to come.”

“Eighteen years ago, New York City Police Officer Vincent Danz was a portrait of courage amid the devastation of the World Trade Center attacks,” said Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “His public service on September 11th was exceptional, and yet reflective of the great character of our 36,000-member police force and its dedication to duty. As we think about Vincent’s life, let us always honor – and never forget – his sacrifice for his colleagues, our fellow New Yorkers and our country. To Vincent’s family, we thank you for sharing such a virtuous man with a grateful city. Let this Coast Guard vessel forever be a beacon to anyone in distress and a reminder of our collective mission as first responders to always keep one another safe.”

The new cutters are scheduled for delivery starting in 2023. FRCs are the mainstay of the Coast Guard’s coastal patrol fleet, providing multi-mission capabilities and interagency interoperability. FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment; over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment to reach vessels of interest; and improved habitability and sea-keeping. They are replacing the 1980s-era Island-Class 110-foot patrol boats.

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Coast Guard medevacs man 20 miles north of Hatteras, North Carolina

Archive image: a U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter sits at Air Station Elizabeth City in preparation for Hurricane Dorian Response, Sept. 5, 2019. The aircraft must be thoroughly checked and maintained before enduring the harsh conditions of a hurricane.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ronald Hodges.

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — The Coast Guard medevaced a man from the commercial fishing vessel Captain Jimmy 20 miles north of Hatteras.

Monday night, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Fifth District command center were notified that the 56-year-old crew member was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina launched to assist.

Once on scene, the helicopter crew safely hoisted the man up and transported him to Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, North Carolina.

“The case went well, but was definitely a more challenging hoist,” said Lt. Lindsey Cockburn a pilot for the medevac. “It was very dark, but this is something we train for by doing hoisting work at night. In the end, we got the patient to the proper medical facilities.”

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Coast Guard assists disabled sailing vessel near Port O'Connor, Texas

A Coast Guard Station Port O'Connor 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew arrives on scene to tow a disabled sailing vessel that was pushing against the north jetty in Port O'Connor, Texas, Oct. 22, 2019. No injuries were reported. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Station Port O'Connor.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Coast Guard crews assisted a disabled sailing vessel pushing against the north jetty near Port O'Connor, Texas, Tuesday evening.

Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a report that the 45-foot sailing vessel Talon was disabled and pushing against the north jetty with two people aboard. 

Watchstanders diverted a Station Port O'Connor 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat crew and launched a Station Port O'Connor 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew to the scene.

Once on scene, the crew of the RB-M towed the Talon to Caracol in Port O'Connor.

No injuries were reported. 

A Coast Guard Station Port O'Connor boarding team member conducts a boarding after towing a disabled sailing vessel to Caracol in Port O'Connor, Texas, Oct. 22, 2019. The sailing vessel contacted Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders after becoming disabled and pushing against the north jetty. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Station Port O'Connor.

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Coast Guard Cutter Dependable returns home after patrol in Caribbean Sea

The Coast Guard Cutter Dependable underway in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on patrol. 

U.S. Coast Guard photograph courtesy of Coast Guard Cutter Dependable (archive).

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The crew of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Dependable returned home after a 49-day patrol conducting counter-drug and migrant interdiction missions in the Caribbean Sea, Wednesday. 

The crew of the Dependable conducted two separate counter-narcotics boardings while tasked as a surface asset to Joint Interagency Task Force South. In total, the ship’s crew spent a combined 91 hours on counter-narcotics boardings, completed over 40 small boat sorties, and spent more than 647 hours ensuring that suspect vessels were in compliance with international laws.

The Dependable's crew sailed more than 7,500 nautical miles in the Caribbean Sea, and traveled as far south as Curacao and as far east as the Greater Antilles. During the voyage, the crew conducted over 100 drills in transit to maintain optimal readiness.

The Dependable is a 210-foot Reliance Class Medium-Endurance Cutter homeported in Virginia Beach. The crew conducts homeland security missions in the offshore waters of the Western Hemisphere, from New England to the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific.

More information on the Dependable is available at http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/cgcDependable/.

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Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley returns home after 40-day, 5,000-mile patrol

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) returned to their homeport in Kodiak, Oct. 20, 2019, following a 40-day deployment throughout the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Since departing Kodiak in September, the crew patrolled 5,000 miles and conducted 13 at-sea boardings. 

U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo by Ensign Richard Zogby.

KODIAK, Alaska — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) returned to their homeport in Kodiak Sunday, following a 40-day deployment throughout the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.

Since departing Kodiak in September, the crew patrolled 5,000 miles and conducted 13 at-sea boardings.

The crew also conducted law enforcement operations during the opening of the 2019 Red King Crab season and participated in several search and rescue cases. Most notably, Alex Haley’s onboard helicopter crew medically evacuated a crewmember from fishing vessel Alaska Victory after he was exposed to a release of toxic ammonia refrigerant Sept. 28.

A crewmember aboard a 26-foot over-the-horizon boat prepares to come alongside Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 30) while underway in the Bering Sea. Alex Haley’s crew returned to their homeport in Kodiak, Oct. 20, 2019, following a 40-day deployment throughout the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Since departing Kodiak in September, the crew patrolled 5,000 miles and conducted 13 at-sea boardings.

U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo by Ensign Richard Zogby

Midway through the patrol, Alex Haley visited the remote community of St. Paul, Alaska, where crewmembers conducted a clean-up of a local lakefront and met with community elders. These events helped strengthen one of the many outstanding partnerships between the U. S. Coast Guard and local Alaskan communities.

“This patrol is my first aboard Alex Haley and my first in the Bering Sea,” said Cmdr. Benjamin Golightly, Alex Haley’s commanding officer. “After a long period in homeport, which included major dockside repairs, the crew did an outstanding job transitioning back into the demanding routine of operations at sea.”

“The opportunity to patrol the Bering Sea during the highly visible Red King Crab season was tremendously rewarding anduniquely challenging,” continued Golightly. “Between the rapid operational pace of fisheries boardings, the notorious unpredictability of the weather, and the fact that search and rescue cases can occur at any time, there was no shortage of challenges to be met by the crew. However, through their perseverance, high spirits, and unwavering dedication to service, Alex Haley's crewmembers exemplified professionalism and operational excellence in all they did. The product of their efforts can clearly be seen in the success we had this patrol.”

A small boat from Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) underway following a fisheries law enforcement and safety boarding in the Bering Sea. The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) returned to their homeport in Kodiak, Oct. 20, 2019, following a 40-day deployment throughout the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Since departing Kodiak in September, the crew patrolled 5,000 miles and conducted 13 at-sea boardings. U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo by Ensign Richard Zogby.

Alex Haley is a 282-foot Medium Endurance Cutter that has been homeported in Kodiak since 1999, routinely operating throughout the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Pacific Ocean. The cutter’s ability to operate in extreme weather conditions provides the mission flexibility necessary to perform search and rescue, fisheries law enforcement, and vessel safety inspections across Alaska. These operations occur under the tactical control of the 17th Coast Guard District in Juneau, which encompasses the entire state of Alaska, as well as the coastal and offshore waters seaward over several thousands of miles.

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Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless returns home after 47 day patrol

An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter practices landing on the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless during a training exercise in the Gulf of Mexico, June 10, 2016. Keeping crews regularly trained ensures a high level of competency and efficency service-wide. 
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin R. Williams.

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless crew will return to their homeport in Pensacola, Florida after completing a 47-day, 8,000 nautical mile patrol, Wednesday.

All 78 crewmembers began their patrol in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, August 31, 2019, and will be reunited with their loved ones, October 16.

Shortly after getting underway, the Dauntless crew was assigned command of a task force conducting Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Southeastern United States. As Hurricane Dorian passed north of the United States, Dauntless transitioned south into the Caribbean Sea. There, the Dauntless crew worked closely with Coast Guard air assets stationed in Puerto Rico to achieve operational qualifications, and enhance the capabilities of search and rescue, migrant interdiction, and drug interdiction.

Joint operations conducted by the Dauntless crew and the Royal Bahamian Defense Force in the Caribbean resulted in the interdiction and repatriation of 12 Haitian migrants illegally attempting to enter the Bahamian island of Great Inagua.

Nigel Dakin, royal governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, met with the command and crew of Dauntless during a port call in Grand Turk. Governor Dakin offered a warm welcome to the island nation, and reaffirmed the close relationship between the Coast Guard and the British territory. Governor Dakin thanked the crew of the Dauntless for their service, and stressed the importance of the work they perform in the Caribbean to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

During this patrol, three crewmembers were promoted. Petty Officer 2nd Class Samantha Rowsey was promoted to the rank of 1st Class; Seaman Apprentice Rylan Ragar was promoted to Seaman; and Fireman Apprentice Ashley Pierson was promoted to Fireman.

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SECNAV Names Future Destroyer in Honor of US Navy Medal of Honor Recipient

WASHINGTON (Oct. 16, 2019) A photo illustration announcing that Arleigh-Burke class destroyer, DDG 134, will be named USS John E. Kilmer. 

U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist Paul L. Archer/Released.

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer named a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, DDG 134, in honor of U.S. Navy Hospitalman John E. Kilmer, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during the Korean War.

“Hospitalman Kilmer was a hero whose efforts during the Korean War continue to inspire,” Spencer said. “His dedication to his teammates represents everything good about our integrated Naval force.”

A medical field technician with the Fleet Marine Force, Kilmer was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor June 18, 1953. He was killed Aug. 13, 1952 as a result of enemy action while caring for the wounded during the attack on Bunker Hill. He shielded another man from enemy fire with his body and was mortally wounded.

From Kilmer’s Medal of Honor citation, “With his company engaged in defending a vitally important hill position well forward of the main line of resistance during an assault by large concentrations of hostile troops, Kilmer repeatedly braved intense enemy mortar, artillery and sniper fire to move from one position to another, administering aide to the wounded and expediting their evacuation.”

Kilmer was born in Highland Park, Illinois, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1947 as an Apprentice Seaman in Houston, Texas. Kilmer was serving with a Marine rifle company in the First Marine Division at the time of his death. He had previously served aboard USS Repose (AH 16) and at multiple locations in California.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis response to sea control and power projection. The future USS John E. Kilmer (DDG 134) will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a combination of offensive and defensive weapon systems to support maritime warfare, including integrated air and missile defense and vertical launch capabilities.

USS John E. Kilmer will be constructed at Bath Iron Works, a division of General Dynamics in Bath, Maine. The ship will be 509 feet long, have a beam of 59 feet and be capable of operating in excess of 30 knots.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

Coast Guard offloads more than $92 million worth of cocaine in San Diego

Coast Guardsmen prepare bails of cocaine to be offloaded from the Coast Guard Cutter Alert in San Diego, October 16, 2019. The crew aboard the Alert offloaded approximately 6,800 pounds of cocaine. 

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Gray.

SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard offloaded more than $92 million worth of seized cocaine in San Diego Wednesday.

The cocaine, worth more than $92 million, was seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The contraband represents four suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by the crews of three Coast Guard cutters off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America between late July and early October by the following Coast Guard cutters:

• Alert (WMEC-630) was responsible for two cases, seizing approximately 4,000 pounds of cocaine
• Robert Ward (WPC-1130) was responsible for one case, seizing approximately 1,500 pounds of cocaine
• Seneca (WMEC-906) was responsible for one case, seizing approximately 1,400 pounds of cocaine

The Coast Guard Cutter Alert crew conducted a drug offload in San Diego, Oct. 16, 2019. The crew offloaded more than 6,800 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $92 million, seized in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. 

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Gray.

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security are involved in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with allied and international partner agencies play a role in counter-drug operations. The fight against transnational organized crime networks in the Eastern Pacific requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions to prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys throughout the country.

"I am extremely proud of this crew for doing their part to keep these dangerous drugs off the streets," said Cmdr. Tyson Scofield, Alert’s commanding officer. "The Eastern Pacific Ocean is a challenging environment, especially on a ship that is in her 50th year of service, yet this crew persevered to disrupt the illegal flow of narcotics that fuels instability in Central and South America. The counter-drug mission is as important now as it has ever been, and these brave men and women can return home after a 69-day patrol knowing they made a difference."

A suspected smuggling vessel drifts in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean after being intercepted by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert in October. Approximately 2,000 pounds of cocaine were seized and three suspected smugglers were detained. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The Coast Guard increased the U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off of Central and South America, as part of its Western Hemisphere Strategy. During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially located and tracked by allied, military or law enforcement personnel. The interdictions, including the actual boarding, are led and conducted by U.S. Coast Guardsmen. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard 11th District headquartered in Alameda.

Bales of cocaine lie stacked under the deck of a suspected smuggling vessel in October interdicted by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Approximately 2,000 pounds of cocaine were seized and three suspected smugglers were detained. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The Alert is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Astoria, Oregon. The Robert Ward is a 154-foot fast-response cutter homeported in San Pedro. The Seneca is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Boston, Massachusetts.

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