SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser repatriated 11 Dominican migrants and returned 12 Haitians to the Dominican Republic Saturday, following the interdiction of an illegal voyage in the Mona Passage. 

The interdiction is the result of ongoing Coast Guard and Caribbean Border Interagency group partner efforts to deter and stop illegal voyages in the Mona Passage. Since Oct. 1, 2021, the Coast Guard and CBIG federal and state partner agencies have interdicted and or apprehended 2,100 migrants traveling illegally to Puerto Rico. 
 
“We urge any person thinking of taking part in an illegal voyage to not take to the sea,” said Cmdr. Beau Powers, Sector San Juan chief of response. “Your life will be at risk, as will the lives of everyone aboard the vessel. The perils are many, including traveling with ruthless smugglers, aboard grossly overloaded makeshift vessels, in dangerous sea states, with little or no lifesaving equipment onboard. Those making this voyage should expect to be returned to their country of origin and also may face prosecution. The dangers are real, please don’t trust your life to a smuggler or in a makeshift vessel.” 

The interdiction took place Aug. 26, after a Customs and Border Protection marine patrol aircraft crew sighted a migrant vessel, approximately 42 nautical miles north of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The cutter Winslow Griesser diverted to the scene and interdicted the 25-foot makeshift boat with 11 Dominicans, 11 Haitian adults and one Haitian minor aboard. 

The crew of the Winslow Griesser transferred the adult migrants to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel just outside Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, while the minor was transferred to local authorities ashore from the Childrens and Adolescents National Council CONANI. 

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention.  The Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser is a fast response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard, USAID, U.S. Southern Command and Joint Task Force-Haiti continue to have unity of effort and respond to critically injured Haitian citizens, Aug. 24, by transporting them to a higher level of care in Port au Prince, Haiti, the Coast Guard 7th District said in an Aug. 25 release. 

“The Coast Guard immediately responded to the government of Haiti’s request for assistance following the tragic 7.2 magnitude earthquake just over a week ago,” said Coast Guard 7th District Commander, Rear Adm. Brendan C. McPherson. “Since then, the U.S. Coast Guard saved or assisted more than 350 lives and transported more than 350 medical personnel and first responders to the areas most damaged. As the USAID-led, DOD-supported mission transitions to an extended humanitarian assistance and disaster response operation, we will begin to transition our people and aircraft to best support Joint Task Force-Haiti while meeting our other mission demands in the region. We will continue to provide agile and versatile search and rescue capability if needed. Alongside U.S. Embassy Haiti, we remain a proud partner in our whole of government approach to help the people of Haiti.” 

In the past 24 hours, Coast Guard men and women deployed to Haiti have flown 14 evolutions, saved three people, assisted three others, transported four urban disaster and relief personnel and transported 1,800 pounds of disaster and relief supplies. 

Since Aug. 15, Coast Guard men and women have flown 227 evolutions, saved 219 people, assisted 145 people, transported 362 urban disaster and relief personnel and transported 13,400 pounds of disaster and relief supplies. 

SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard held a rededication ceremony Friday at the New Point Loma Lighthouse in San Diego, the Coast Guard 11th District said in an Aug. 20 release. 

The rededication is the official recognition of the light station’s service career and honors its history as a Coast Guard navigational aid. 

“Every time you see this light flash, know that lives are being saved, trade and travelers are flowing through our marine transit system, illegal drugs are prevented from entering our great nation and sailors are welcomed home,” said Capt. Timothy J. Barelli, the Coast Guard Sector San Diego commander.  

The lighthouse was placed on secondary power in April 2017 while contractors and Coast Guard members conducted renovations. The restoration cost over $2 million and took approximately three years to complete. Coast Guard members spent more than 30 hours rewiring the light during the final stages of construction, and the main light was formally re-lit in March 2020. 

The ceremony was attended by Rep. Scott Peters, D-California, Rear Adm. Brian Penoyer, the 11th Coast Guard District commander, local Coast Guard members, the San Diego mayor and the National Park Service Cabrillo National Monument superintendent. 

The event was initially scheduled last year but was postponed due to COVID-19.  

MIAMI — Since the Aug. 14 earthquake in Haiti, Coast Guard men and women deployed there have flown 196 evolutions, saved 206 people, assisted 131 people, transported 306 urban disaster and relief personnel and transported 10,200 pounds of disaster and relief supplies, officials said Aug. 20. 

U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Michele Sison joined Tim Callaghan, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Haiti earthquake disaster assistance response team leader, Coast Guard Seventh District Commander Rear Adm. Brendan McPherson and Customs and Border Protection AMO Southeast Region Executive Director John Priddy on Aug. 20 to discuss U.S. government disaster and relief operations and unity of efforts in Port au Prince following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake, the Coast Guard 7^th District said in a release. 

According to Haitian government officials, since the earthquake on Aug. 14 Haitians suffered at least 2,189 deaths, 12,260 injuries and 130,000 homes damaged or destroyed. 

“The United States’ response to the Aug. 14 earthquake and Tropical Depression Grace is a whole of U.S. government effort, led by USAID, to get help to those most in need,” said Sison. “The U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince is proud to work alongside USAID, the Coast Guard, and Joint Task Force Haiti, in coordination with the Haitian government and international partners, to save lives.”  

“USAID continues to expand relief operations to more areas impacted by the earthquake,” said Callaghan. “I would like to thank the U.S. Coast Guard team for the tireless work they have been doing not only to support the DART and help us quickly get out to affected areas, but also to save lives.” 

“Coast Guard aircraft and personnel are medevacing critically injured citizens from impacted remote areas to Port au Prince where they may obtain higher levels of care,” said McPherson. “Additionally, we are coordinating with USAID and U.S. Southern Command, and JTF-Haiti to move urban search and rescue responders, medical personnel and supplies to impacted areas. Today’s leadership engagement with Ambassador Sison and others really highlight the American unity of effort to this response.” 

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners every day, carrying out the nation’s work,” said Priddy. “Our integrated operations with our partners enable us to better carry out our shared responsibilities and respond to disasters, as partnerships make us stronger.”  

MIAMI — Coast Guard and partner agency aircrews continue to respond to critically injured Haitian citizens by transporting them to a higher level of care in Port au Prince, Haiti, the Coast Guard 7th District said in an Aug. 19 release. 

After several days of responding to a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Haiti, Coast Guard aircrews returned home to Clearwater, Florida, Thursday, and more Coast Guard aircrews are returning to the response. 

“We are proud, but we are also a little heartbroken,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Diglio, a rescue swimmer deployed to Haiti. “The Haitian citizens are strong, as they would ride in the helicopter calm and composed throughout the one-hour ride to the Port au Prince hospital.” 

In the past 24 hours, Coast Guard men and women deployed to Haiti have flown 37 evolutions, saved more than 33 people, assisted more than 58 people, transported 49 urban disaster and relief personnel, and transported 1,700 pounds of disaster and relief supplies. 

Since Sunday, Coast Guard men and women deployed to Haiti have flown 137 evolutions, saved 116 people, assisted 177 people, transported 234 urban disaster and relief personnel, and transported 8,500 pounds of disaster and relief supplies. 

NUUK, Greenland — Strengthening partnerships and testing interoperability, the Coast Guard cutters Escanaba (WMEC 907) and Richard Snyder (WPC 1127) participated in Operation Nanook in early to mid-August, Coast Guard Atlantic Area said Aug. 17.

Operation Nanook is the Canadian Armed Forces’ signature Arctic operation, comprising a series of comprehensive, joint, interagency, and multinational activities designed to exercise the defense of Canada and security in the region and incident management response and search rescue capabilities. With commercial traffic and cruise ships increasingly visible in the Arctic, international collaborations are necessary to meet this increased traffic’s potential search and rescue challenges. Nanook-Tuugaalik is the maritime component of the Nanook series of deployments and training events intended to be an Arctic naval presence operation and domain awareness of the waters in and around Baffin Bay and Davis Strait. Nanook-Tatigiit is the incident management and search and rescue exercise portion.

“We had excellent training with the crews of HMCS Harry Dewolf [AOPV 430], HMCS Goose Bay [MM 707], and Richard Snyder. The joint effort during Tuugaalik and Tatigiit included multi-ship small boat training, formation steaming, hailing and signals exercises, and more. Weather, especially in the Arctic, is a genuine consideration, and increasing sea state and fog tested us,” said Cmdr. Ben Spector, the commanding officer of Escanaba. “The U.S. Coast Guard remains committed to conducting operations and combined maritime exercises throughout the Atlantic and the Arctic region, ensuring mission capacity and future force readiness. Training with our partners and allied nations ensure all countries are ready, relevant, and responsive in an ever-evolving maritime environment.”

This operation is also the first time the U.S. Coast Guard deployed a 154-foot Sentinel-class fast response cutter to the region, USCGC Richard Snyder. As the inventory of FRCs grows, the U.S. Coast Guard continues to test the full range of their capability, including operations in high latitude environments. While these ships are not ice-strengthened, units observed mitigations, such as the deployment time of year and carefully considering operating areas.

“The FRC has fared exceedingly well in the Arctic. Our major concerns were fuel and food, and there have been no issues with either as the cutter continues to steam through the operational area and complete all training and interactions with stellar results,” said Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Bredariol, the commanding officer of Richard Snyder. “We’ve done some once-in-a-lifetime activities including fjords transits, getting close aboard icebergs much larger than the cutter, restricted waters transits in harsh conditions and deployment to an unfamiliar but mission-critical area. Our colleagues aboard the Escanaba were critical in our deployment, assisting with logistics and operational support. I can’t express enough our appreciation as we deployed far from our normal operations area and completed mission sets that we don’t generally practice. As a cutter based in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, we primarily focus on living marine resources and search and rescue.”

Following Nanook, both ship’s crews are conducting engagements and resupplying in Nuuk. Snyder will return home. Escanaba will transition to support Frontier Sentinel, an annual exercise between the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, and Royal Canadian Navy, ensuring the ability of the Tri-Party Staff and tactical assets to work together. This year’s live exercise uses feedback from the prior year’s tabletop discussion.

Participants in all exercises are observing COVID-19 protocols to mitigate exposure and comply with host nation guidelines. Exercise scenarios took into account our COVID restrictions and respective realities.

Operation Nanook is the third of four major deployments of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Atlantic Arctic Season. In June, the USCGC Eagle (WIX 327) visited Iceland, where Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, the Atlantic Area commander, hosted Icelandic officials for Arctic discussions. Also, in June, the USCGC Maple (WLB 207) participated in the Danish Joint Arctic Command’s annual exercise, Ex Argus, in Southern Greenland with international partners. Later this fall, the USCGC Healy (WAGB 20) will make stops along the U.S. East Coast after transiting the Northwest Passage on their circumnavigation of North America.

Operation Nanook has been held annually since its inception over a decade ago. Last year’s exercise was scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While participants could not conduct port visits, the activity focused on naval readiness, ship tracking, and gunnery operations between multinational partners, including the United States, Canada, Denmark, and France. The U.S. sent the USCGC Tahoma (WMEC 908) and USCGC Campbell (WMEC 909) to participate.

USCGC Escanaba is a 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutter with a crew of about 100 operating for the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area. USCGC Richard Snyder is a Fifth Coast Guard District 154-foot Sentinel-class fast response cutter with a crew of about 24 also operating for U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area. The Atlantic Area commander and staff oversee all Coast Guard domestic operations east of the Rocky Mountains, including the Arctic, Caribbean and Southern Atlantic and Coast Guard out-of-hemisphere operations in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Under the direction of U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard units have been deployed to provide disaster relief to the victims of the Aug. 14 earthquake that struck southern Haiti. More than 1,400 people are confirmed dead from the 7.2-magnitude earthquake, according to press reports. 

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has established a joint task force on Aug. 15 to handle the relief efforts. The command also established a Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) Situational Awareness Team in the Haitian capital, Port-Au-Prince, to help coordinate the relief efforts. 

The U.S. Coast Guard responded Aug. 15 with several helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft to help evacuate injured people. 

“On August 15, at the request of the Haitian Government, the Coast Guard surged aircraft and personnel to help critically injured patients from impacted areas to Port au Prince where they may obtain higher levels of care,” said Coast Guard Seventh District Commander, Rear Adm. Brendan C. McPherson. “Additionally, we are coordinating with USAID and U.S. Southern Command to move urban search and rescue responders, medical personnel and supplies to impacted areas. Our crews are trained and empowered to use sound on-scene initiative to judge the risks as they respond to the most urgent requests for help. Our people have a true bias for action and know how to lead through a crisis.” 

Kirby said the Navy was sending the San Antonio-class amphibious platform dock ship USS Arlington to Haiti. The ship is carrying two MH-60 helicopters and one landing craft. 

Also en route is the USNS Burlington, a Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport operated by the Military Sealift Command, which is carrying ScanEagle surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles. 

Two P-8A maritime patrol aircraft deployed to El Salvador have been staged near Haiti to provide support for the relief efforts with imagery of damaged areas of the country. 

Two UH-60 and two CH-47 helicopters from Joint Task Force-Bravo are also en route to Haiti, where they will provide critical airlift support to ongoing relief efforts. 

Kirby also said that four field hospitals also were being dispatched to Haiti. 

The Coast Guard 7th District said its efforts from Aug. 15-16 included more than 38 Coast Guard members deployed, 34 aviation evolutions, 51 people saved and 12 people assisted.

Seventy-two Fairfax County Fire Department’s urban search and rescue crews, USAID Disaster Assistance Response Teams, medical personnel and first responders transported 5,500 pounds of medical supplies.

Coast Guard assets deployed for the relief efforts include two Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrews, a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew, a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew, a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules aircrew and the Coast Guard Cutters Reliance, Winslow Griesser and Margaret Norvell.

FORT MACON, N.C. — The Coast Guard Cutter Steelhead (WPB 87324) officially arrived at its new homeport in Fort Macon, North Carolina, Aug. 6, 2021, the Coast Guard 5th District said in an Aug. 17 release. 

The Steelhead is a coastal patrol boat with a crew of 11 men and women whose area of operations ranges from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay near Cape Charles and Cape Henry, Virginia, to the South Carolina border.   

Steelhead joins Coast Guard Cutters Maple, Bayberry, Smilax, Richard Snyder, and the Nathan Bruckenthal in Fort Macon.  

“We are pleased to announce the Coast Guard Cutter Steelhead has relocated to Fort Macon, North Carolina,” said Capt. Matt Baer, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. “As a multi-mission, maritime service with vast responsibilities and limited resources, we are constantly seeking ways to be more efficient and effective. Cutter Steelhead will conduct both law enforcement and search and rescue operations spanning the entire North Carolina coastline, providing an outstanding addition to the Coast Guard’s layered response strategy of shore-based boats, aircraft, and cutters. The change of homeport will ensure critical mission support functions for cutter maintenance and personnel needs are met, while improving offshore response capabilities from the Outer Banks throughout the Crystal Coast and across southeastern North Carolina. The crew and families of the cutter Steelhead are excited to join the long-standing heritage of lifesavers who call the Coast Guard community of Cartaret County their home.” 

The 87-foot coastal patrol boat is a capable multi-mission platform designed for search and rescue, law enforcement, and fisheries patrols, as well as drug interdiction and illegal alien interdiction duties up to 200 miles offshore.  

MIAMI — Haitian’s government requested Coast Guard assistance following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, the Coast Guard 7^th District said in an Aug. 15 release. The Coast Guard has committed numbers of air and surface assets to help in transporting medical personnel and supplies and transporting critically injured citizens to facilities needing a higher level of care in Port au Prince, Haiti.   

“On behalf of the United States Coast Guard I express our deepest sympathies to the people of Haiti,” said Coast Guard District Seven Commander, Adm. Brendan McPherson. “Our hearts go out to our Haitian diaspora here in Miami and to those tragically impacted in Haiti. We are supporting USAID humanitarian relief efforts, U.S. Southern Command’s Enduring Promise, and coordinating closely with Ambassador Sison and her country-team to assist in every way that we can. Our helicopters and aircrews are transporting medical personnel and evacuating those requiring higher levels of care. Our cutters remain offshore and on standby to assist the citizens of Haiti and to support agency response locally. Our unity of effort, our commitment to our neighbors, and our ability to lead through crisis will help see us all through this tragic event.” 

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Legend-class cutter Munro (WMSL 755) arrived in the Western Pacific Aug. 15 from its homeport in Alameda for a months-long deployment to the region, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in an Aug. 13 release. 

The crew is operating in support of United States Indo-Pacific Command, which oversees military operations in the region. 

Operating under the tactical control of commander, 7th Fleet, the cutter crew plans to engage in professional exchanges and capacity-building exercises with partners and allies and will patrol and operate as directed. 

“Forward-deployed Naval Forces routinely and seamlessly integrate as one maritime force with a proud heritage of serving and fighting together,” said Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. “It is a fitting nod to that heritage that Munro joins us following the U.S. Coast Guard celebration of its 231st birthday on Aug. 4.” 

The Coast Guard’s deployment to the Indo-Pacific theater aligns with the integrated all-domain naval power of the naval service and increases the traditional influence of sea power regionally. 

“The U.S. Coast Guard’s unique authorities, capabilities, and missions position us to collaborate on maritime safety and security with partners around the world,” said Vice Adm. Michael F. McAllister, commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area. “An increased presence throughout the Indo-Pacific strengthens our alliances and partnerships through improved interoperability, which will enhance regional stability, promote rules-based order, and improve maritime governance and security in the region and globally.” 

Coast Guard forces provide expertise within the mission sets of search and rescue; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; maritime environmental response; maritime security; and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Deployable Coast Guard cutters, port security units, and advanced interdiction teams are also highly capable in augmenting naval operations in theater. 

As both a federal law enforcement agency and an armed force, the Coast Guard is uniquely positioned to conduct defense operations and security cooperation in support of combatant commanders on all seven continents. The service routinely provides forces in joint military operations worldwide, including the deployment of cutters, boats, aircraft and deployable specialized forces. 

The U.S. Coast Guard has a 150-year enduring role in the Indo-Pacific. The service’s ongoing deployment of resources to the region directly supports U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives in the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the National Security Strategy. 

Commissioned in 2017, Munro is one of four Coast Guard legend class national security cutters homeported in Alameda. National security cutters 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 hold a crew of up to 170. Munro is the second cutter named for Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro, the only Coast Guardsman awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. 

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. 

Since 2018, three other Coast Guard Cutters — Bertholf, Stratton and Waesche — have deployed to the Western Pacific.