Release from U.S. Coast Guard 14th District

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SANTA RITA, Guam — Serving partners in the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, the USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) crew returned to Guam in time for Father’s Day, completing a patrol from June 12 to 18 in the Mariana Islands. 
 
During the patrol, the Oliver Henry crew dedicated efforts to serve neighbors in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam while actively countering potential illegal maritime activity and standing ready to respond rapidly to any at-sea emergencies.  
 
The Oliver Henry crew played a vital role as the search and rescue response cutter during a dedicated five days in the CNMI, accumulating 119 operational hours. Additionally, the crew spent a day on the high seas east of the CNMI, ensuring expanded coverage to counter illegal fishing and bolstering regional security efforts. 
 
Capt. Nick Simmons, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia, highlighted the importance of service to our northern communities, stating, “We are dedicated to maintaining strong partnerships in the area and deterring illegal maritime activity. We also take the safety of those on the water seriously. Our presence and collaborative efforts in the CNMI reaffirm our commitment to the safety and security of our maritime environment and the well-being of our communities.” 
 
Acting on information from local partners, the crew made their presence off Saipan known and effectively deterred those seeking to come to Guam through an unannounced entry, preventing the departure of an estimated 30 people from Saipan. The U.S. Coast Guard’s focus in this matter is the safety of life at sea and preventing illegal charters. Both issues threaten lives through the potential overloading of vessels, a lack of compliance with safety requirements and licensing, and risky behavior when operating vessels. 
 
The Oliver Henry crew also executed a law enforcement boarding of opportunity on the high seas under the authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, specifically on a Chinese-Taipei flagged long liner. The boarding team performed their duties, observing no violations or records of transshipment. Additionally, the patrol provided valuable training opportunities by hosting two temporary duty members from Guam-based units, contributing to the overall development and readiness of Coast Guard personnel. 
 
Lt. Raymond Cerrato, commanding officer of Oliver Henry, commended the crew’s exceptional performance, emphasizing the significance of joint operations and recognizing individual crewmember achievements stating, “The success of our patrol stems from the dedication and teamwork displayed by the USCGC Oliver Henry crew. By conducting law enforcement boardings, offshore gunnery exercises, and providing training opportunities, we demonstrated our crew’s exceptional capabilities and commitment to serving the people of CNMI and Guam.” 
 
In recognition of individual achievements, the commanding officer frocked one crewmember to the next higher pay grade, and the team bid farewell to two departing members, acknowledging their dedication and contributions to the regional mission.  
 
The recent patrol of the Oliver Henry underscores the U.S. Coast Guard’s steadfast commitment to safety at sea, upholding maritime security, fostering partnerships, and maintaining interoperability in the Western Pacific. The U.S. Coast Guard plays a vital role in ensuring a safe and secure maritime environment by serving neighbors, countering illegal activities, and responding rapidly to emergencies. 
 
For more news on U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and its ongoing efforts, please visit https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USCG-FMSG or subscribe to https://www.dvidshub.net/alerts/unit/7900. You can also visit us on Facebook and Instagram at @USCGForcesMicronesia.  

Release from U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area 

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June 22, 2023 

USCGC Bear (WMEC 901) returns home following 65-day deployment 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The USCGC Bear (WMEC 910) returned home to Coast Guard Base Portsmouth, Thursday, following a 65-day Caribbean Sea patrol. 

While underway in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility and in support of Joint Interagency Task Force–South, Bear conducted six counterdrug interdictions and seized a total of 8,558 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $97 million. 

Bear conducted counterdrug operations as part of a multi-faceted approach to combatting illicit narcotics trafficking across maritime borders. Part of this effort included other Coast Guard assets, a Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew from Jacksonville, Florida, and a deployable specialized forces unit from the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team. 

Bear also conducted vertical replenishment with the U.S. Navy vessel Little Rock (LCS-9). Little Rock deployed its MH-60 Seahawk helicopter and crew to successfully deliver 5,566 pounds of seized cocaine to Bear’s flight deck. Bear moored in Miami, last Friday, and offloaded the combined 14,153 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $186 million. 

Interdictions in the Caribbean Sea are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Seventh District, headquartered in Miami. Each case will be prosecuted in a court of law. 

For more news on the Coast Guard’s presence in the Caribbean please visit here. 

For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit www.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 at www.uscga.edu. 

Release from U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area 

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June 16, 2023 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alert returns home after 61-day counternarcotics patrol in Eastern Pacific 

ASTORIA, Ore. – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) and crew returned to homeport Friday, after a 61-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific. 

On May 26, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Marine Patrol Aircraft crew notified the Alert crew of a suspected “go-fast” vessel. The Alert crew launched the deployed Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and aircrew along with the cutter’s small boat and law enforcement boarding team. 

The Alert’s law enforcement boarding team interdicted the suspected go-fast vessel and suspected drug smugglers, discovering more than 2,600 kilograms of cocaine with an approximate value of $75 million. 

“I couldn’t be prouder of the Alert’s crew. They fought through significant adversity to complete an outstanding patrol, one that each crewmember can look back at and know that we fully embodied our motto, “Semper Paratus,” said Cmdr. Matthew Kolodica. “As I look back over my years in command, this tour was both challenging and very rewarding, I will miss the Alert and crew as I transfer to the Coast Guard Academy. That said, I know with the arrival of Cmdr. Lee Crusius this summer that the cutter and crew will be in good hands well into the future.” 

Kolodica will depart the Alert and be the director of Professional Maritime Studies at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. 

The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys in districts across the nation. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is conducted under the authority of the 11th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda, Calif. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard. 

The Alert, commissioned in 1969, is a 210-foot Reliance-class medium endurance cutter stationed on the West Coast, and performs a variety of missions to protect Americans and American interests in the Northern and Eastern Pacific Ocean. 

Release from U.S. Coast Guard 7th District 

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June 17, 2023 

Coast Guard offloads more than $186 million in illegal narcotics 

Coast Guard Seventh District 

Miami— The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WMEC 901) offloaded more than 14,153 pounds of cocaine worth more than $186 million in Miami, Friday. 

The offloaded drugs were interdicted during nine separate cases in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean as a result of efforts by crews from: 

• USCG Bear (WMEC 901) 
• USCG Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) 

• USS Little Rock (LCS-9) 
• USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Team-Pacific 
• USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Team-South 
• USCG Donald Horsley (WPC-1117) 
• USCG Air Station Borinquen HC-144 aircrew 

• A U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrew  

“The contraband offloaded today represents the professional expertise and dedication of U.S. defense and law enforcement agencies working together to combat the flow of illicit drugs through the Caribbean Region into the United States,” said Lt. Peter Hutchison, duty enforcement officer at Coast Guard District Seven. ”This teamwork is imperative to the identification, interception, and seizure of vessels engaged in illicit trafficking and a testament to the hard work of these crews.” 

Along with the illicit narcotics, 12 suspected smugglers were apprehended and face prosecution in federal courts by the Department of Justice. 

Detecting and interdicting illegal drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. The Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West, Florida conducts detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Caribbean Sea are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Seventh District, headquartered in Miami. 

For breaking news, follow us on Twitter. For additional information, find us on Facebook and Instagram. 

By: Irv Cuevas

The Corona del Mar based Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal (WPB 87335) received a new commanding officer during a change-of-command ceremony Thursday June 15. The Narwhal is sponsored by the Newport Beach Navy League Council.

Lt. Dustin Miller, the commanding officer of the Narwhal for the past two-plus years, relinquished command to LTJG Annabella Farrabaugh during a time-honored military tradition that formally transfers and ensures continuity of command. 

Miller moves to Washington, DC as a Congressional Fellow for the USCG. 

Farrabaugh, a 2021 graduate of the USCG Academy,  reports to the Narwhal from her previous tour serving as Deck Watch Officer for the Cutter Mohawk in Key West, FL.  

Captain Ryan Manning, Sector Coordinator of USCG Los Angeles-Long Beach  presided over the ceremony marked by military pomp and circumstance, and exhorted both Farrabaugh and Miller to continue exemplifying  the Coast Guard’s motto of Semper Paratus/Always Ready.

Narwhal is an 87-foot  Marine Protector Class coastal patrol cutter and has been Homeported in Corona del Mar since 2001. Narwhal has participated in a wide-range of at-sea missions, received numerous commendations, and while ashore, its crew has been closely involved in supporting a host of Orange County community projects. 

Release from U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam 

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June 15, 2023 

U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam 

SANTA RITA, Guam — The USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) crew completed a patrol from May 7 to 23, 2023, showcasing the invaluable partnerships and enhanced interoperability between the U.S. Coast Guard and its regional allies in the dynamic strategic environment of the Pacific under the ongoing Operation Rematau. 
 
During the patrol, the Frederick Hatch crew engaged in several significant activities, highlighting the commitment to deepening partnerships and safeguarding the Pacific region. These achievements demonstrate the U.S. Coast Guard’s sustained regional presence and dedication to promoting maritime security and cooperation. 
 
Capt. Nick Simmons, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia, emphasized the importance of the U.S. Coast Guard’s sustained regional presence and commitment to deepening partnerships, stating, “Our continued engagement in the Pacific allows us to strengthen existing relationships and forge new ones that will be remembered generations from now. The success of the USCGC Frederick Hatch’s patrol demonstrates our dedication to promoting regional security and cooperation in this strategic environment. With most of our operations and facilities reconstituted following Typhoon Mawar, we are continuing our regular patrols and service to the people of the Marianas and the region.” 
 
One of the significant accomplishments was a gunnery exercise conducted with the U.S. Navy Maritime Expeditionary Security Group One Detachment. This joint exercise bolstered the defense capabilities and partnership between the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy in the IndoPacom area of responsibilities while supporting the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy. 
 
In addition, the Frederick Hatch crew played a vital role in assistance efforts, transporting donated household goods, clothes, and a generous supply of dog and cat food weighing over 2,500 pounds to support the Saipan Humane Society in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
 
Furthermore, they facilitated the transportation of the mayor of the Northern Islands of CNMI to visit constituents on Agrihan and Alamagan Islands over 120 nautical miles north of Saipan. The crew also delivered crucial supplies, including outboard engines and a small luxury in the form of a birthday cake to support the needs of the local communities in those areas. At the request of the residents, this also included religious services. A U.S. Navy chaplain accompanied the crew and provided a mass on Agrihan.  
 
The Frederick Hatch crew spent time in Saipan conducting navigation training with the CNMI Department of Public Safety Boating Safety Unit and the CNMI Customs and Biosecurity Marine Unit as part of ongoing training initiatives. These collaborative efforts aim to improve interagency coordination and enhance future regional maritime operations. 
 
This patrol also included two maritime law enforcement boardings under the authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission on the high seas, located 500 nautical miles west of Guam. This enforcement action showcases the extended presence and enforcement capabilities of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam outside of historical or typical patrol regions. The Frederick Hatch’s crew also undertook a joint patrol of Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with the PSS Remeliik II crew, patrolling along Palau’s shared EEZ border with the Philippines to combat illegal fishing.  
 
At the end of the patrol, they met up with USCGC Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139) and USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140), who sortied from Guam in advance of Typhoon Mawar and conducted storm avoidance in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. This effort and the port’s reopening enabled the cutters to be the first ships to enter port after the storm. Coordinating with U.S. Coast Guard District 14 and U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, all three ships safely avoided Typhoon Mawar and were poised to conduct missions and respond to emergent needs immediately following the storm.  
 
Lt. Patrick Dreiss, commanding officer of USCGC Frederick Hatch, commended his crew’s performance, stating, “This patrol was another great example of the adaptability of the Frederick Hatch crew, tackling the interesting challenges of Micronesia. Anchoring and coming ashore on sparsely populated islands is not easy, but visiting and supporting those who enjoy living on the islands of their families and ancestors is necessary. The hospitality of the residents and Mayor Taisacan is greatly appreciated, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for myself and the crew to visit Agrigan and Alamagan. The first joint patrol with PSS Remeliik II was short but laid the additional groundwork for future operations between Guam-based FRCs and our partners’ patrol boats across Micronesia. And rounding out our patrol steaming with our fellow Coast Guard cutters as the first ships back into Apra Harbor after Typhoon Mawar made me proud to be a Coast Guardsman in Guam.” 
 
The recent patrol of the USCGC Frederick Hatch highlights the U.S. Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to strengthening partnerships, fostering interoperability, and promoting regional security in the Pacific under Operation Rematau, furthering the overarching Operation Blue Pacific. The achievements of this patrol underscore the significant role played by U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam members in ensuring a safe and secure maritime environment. 
 
For more news on U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and its ongoing efforts, please visit https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USCG-FMSG or subscribe to https://www.dvidshub.net/alerts/unit/7900. You can also visit us on Facebook and Instagram at @USCGForcesMicronesia.  

***** 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Coast Guard has closed its maritime security detachment in Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo), Cuba, concluding a 21-year presence of port security units that provided security to the naval base, the longest continuous deployment of the Coast Guard Reserve in its history. 

As noted in a June 13 message from the Coast Guard commandant, the Maritime Security Detachment cased its colors that date.    

Port Security Unit (PSU) 305, which provided the last detachment, also was the first to staff the Maritime Security Detachment in 2002, when prisoners seized by U.S. forces during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and elsewhere were imprisoned at Gitmo.  

“Since 2002, the Coast Guard has safeguarded critical assets and infrastructure for Joint Task Force Guantanamo in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM,” the message said. “Through countless hours of rigorous training, relentless vigilance, and steadfast resilience, Coast Guard Port Security Units and Maritime Safety and Security Teams have upheld the highest standards of professionalism while executing this vital mission.” 
 

PSU 305 returned to Virgina on June 14 after its nine-month deployment, which was the unit’s fifth such deployment over the 21 years. 

With the closure of the detachment. Responsibility for maritime anti-terrorism/force  
protection of Gitmo was transferred to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, the message said. 
 

Release from U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area

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NUUK, Greenland— The crew of USCGC Sycamore (WLB 209) arrived in Nuuk, Greenland, Saturday, in support of Exercise Argus 2023.   

During the port visit, U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Chad Conrad, Sycamore’s commanding officer and Lt. Anthony Figueroa, Sycamore’s executive officer, met with organizers of the joint, large-scale exercise to discuss plans for Exercise Argus in Southern Greenland. 

The crew of Sycamore departed Nuuk Tuesday for the start of the exercise, which includes navigation, damage control, and search and rescue training events.    

Exercise Argus is an annual training event designed to enhance capabilities of international partners for responding to search and rescue and marine environmental events in the Arctic region. The exercise takes place from June 12-16, 2023, and affords participating nations opportunities to advance effective partnerships, collaboration and interoperability for a variety of issues affecting the high North region.   

The exercise will include maritime and air assets from Greenland, Denmark, France and the United States. Participation in Exercise Argus highlights our collective commitment to safety, environmental protection and international partnerships in the region.   

This stop is the second port call for Sycamore’s crew after leaving St. John’s in Newfoundland, Canada. 

Sycamore is a 225-foot buoy tender home-ported out of Newport, Rhode Island, with a crew of 48. Sycamore’s primary missions include maintaining aids-to-navigation, promoting economic security through navigation safety of the Marine Transportation System, supporting search and rescue, domestic icebreaking, living marine resources, maritime law enforcement, environmental protection, national defense and homeland security missions. 

Release from U.S. Coast Guard 13th District 

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June 9, 2023 

Coast Guard crew offloads $76 million worth of narcotics in San Diego 

SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) crew offloaded more than 5,776 pounds of cocaine worth more than $76 million, Friday, in San Diego.  

The interdiction occurred in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Central and South America in May.  

“Preventing these drugs from reaching our country not only saves lives, but reduces violence, corruption and instability,” said Rear Adm. Andrew Sugimoto, commander, Coast Guard Eleventh District. “I commend the Alert’s crew for their hard work and continued efforts to ensure the illegal and dangerous process of bringing drugs into this country is put to a stop.” 

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security cooperate in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, 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 narcotic operations.   

“Alert’s crew and attached aviation detachment overcame numerous challenges to flawlessly execute our assigned counternarcotics patrol,” said Cmdr. Matthew Kolodica, commanding officer of the Alert. “I am extremely impressed with the crew’s resiliency and unwavering dedication to safe, efficient, mission execution.  Stopping $76 million worth of narcotics from reaching American soil is something we can all be proud of, and I’m truly honored to lead such a fine team.” 

The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring, and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in districts across the nation. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is conducted under the authority of the Eleventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.  

The Alert is a United States Coast Guard 210-foot medium endurance cutter and is the fourth cutter to carry the namesake. Coast Guard missions take the Alert throughout the Pacific Ocean, from the maritime boundary line between Russia and the United States and the coastal waters off Washington, Oregon, and California to the waters off the Central and South American coasts.  

Release from Coast Guard 5th District 

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June 7, 2023 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard held a special status ceremony at Station Oak Island, N.C. Wednesday morning to signify the beginning of it being decommissioned after 69 years of active Coast Guard service. 

The Bayberry was built by Reliable Welding Works in Olympia, WA, and spent its first 17 years in the San Francisco area, with a three year stay in Rio Vista CA, before returning to Seattle in 1971. When it returned to Washington, it was retrofitted with a 60-foot barge for operations and was the only one of its kind. The cutter also became a primary deployer of the Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System, an oil spill recovery system. The Bayberry’s operations in Seattle spanned from 1971 until 2009 when it was relocated to Oak Island.  

The Bayberry’s recent accomplishments include post-hurricane Dorian operations, where the crew led a waterways reconstitution mission, completed a complex voyage correcting 40 aids to navigation discrepancies, enabling the rapid resumption of ferry service, and facilitating the delivery of emergency supplies to 700 residents stranded on Ocracoke Island. In 2021, when extensive shoaling suddenly compromised Oregon Inlet Channel and no other capable asset was available to respond, the cutter led a 400-mile mission to the Outer Banks to retrieve and relocate five buoys that dangerously misled mariners, significantly enhancing the safety of this busy waterway, preserving search and rescue capabilities, and sustaining the local economy.