From U.S. Coast Guard 1st District, Oct. 25, 2024 

BOSTON — The Coast Guard and Barnstable High School conducted a commissioning ceremony for the first Coast Guard Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) in the New England area, Friday morning. 
 
The Coast Guard JROTC is a youth outreach program that instills the values of citizenship, service to the country, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment in students. 
 
During the event, Rear Adm. Will Watson, Coast Guard Director of Governmental and Public Affairs, talked about the program’s objectives, curriculum and the benefits it will offer to develop service-minded citizens of character. 
 
“The Coast Guard looks forward to this valuable partnership with Barnstable High School,” said Rear Adm. Will Watson. “We are eager to watch cadets grow from personal discipline and self-confidence to leadership and teamwork. The school’s unique values and strengths will elevate the heights to which the program and its cadets will climb.”   
 
In 1992, the Coast Guard established its first JROTC unit in Miami. Recent legislation mandated the Coast Guard to establish and maintain one JROTC unit in every Coast Guard District by 2025. 

From the U.S. Coast Guard 13th District, Oct. 24, 2024 

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard commissioned its 57th Fast Response Cutter during a ceremony held at Coast Guard Base Seattle, Thursday. 

Coast Guard Cutter Florence Finch (WPC-1157) is the second of three planned Fast Response Cutter’s (FRC) to be homeported in Astoria. 

The ceremony was presided by Coast Guard Rear. Adm. Charles Fosse, 13^th District Commander. Members of the Finch family were also in attendance, including the cutter’s sponsor and Mrs. Finch’s daughter, Mrs. Betty Murphy. 

The cutters namesake, Florence Ebersole Smith Finch, was a Filipino-American and a member of the World War II resistance against the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. During the war, she assisted the movement by diverting fuel destined for enemy use, falsifying documents for resistance members to obtain supplies, and using her position to facilitate acts of sabotage. In 1944, she was discovered and arrested, tortured, tried, and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. She remained in captivity until early 1945, when American forces liberated the Philippines. 

Finch moved back to America following the war and joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves. Finch was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1947 and was also awarded the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Ribbon, the first woman to be so decorated. 

During the ceremony, Florence Finch was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, which was presented to Finch’s family by retired Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award given by the United States Congress. 

“Florence Finch is a true Coast Guard and Filipino hero, and we couldn’t be prouder to honor her legacy,” said Coast Guard Vice Adm. Andrew Tiongson, Pacific Area Commander. “The cutter is now the only currently active ship in the United States military named after a Filipino-American.” 

The crew of the Florence Finch will primarily operate in the Pacific Ocean, Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Columbia River. The Sentinel-class FRC is designed for multiple missions, including search and rescue; fishery patrols; drug and migrant interdiction; ports, waterways and coastal security; and national defense. 

The Coast Guard has ordered a total of 67 FRCs to replace the 1980s-era Island-class 110-foot patrol boats. The 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 seakeeping. 

The commissioning ceremony is one of the most important traditional milestones in the life of a cutter, as it represents the readiness of the cutter to conduct Coast Guard operations and marks her entry into active service. 

For more information on Florence Finch, please visit the Coast Guard history website: Florence Ebersole Smith Finch, USCGR > United States Coast Guard > All 

From Public Affairs Detachment Tampa Bay, Oct. 23, 2024 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute offloaded approximately 9,690 pounds of cocaine and 5,490 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $115 million, in their homeport of St. Petersburg, Wednesday.   

In addition to the contraband, Resolute’s crew previously transferred five suspected smugglers ashore to face federal prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice.   

Resolute’s crew deployed to the Caribbean Sea for 38 days in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-South), an interagency and international task force that conducts counter-illicit trafficking and security cooperation operations in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. During their patrol, the Resolute crew was strategically positioned to deny drug trafficking organizations access to maritime smuggling routes from Central and South America to prevent harmful narcotics from reaching the United States.   

Early in the patrol, Resolute’s crew launched two small boat crews to pursue a go-fast vessel across 40 nautical miles of open ocean in six-foot seas. Despite the vessel’s significant horsepower, the Resolute crew worked with a Dutch aircraft to disrupt the go-fast vessel, forcing the smugglers to jettison their illicit contraband. Two weeks later, the Resolute crew located a suspicious sailing vessel traveling through the central Caribbean. During the late-night boarding, Resolute’s law enforcement boarding team discovered nearly 1,653 pounds of cocaine in a hidden compartment. The boarding team seized the contraband and detained the suspected smugglers onboard. The crew’s efforts in both cases prevented an estimated $58.1 million worth of contraband from reaching the United States.   

“Time and time again, the crew demonstrated their professionalism, cohesion and excellence in mission execution,” said Cmdr. Ian Starr, commanding officer of Resolute. “I am so incredibly proud of their efforts and their ability to achieve success in conditions where success is never guaranteed.”   

As part of the international partnerships under JIATF-South, the Resolute crew worked with the Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS Holland and their embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 102 from Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific to transfer custody of seized contraband and suspected smugglers for future prosecution in the United States. Holland’s crew transferred more than 5,000 pounds of marijuana and 4,409 pounds of cocaine to Resolute, promoting diplomatic relations through the shared efforts to stem the flow of illegal narcotics through the Caribbean joint operating area.   

In support of Homeland Security Task Force-Southeast and Operation Vigilant Sentry, Resolute’s crew also worked with the crews of Coast Guard cutters William Trump and Reliance to interdict an overloaded and unseaworthy vessel with 181 migrants off the coast of Haiti. Resolute’s crew worked throughout the night to safely transport Haitian migrants to Coast Guard Cutter Reliance, allowing the crew to provide timely shelter and care to dozens of men, women and children.    

Resolute also conducted flight operations with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Miami, successfully completing their Aviation Standardization Inspection. During the assessment, Resolute completed 30 helicopter evolutions including in-flight refueling, vertical replenishment and shipboard launch and recovery operations to enhance mission readiness.   

The Resolute crew was permitted to return home early to reunite with their families following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, but almost as soon as they arrived, they went back underway again for storm avoidance before Hurricane Milton made landfall on the west coast of Florida. The Resolute crew provided offshore search and rescue support to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg in the wake of Hurricane Milton, along with Coast Guard Cutter Thetis and Coast Guard Cutter Pablo Valent.   

The fight against drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean requires a unity of effort in all phases, from detection and monitoring to interdiction and apprehension, through criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. attorneys’ offices in districts across the nation. Joint Interagency Task Force-South in Key West, Florida conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. The law enforcement phase of operations in the Caribbean is conducted under the authority of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami, and cases in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are conducted under the authority of the Eleventh Coast Guard District headquartered in Alameda, California. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.   

These interdictions relate to Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces’ (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiatives and designated investigations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.  

Resolute is a 210-foot, Reliance-class medium endurance cutter homeported in St. Petersburg. The cutter’s primary missions are counter drug operations, migrant interdiction, enforcement of federal fishery laws, and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. Resolute is under the command of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area based in Portsmouth, Virginia. U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf.  

For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty, reserve, officer, and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.   

From U.S. Coast Guard 7th District, Oct. 23, 2024 

KEY WEST, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) returned to their homeport of Key West, Oct. 11, following a 62-day migrant interdiction operations patrol in the Florida Straits. 

Mohawk’s crew deployed in support of Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast (HSTF-SE) and Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) while underway in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility. While on patrol, crew members worked alongside additional Coast Guard units and partner agency crews to detect, deter and intercept unsafe and illegal migrant ventures bound for the United States. 

While at sea, Mohawk crew members interdicted and rescued 41 migrants from unseaworthy vessels. Of these, Mohawk’s crew rescued 25 migrants aboard a single disabled vessel found taking on water in the Florida Straits on Aug. 20. Throughout the deployment, Mohawk cared for a total of 53 migrants, providing shelter, sustenance, hydration and medical care before conducting safe repatriation back to their country of origin. 

On Oct. 3, Mohawk’s crew conducted a rescue of four personnel stranded on the remote island of Cay Sal, Bahamas after their seaplane was disabled. Mohawk coordinated with a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon airplane and a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane to vector in Mohawk’s small boat crew for the rescue. 

Most recently, the crew of Mohawk extended their deployment in response to the approach of Hurricane Milton. Mohawk sortied alongside other Key West-based Coast Guard cutters to avoid potential storm damage and ensure response readiness after the hurricane. Mohawk’s crew also conducted a tow of the Isaac Mayo during the sortie for several days of rough seas as the cutter was disabled due to scheduled maintenance. 

Of note, this patrol marked a significant historical event for the Coast Guard’s Famous-class medium endurance cutter fleet. Mohawk was the last in its class to fire the onboard Mk 75 mm gun weapon system. The largest caliber weapon in the Coast Guard inventory, it has been utilized by Famous-class cutters like Mohawk since they were first commissioned in the 1980’s. Now, large caliber weapon systems onboard Famous-class cutters are being modernized for a service life extension program. 

To successfully conduct the migrant interdiction mission, Mohawk partnered with U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations air and boat crews as well as additional Coast Guard units to include Coast Guard Cutters Charles Sexton (WPC 1108), Raymond Evans (WPC 1110), Isaac Mayo (WPC 1112), Maple (WLB 297), Coast Guard Station Key West, Coast Guard Sector Key West and Coast Guard Air Station Miami. 

“Outstanding work by the Mohawk crew. I am very proud of our ability to secure our nation’s maritime borders while maintaining the safety of life at sea,” said Cmdr. David Ratner, commanding officer of Mohawk. “We understand the importance of deterring unlawful and dangerous maritime migration attempts on often overloaded and unseaworthy vessels. One such vessel with 25 migrants on board was disabled with insufficient fuel to make it to land and was taking on water.” 

Mohawk is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter with a crew of 100. The cutter’s primary missions are counter-drug and migrant interdiction operations, enforcement of federal fishery laws as well as search and rescue in support of Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. Mohawk falls under the command of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, which is based in Portsmouth, Virginia. U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. 

For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.  

From U.S. Coast Guard 7th District, Oct.22, 2024 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier offloaded 664 pounds (301 kgs) of seized cocaine and transferred custody of six smugglers to Coast Guard Investigative Service and FBI Special Agents in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Saturday. 

The interdiction is the result of multi-agency efforts in support of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force, while the seized cocaine is estimated to have a wholesale value of approximately $3.5 million.  

The apprehended smugglers are facing federal prosecution in Puerto Rico on criminal charges including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The charges carry a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Helena B. Daniel and Maria L. Montañez, Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting the case. 

During the afternoon of October 13, 2024, the crew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft detected a suspicious 25-foot go-fast vessel in international waters north of Dorado, Puerto Rico.  Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted the cutter Joseph Napier to interdict the suspect vessel. A Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine multi-role enforcement aircraft also responded and maintained aerial surveillance of the suspect vessel. Once on-scene, the cutter Joseph Napier crew launched the cutter’s Over the Horizon boat to stop the suspect vessel. During the pursuit, the passengers aboard the suspect vessel were observed jettisoning suspected contraband cargo overboard. Shortly thereafter, the cutter boat crew stopped the go-fast vessel. Following the interdiction, cutter Joseph Napier’s crew recovered six bales and a single package of the jettisoned cargo which tested positive for cocaine. The six persons onboard the vessel were apprehended. 

“This successful narcotics interdiction highlights the importance of interoperability with our Caribbean Corridor Strike Force and Caribbean Border Interagency Group partners.”  said Lt. Matthew Carmine, Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier’s commanding officer. “I am humbled by the professionalism and seamless coordination between multiple Coast Guard units including, Station San Juan, Air Station Miami, TACLET South, Sector San Juan Boarding Team, in conjunction with our interagency partners from Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations. Everyday my crew and I are proud to stand the watch alongside our Department of Homeland Security partners as we continue to relentlessly combat drug trafficking and illegal migration throughout the waters of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”   

This interdiction, seizure and prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF) is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations. The CCSF is comprised of agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, and United States Marshals Service, and prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier is 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

From U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Oct. 22, 2024 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WPC 901) returned to their homeport in Portsmouth, Oct. 7, following a 58-day homeland security and counter-drug patrol in the Windward Passage. 

Bear’s crew deployed in support of Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast (HSTF-SE) and Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) while underway in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility, where crew members conducted maritime safety and security missions. 

While on patrol, Bear crew members successfully deterred over 200 migrants aboard an overloaded vessel from reaching the United States unlawfully by sea, safely ensuring their return to Haiti. Bear’s crew also intercepted 107 migrants in a joint operation with Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore (WPC 1109). And during two separate events, Bear’s crew repatriated 169 migrants to Haiti. 

Additionally, Bear’s crew effectively disrupted a drug-smuggling venture by sea, preventing the suspected trafficker’s illegal narcotics from reaching the United States. 

Bear conducted these missions alongside interagency and international partners including the U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations and the Haitian Coast Guard. 

“This patrol was demanding and incredibly busy, and I couldn’t be prouder of how the crew supported each other during such challenging operations,” said Cmdr. Jorell Webb, commanding officer of Bear. “For many, this was their first experience with migrant interdiction operations. From the start to the end of the patrol, it was clear how the crew developed into a cohesive team.” 

The Coast Guard, along with its HSTF-SE partners, maintains a continual presence with air, land, and sea assets in the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea in support of OVS. The HSTF-SE combined, multi-layered approach is designed to protect the safety of life at sea while preventing unlawful maritime entry to the United States and its territories.  

Bear is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter. Bear’s primary missions are migrant interdiction and counter-narcotics operations, living marine resources protection, and search and rescue in support of the U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.  

From U.S. Coast Guard District 17 Public Affairs, Oct. 8, 2024 

KODIAK, Alaska — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) returned to their home port in Kodiak, Oct. 4, following a 75-day patrol in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. 

The crew intercepted a Russian Federation naval vessel transiting the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, conducted domestic fisheries along the Aleutian Islands, and provided search and rescue coverage to the Bering Sea. 

Their law enforcement team boarded 22 vessels, issued 27 safety and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fishery violations, and terminated the voyage of two vessels for hazardous and unsafe conditions. 

The Alex Haley crew also completed a successful gunnery exercise, as well as flight operations with MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews from Air Station Kodiak. 

Over the course of their patrol, the crew operated as far as 72 degrees north to the summer ice edge in the Arctic Ocean and 172 degrees east to Attu, the most westerly island of the Aleutian Islands chain, with visits to Adak and Nome. 

The crew earned the Arctic Service Medal for providing 21 days of presence and search and rescue coverage above the Arctic Circle. 

The Alex Haley, nicknamed “The Bulldog of the Bering,” is a 282-foot medium endurance cutter that performs search and rescue, fisheries law enforcement, and maritime security across Alaska. The cutter has been homeported in Kodiak since 1999 and was the recipient of the 2023 Captain Hopley Yeaton Cutter of the Year Award (Medium) and a 2024 International Maritime Organization Honour for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.  

From Brian O’Rourke, 07 October 2024 

SAN FRANCISCO — The America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7); San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) and the Unmanned Surface Vessel Ranger (OUSV 3) arrived in San Francisco in support of San Francisco Fleet Week 2024. 

Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen from several ships, squadrons and military units will be in San Francisco for the annual San Francisco Fleet Week, Oct. 7-14. 
 
Participating ships and units also include the Coast Guard Legend-class maritime security cutter USCG Bertholf (WMSL 750); the Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Regina (FFH 334); the unmanned surface vessel Ranger (OUSV 3); Naval Beach Group One; U.S. Marine Corps Task Force San Francisco (Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit 2; Combat Logistics Battalion 13; Combat Logistics Battalion 15; and Battalion Landing Team 1/5); the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels; the Navy parachute team, the Leap Frogs; Navy Band Southwest; 1st Marine Division Band; 12th Marine Corps District, Recruiting Station San Francisco; Navy Talent Acquisition Group Golden Gate; Assault Craft Unit 1; Beachmaster Unit 1; Amphibious Construction Battalion 1; Amphibious Squadron 7; Combat Logistics Regiment 17; U.S. 3rd Fleet; Expeditionary Strike Group 3; and Navy Region Southwest. 
 
Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard forces and assets also participate in a robust disaster response exercise, an annual event joint training event that adds a serious, practical objective to San Francisco Fleet Week. The exercise is designed to train military forces and local, county, state and federal government agencies to work together to respond to natural and man-made disasters, such as earthquakes, wildfires and industrial accidents. 
 
Service members will have an opportunity to interact with the local community while participating in a number of community relations projects and entertainment events throughout the week. 
Navy, Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force bands will perform a series of free neighborhood concerts throughout San Francisco. For a full list of concerts, visit the San Francisco Fleet Week website: Neighborhood Concert Series – San Francisco Fleet Week (fleetweeksf.org) 
 
San Francisco Fleet Week also offers the public an opportunity to take a tour of the ships and interact with service members as they showcase their ships’, units’, and services’ capabilities. It also gives the public a chance to gain a better understanding of how the sea services support the national defense of the United States and protect freedom of the seas. 
The schedule for ship tours is as follows and is subject to change: 
 
Wednesday, October 9 
Pier 27 
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
 
Thursday, October 10 
Pier 27, Pier 35 
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
 
Friday, October 11 
No tours, however, the ships can be seen in the San Francisco Fleet Week Parade of Ships 11am-12p.m. from along the San Francisco waterfront. 
 
Saturday, October 12 
Piers 27, 30/32, 35 
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
Pier 15/17 
10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
 
Sunday, October 13 
Piers 27, 30/32, 35 
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
Pier 15/17 
10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
 
Monday, October 14 
Pier 27, Pier 30/32 
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 
 
The public is encouraged to attend tours and interact with service members. 
Prohibited items aboard include the following: 
– Food or drinks, including ice chests and coolers 
– Camera tripods 
– Skateboards, bicycles, hover boards 
– Gang-related clothing 
– Unmanned aerial systems 
– Weapons, including knives, firearms and club weapons 
– Defensive chemicals or sprays, including mace and pepper spray 
– Spray cans of any type, fireworks, flammable liquids or other explosives 
– Illegal drugs and drugs considered illegal at the federal level, including marijuana, and/or drug-related paraphernalia 
– Electronic cigarettes 
– Large bags, including backpacks and large camera bags (small camera bags and small handbags may be permitted, but will be subject to search) 
– Strollers 
– Drinks, other than water, to facilitate security 
– Smoking, dipping, or chewing gum while onboard USN Ships or within 100FT of watch-standers 
– Pets are also prohibited, with the exception of service dogs for the disabled 
– Open-toe shoes are not recommended. High heels are not permitted 
– Ship tours may not be appropriate for those with disabilities and access and functional needs or certain medical conditions. There are steep ladders (stairways) to climb and uneven surfaces to traverse on board the ship. An alternative experience will be provided on the pier for those who wish to learn more about the ships in port. 
 
You’re also invited to visit Fleet Fest, a free family-friendly festival celebration at Pier 30/32, Saturday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Military bands and local entertainers will perform throughout the weekend. 
 
For more information, please visit the San Francisco Fleet Week web site at www.fleetweeksf.org.  

From U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, Oct. 2, 2024 

SEATTLE — U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) departed Seattle Tuesday, beginning their months-long Arctic deployment. Healy’s earlier science mission was cut short due to an onboard electrical fire. The Healy returned to Seattle for a thorough inspection and repairs. 
 
The crew will support scientists conducting three distinct science missions during Healy’s fall 2024 Arctic deployment. Other science of opportunity across a broad spectrum of disciplines will also be supported as time and weather allow. 
 
The first mission supports the Arctic Port Access Route Study (PARS). During this mission, the cutter will perform bathymetric mapping in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The Coast Guard has initiated an Arctic PARS to analyze current vessel patterns, predict future vessel needs, and balance the needs of all waterway users by developing and recommending vessel routing measures for the Arctic. The Arctic PARS may lead to future rulemaking or international agreements that consider coastal communities, fishing, commercial traffic, military needs, resource development, wildlife presence and habit, tribal activities, and recreational uses. 
 
For the second mission, Healy will embark 20 early career polar scientists and their mentors on an Arctic Chief Scientists Training Cruise sponsored by the National Science Foundation and University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System. These early career scientists will conduct multidisciplinary research, including mapping to fill critical bathymetric gaps and scientific sampling across various disciplines, in addition to developing skills in shipboard leadership, coordination, and execution. 
 
The final mission of the deployment will support other science of opportunity to include sea floor mapping for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Coast Survey. 
 
“We are thrilled to support numerous diverse research objectives in the northern polar region this fall. In an era of increasing vessel traffic, our work will contribute to navigation safety in a region where existing soundings are sparse,” said Capt. Michele Schallip, Healy’s commanding officer. “We are elated to have been able to reschedule our opportunity to help inspire future principal investigators in the Early Career Scientist mission. Healy’s crew, port engineering staff, and General Electric Verona worked diligently during our inport to ensure the cutter is ready to safely operate in the remote, unforgiving Arctic environment.” 
 
Healy is the United States’ largest polar icebreaker and the Coast Guard’s only icebreaker explicitly designed to support Arctic research. The platform is ideally specialized for scientific missions, providing access to the most remote reaches of the Arctic Ocean. Healy is designed to break 4.5 feet of ice continuously at three knots and can operate in temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit.   

From U.S. Coast Guard 7th District, Oct. 2, 2024 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos offloaded 388 pounds (176 kgs) of seized cocaine and transferred custody of two smugglers to DEA Special Agents in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Sunday. 

The interdiction is the result of multi-agency efforts in support of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force, while the seized cocaine is estimated to have a wholesale value of $4.8 million dollars. The seized cocaine is estimated to have a wholesale value of $4.3 million dollars.  

The apprehended smugglers are U.S. citizens, who face federal prosecution in Puerto Rico on criminal charges including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The charges carry a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Helena B. Daniel and Max Pérez-Bouret, Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting the case. 

During the morning of September 28, the crew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft detected a suspicious 22-foot sport-craft vessel in international waters navigating towards Rincón, Puerto Rico.  Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted the cutter Joseph Tezanos that arrived on scene and stopped the suspect vessel. Once alongside the suspect vessel, the Coast Guard crew located 142 brick-sized packages of suspected contraband inside the vessel, which tested positive for cocaine. The two persons onboard the vessel were arrested. 

“I am extremely proud of my crew for their response and professionalism in disrupting organized crime within U.S. waters,” said Lt. Kali B. Carmine, Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos, commanding officer. “This successful interdiction and seizure underscore the collaboration and commitment of our federal, local, and regional partners in countering the flow of narcotics within the Caribbean, specifically the Mona Passage.” 

“I congratulate the United States Coast Guard personnel for this successful interdiction of an international drug smuggling venture,” said United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “We greatly appreciate the U.S. Coast Guard’s unwavering support and dedication to keeping Puerto Rico and our nation safe.” 

“This operation underscores the incredible power of collaboration between agencies like the DEA, Coast Guard, and our federal and local partners. It is through this unified effort that we can effectively combat transnational criminal organizations and disrupt their illegal activities. The teamwork demonstrated in this case is a shining example of how, when we come together with a shared mission, we strengthen our ability to protect the citizens of Puerto Rico the U.S. mainland and abroad from the scourge of drug trafficking. These partnerships are not just critical—they are the cornerstone of our success in keeping our communities safe,” said Denise Foster, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Caribbean Division. 

This interdiction, seizure and prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF) is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations. The CCSF is comprised of agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, and United States Marshals Service, and prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos is 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.