KITTERY, Maine — The crew of the USCGC Tahoma (WMEC 908) returned to Kittery on Friday after a successful 79-day counter-narcotics and smuggling patrol in the Eastern Pacific, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a June 21 release. 

The Tahoma’s crew interdicted two vessels, seizing 7,300 pounds of cocaine, worth a combined total of roughly $105 million, and detained eight suspected drug smugglers. 

The crew also coordinated operations with U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment deployed aboard the Canadian Kingston-class coastal defense vessel HMCS Saskatoon (MM 709). The collaboration supported the seizure of an additional 4,000 pounds of cocaine and the detention of four suspected smugglers. 

A flight crew and aviation detachment from the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron deployed aboard the Tahoma for the patrol. Helicopter Interdiction Squadron crews are the Coast Guard’s airborne sharpshooters, specializing in disabling the engines of vessels that refuse to stop with precision rifle fire. 

The Tahoma’s crew participated in Operation Orion VI, an international naval campaign to combat drug trafficking. During the operation, Tahoma patrolled in coordinated areas with the Colombian coastal patrol vessel Arc Punta Ardita (CPV 147) and rendezvoused for a formation steaming exercise. 

“It’s been an extremely successful deployment for us – the crew demonstrated great resilience and perseverance with each challenge, and I am proud to serve with each and every one of them,” said Cmdr. Eric Johnson, commanding officer of Tahoma. 

Tahoma is a 270-foot cutter homeported in Kittery. The vessel and 100-person crew execute maritime law enforcement, homeland security, and search and rescue missions supporting U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

MANAMA, Bahrain — After more than 30 years of active service, U.S. Coast Guard Island-class patrol boats USCGC Aquidneck (WPB 1309) and USCGC Adak (WPB 1333) were decommissioned in a ceremony aboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain, June 15, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area announced. 

Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, was in attendance to honor the years of service Aquidneck, Adak, and their crews, provided to the Coast Guard.  

“Thank you to every single crew member who has ever served aboard Aquidneck and Adak, from the plank owners to the final crew and all the crews in between,” said Poulin. “You selflessly volunteered to deploy from your family, friends, and home, accepting the inherent risks and adversities to serve your country. You built a legacy for these two cutters that will not soon be forgotten.” 

As part of the Coast Guard’s Fast Response Cutter program, the service is acquiring 64 fast response cutters total, with six of those assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia. Aquidneck and Adak were replaced by the Sentinel-class FRCs USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) and USCGC Robert Goldman (WPC 1142), which arrived at NSA Bahrain on May 25. 

Aquidneck’s namesake comes from Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island. It was originally homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia, and later shifted to Fort Macon, North Carolina. It was employed in search and rescue, counter-drug, and other law enforcement operations domestically for more than 16 years. 

Adak’s namesake comes from Adak Island in Alaska. It was originally stationed in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, in 1991 and laid claim to the third-largest cocaine bust in Coast Guard history when the crew stopped a fishing vessel off the coast of New York. In August 1994, it took part in Operation Able Vigil, which rescued over 29,000 Cuban migrants from unsafe rafts and makeshift craft attempting to reach American shores. The operation consisted of over 50 Coast Guard cutters and U.S. Navy ships, making it the largest Coast Guard-led naval operation since World War II. 

In late 2002, Aquidneck and Adak received orders to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Within one week of their arrival in Bahrain, they were underway conducting maritime interdiction operations in the North Arabian Gulf. 

For the next 18 years, the two cutters remained forward deployed out of Bahrain under U.S. Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, attached to Commander, Task Force 55, conducting operations to ensure the free flow of commerce throughout the region’s critical waterways. 

Patrol Force Southwest Asia is composed of six patrol vessels, shoreside mission support personnel, and the Maritime Engagement Team. They play a crucial role in maritime security, maritime infrastructure protection, and theater security cooperation in the region. The unit also supports other U.S. Coast Guard deployable specialized forces operating throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. 

Commander, Task Force 55 operates in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, supporting naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce.

BELOIT, Wis. — Fairbanks Morse Defense, a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, announced June 22 that its Fairbanks Morse Engine (FME) division was awarded a contract by Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) to build and deliver the two main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE) for the U.S. Coast Guard’s fourth Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) the Rush (WMSM-918). FME will build the engines at its Beloit, Wisconsin manufacturing facility. 

“Fairbanks Morse engines will help the OPCs perform the mission-critical task of preserving the country’s maritime security. We are honored to continue providing powerful and reliable engines to this essential program,” said Fairbanks Morse Defense CEO George Whittier. “No matter what the temperature is or how big the seas are, FME’s resilient engines are ready for the challenge of serving alongside each and every cutterman that crew an OPC.”  

The OPCs will act as a capability bridge between the National Security Cutter, which patrols the open ocean, and the Fast Response Cutter, which serves closer to shore. The vessels will also be capable of carrying an MH-60 or MH-65 Helicopter and three operational Over-The-Horizon small boats. They will be equipped with highly sophisticated combat systems and will enhance the USCG’s ability to execute various missions that range from drug interdiction to marine environmental protection.  

The U.S. military has turned to Fairbanks Morse Defense for more than 70 years to provide quality diesel engines, parts, repair, and service solutions for marine propulsion and ship service systems. 

WASHINGTON – Adm. Charles W. Ray was relieved as vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard by Adm. Linda L. Fagan during a military change-of-command ceremony held June 18 at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, the service said in a release. 

Ray served as the vice commandant since May of 2018 and led the Service’s recapitalization of its legacy fleet of ships and aircraft while ensuring the Coast Guard’s 81,000 active duty, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary members were “Always Ready” to answer the nation’s call. Ray retired from the Coast Guard after 40 years of service and received the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal from the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas. 

“I am extremely proud of the dedication and resiliency I have seen throughout our service and throughout my career,” said Ray. “It has been an honor to serve with the men and women of the Coast Guard and it is my privilege to pass the reigns of vice commandant to Adm. Fagan, a true trailblazer and inspiration to so many.” 

Adm. Fagan most recently served as the commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area, overseeing all Coast Guard operations in the Pacific, covering more than 74 million square miles of ocean, from the U.S. Western States to Asia, and from the Arctic to Antarctica. 

“Thank you, Adm. Ray for your service and your extraordinary leadership. You have made a tremendous, and long-lasting impact on our great service and we will strive to build upon your extraordinary work,” said Adm. Karl L. Schultz, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard. “Adm. Fagan, it is an honor to welcome you as the first woman to serve as a four-star admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard, and I congratulate you as you assume the duties as our 33^rd vice commandant. I am proud to be part of this historic moment and look forward to leading the Coast Guard alongside of you.” 

A change-of-command is a time-honored ceremony that signifies the absolute transfer of responsibility, authority, and accountability from one person to another.

MIAMI — Coast Guard cutter Kathleen Moore and Charles Sexton crews repatriated 59 Cubans to Cuba, June 14 and 15, following four interdictions south of the Florida Keys, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a June 15 release. 

A Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo law enforcement team launched at approximately 3:30 p.m. June 9, after a good Samaritan reported seeing more than 10 people aboard an unseaworthy boat 27 miles south of Long Key. The law enforcement team interdicted 16 Cuban migrants. The migrants were transferred to the cutter and reported in good health. Eleven of the migrants were repatriated June 14 by the Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore crew and five were repatriated June 15 by the Charles Sexton crew. 

A Station Islamorada law enforcement team launched at approximately 1 p.m. June 9, after a Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations crew reported an unseaworthy boat heading north from 20 miles east of Key Largo with four people aboard. The law enforcement team interdicted four Cuban migrants and transferred them to the cutter. The migrants were repatriated June 14 by the Kathleen Moore crew and reported in good health. 

A Station Key West law enforcement team launched at approximately 12:30 p.m. June 10, after a good Samaritan reported more than 20 people signaling for help on an unseaworthy boat 40 miles north of Havana, Cuba. The law enforcement team interdicted 29 Cuban migrants and transferred them to the cutter. One migrant was taken to shore for higher medical care and the remaining 28 were repatriated Monday by the Kathleen Moore crew, reporting in good health. 

A Station Miami Beach law enforcement team launched at approximately 10 a.m. June 12, after a good Samaritan reported people aboard an unseaworthy craft 10 miles east of Elliot Key. The law enforcement team interdicted 11 Cuban migrants and transferred them to the cutter reporting in good health. The migrants were repatriated June 15 by the Charles Sexton crew. 

“U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies actively patrol the Straits of Florida. The U.S. Government strongly discourages attempts to illegally enter the United States by taking to the sea,” said Lt. Cmdr. Mario Gil, Coast Guard Liaison, U.S. Embassy Havana. “Taking to the sea on unseaworthy vessels is not only illegal, but highly dangerous, and attempts to transit these unforgiving waters often turn out deadly.” 

Since Oct. 1, 2020, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 465 Cubans compared to: 

5,396 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2016  
1,468 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2017  
259 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2018  
313 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2019  
49 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2020  

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. Throughout the interdiction, Coast Guard crew members were equipped with personal protective equipment to minimize potential exposure to any possible case of COVID-19.  

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — USCGC Eagle (WIX 327), “America’s Tall Ship,” arrived in Reykjavik on June 9 and proceeded to host tours and senior officials through the weekend, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a June 14 release. 

Aboard Eagle, which was moored in the harbor, Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, commander U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, joined by Jonathan Moore, principal deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, met with Commodore Asgrimur Asgrimsson of the Icelandic coast guard, Chargé d’Affaires Harry Kamian, and Byrndis Kjartansdottir, director of security and defense directorate in the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

“I congratulate Iceland on a successful Arctic Council and Arctic Coast Guard Forum chairmanship, and I thank them for their persistent and reliable partnership in the Arctic Council and Arctic Coast Guard Forum. Maintaining a strong, rules-based order in the Arctic remains a top priority, both for my command and the U.S. Coast Guard. Steadfast partners like Iceland enable and enforce this,” said Vice Adm. Steven Poulin. “It was a great pleasure to discuss the challenges we share with such dedicated colleagues learning more about our partner agencies and their operations.”  

The United States was the first country to recognize Iceland’s independence in 1944. In addition to being founding members of NATO, the United States and Iceland signed a bilateral defense agreement in 1951. Cooperation and mutual support are the foundation of the U.S.-Icelandic relationship. Visits such as Eagle’s allow opportunities to further effective partnerships, collaboration, and interoperability for various issues that can occur in the Arctic.    

For more than a century, the U.S. Coast Guard has been the visible U.S. surface presence in the Arctic, ensuring adherence to the rules-based order. The service works with High North nations to safeguard and enable the uninterrupted flow of maritime commerce throughout the entire Marine Transportation System, including the burgeoning Arctic and ensure responsible stewardship of its resources. Allies and partners like Iceland are integral to protecting the United States’ enduring interests, preserving our mutual interests, and upholding the rules-based international order supporting good maritime governance.   

On approach to Iceland, Eagle’s crew conducted a wreath-laying in memory of the Treasury-class USCGC Hamilton (WPG 34), torpedoed by German submarine U-132 on January 30, 1942, patrolling the Icelandic coast near Reykjavík. Hamilton capsized and sank 28 miles (45 km) from the Icelandic coast on January 30, at the cost of 26 of the ship’s 221-person crew. In 2009, divers discovered the wreck in over 300 feet of water, and in 2013, a memorial plaque was placed in honor of those lost.   

Eagle is currently conducting summer U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadet training in at-sea leadership and professional development. Their first port call was Portugal in late May. Eagle has served as a classroom at sea to future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience as part of the Coast Guard Academy curriculum.   

Eagle is a three-masted barque with more than 6,797 square meters (22,300 square feet) of sail and 9.7 kilometers (6 miles) of rigging. At 90 meters (295 feet) in length, Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square-rigger in United States government service. For information about Eagle, including port cities, tour schedules, current events, as well as cadet and active-duty crewmember photographs, follow the “United States Coast Guard Barque EAGLE” Facebook page or on Instagram @barqueeagle. 

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma’s crew offloaded more than 7,500 pounds of cocaine in Port Everglades, Florida, an estimated street value of $143.5 million, Monday, after three interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a June 14 release. 

A maritime patrol flight spotted a vessel on April 16, and a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment team on the HMCS Saskatoon apprehended five suspects and nearly 4,000 pounds of cocaine from the low-profile vessel.  The vessel was destroyed as a hazard to navigation. 

A maritime patrol flight spotted a vessel on April 20, and Tahoma’s law enforcement team apprehended four suspects and 2,400 pounds of cocaine from the low-profile vessel, and again the vessel was destroyed.  

While on patrol, a Tahoma crewmember found cocaine bales floating in the water on April 23. The bales were recovered, totaling nearly 1,200 pounds of cocaine.  

LOCKPORT, La. — Bollinger Shipyards, a privately held designer and builder of steel military and commercial vessels, submitted on June 11 its proposal to the United States Coast Guard to build Stage 2 of the Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program, the company said in a release.

If chosen, Bollinger would construct and deliver a total of 11 vessels to the U.S. Coast Guard over the next decade, helping sustain the Bollinger workforce through 2031. The initial OPCs are being built by Eastern Shipbuilding Group, although the program suffered a setback when Eastern’s Florida shipyard was damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018.

“Bollinger is the right shipyard at the right time to build the Offshore Patrol Cutter program for the U.S. Coast Guard.” said Ben Bordelon, Bollinger president and CEO. “Our long history building for the Coast Guard is unparalleled and has shown time and time again that Bollinger can successfully deliver the highest quality vessels on an aggressive production schedule.” 

Bollinger has been actively involved in every step of the U.S. Coast Guard’s OPC acquisition process, including execution of the Stage 1 Preliminary and Contract Design, where the company was included in the final three shipyards, as well as execution of the OPC Stage 2 industry study. This unique experience ensures Bollinger’s understanding of every detail and aspect of the program. 

Bordelon continued, “Bollinger has the existing capability and capacity using our proven serial production build strategy and an experienced management team and workforce. Our production approach is based on our established and mature processes and tools, which integrate design development, production, and lifecycle considerations. Our unique experience results in a reliable production schedule and cost so that we can deliver high-quality vessels on time and on budget.” 

Notably, in its current program for the U.S. Coast Guard, Bollinger has delivered Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter hulls 1139 through 1144 a total of 127 days ahead of the contract schedule, despite the incredible challenges of the COVID-19 global pandemic and a historic hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico impacting Louisiana’s coast. 

Bollinger has a long history building for the U.S. Coast Guard, delivering 170 vessels in the last three decades alone. This includes the Island Class (49 delivered), the Marine Protector Class (77 delivered), and now the Sentinel Class (44 of 64 delivered to date). 

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Coast Guard crews recently continued their efforts to document the historic shipwreck of the Coast Guard Cutter McCulloch June 3, after the service’s partnership with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel recently resulted in the ship being added to the National Register of Historic Places, the Coast Guard 11th District said in a June 13 release.  

The Coast Guard Cutter Blackfin crew transported members of Regional Dive Locker West and Maritime Safety and Security Team Los Angeles/Long Beach to the wreckage site where remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) were deployed to depths greater than 200 feet.  

Despite the challenging offshore conditions, Coast Guard ROV operators were able to survey the sunken cutter and surrounding area. These dive operations honor the Coast Guard’s heritage and provide valuable training opportunities to enhance mission readiness. 

The Coast Guard Cutter McCulloch, located near Point Conception, was lost in a collision with the passenger steamship SS Governor on June 13, 1917 and remains within waters of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.  

Scott Price and Daniel Koski-Karell, Coast Guard historians, and Robert Schwemmer, a NOAA maritime archaeologist and chief scientist for the mission that led to the McCulloch’s discovery, worked together to draft and submit the National Register of Historic Places nomination.  

“McCulloch had a remarkable career as both a U.S. Revenue Cutter Service vessel and U.S. Coast Guard cutter,” said Koski-Karell. “Its participation in the Spanish-American War’s 1898 Battle of Manila Bay victory is memorialized by the trophy cannon the McCulloch brought to the U.S. that stands today in front of the Coast Guard Academy’s Hamilton Hall.”  

The McCulloch shipwreck was officially listed in the federal government’s National Register of Historic Places on April 22, meeting the criteria to be considered a site of “national significance.” 

“The listing to the National Register of Historic Places, as well as California’s Register of Historical Resources, demonstrates the spirit of cooperation between NOAA and the Coast Guard, enhances public awareness of McCulloch’s important role in America’s history, while honoring its crew,” said Schwemmer, the West Coast regional maritime heritage coordinator for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. 

In October 2016, a joint NOAA and Coast Guard training mission confirmed the location of the McCulloch’s final resting place. Working off the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary’s research vessel Shearwater, the multi-agency science team from NOAA, National Park Service, and Coast Guard Dive Lockers Alameda and San Diego, deployed a ROV to survey and characterize the shipwreck while Eleventh Coast Guard District cutters Halibut and Blacktip provided vessel support. 

“I’m pleased we are making progress to preserve this piece of U.S. and Coast Guard history, as well as honoring the service member lost because of this tragedy,” said Rear Adm. Brian Penoyer, the 11th Coast Guard District commander. “I look forward to our continued partnership with NOAA, because without these relationships and incredible teamwork, discoveries such as these would not be uncovered.”  

Listing the shipwreck site on the National Register of Historic Places provides a wealth of public research information and could unlock incentives to help preserve the shipwreck, including federal tax and grant benefits and easements.   

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) returned to their homeport Friday following a combined 105-day deployment to Alaska and their biannual shipboard training off the coast of San Diego, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a June 11 release. 

Stratton’s crew, along with an embarked MH-65 helicopter aircrew from Air Station Kodiak, patrolled the Bering Sea up to the Arctic’s ice edge. While deployed, they conducted two search and rescue missions preserving lives and protecting property from peril in the Bering Sea. 

The crews, aided with the support of the ship’s unmanned aircraft system, patrolled the region safeguarding Alaska’s multi-billion-dollar fishing industry by conducting 15 fisheries law enforcement boardings, ensuring compliance with maritime laws and regulations, and protecting the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone by patrolling the maritime boundary line to prevent the illegal harvesting of U.S. fish stocks. 

In addition to conducting multiple operations while deployed, the crew of the Stratton also collected vital information that will help the Coast Guard shape future deployments, uphold U.S. sovereignty and exercise leadership through effective presence in the Arctic. 

Following their Alaskan patrol, Stratton hosted a change of command ceremony while anchored in the San Francisco Bay. Capt. Stephen Adler relieved Capt. Bob Little as Stratton’s commanding officer during the at-sea ceremony. 

Before returning home, Stratton completed a biannual shipboard training cycle off the coast of San Diego. Over the course of 17 training days, Stratton’s crew demonstrated their knowledge and skills by completing nearly 200 drills in the areas of damage control, navigation, seamanship, naval warfare, communications, medical response, engineering casualties, and force protection. The crew’s efforts resulted in an average drill score of 97%, demonstrating excellence in all warfare areas. 

“I’m extremely proud of this crew and all they have accomplished,” said Adler. “There is a new wave of capabilities designed to match the growing importance of U.S. presence in the Arctic. The crew pressed into this growing mission space with incredible resolve. Harsh Arctic conditions and the ongoing global pandemic regularly tested our mettle, but this crew delivered.”  

Stratton’s crew also relieved the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro (WHEC 724), the Coast Guard’s last 378-foot high endurance cutter, as they made their final patrol prior to being decommissioned April 24, 2021. 

The Stratton is one of four 418-foot national security cutters homeported in Alameda. National security cutters are capable of extended, worldwide deployment in support of homeland security and defense missions and routinely conduct operations from South America to the Arctic. National security cutter’s combination of range, speed, and ability to operate in extreme weather provides the mission flexibility necessary to conduct vital strategic missions across the globe.