Coast Guard Commissions Two Newest National Security Cutters in Honolulu

HONOLULU —
The U.S Coast Guard’s two newest national security cutters were commissioned
Aug. 24 during a ceremony presided over by Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz, the
Coast Guard Pacific area said in a release. 

The Coast
Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) and the Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757)
were “brought to life” at the rare dual-commissioning ceremony in Honolulu,
where the two cutters homeport. Three fast-response cutters also homeport
there. Kimball and Midgett are the seventh and eighth Legend-class national
security cutters in the fleet.

“These
national security cutters will continue our 150 years of partnership and
commitment to the Pacific region — since September 1849, when Revenue Cutter
Lawrence sailed into Honolulu Harbor escorted by Native Hawaiians in outrigger
canoes,” Schultz said. “In today’s complex geostrategic environment with rising
great power competition, the importance and demand for a strong Coast Guard
presence in the Pacific has never been greater.”

Advanced
command-and-control capabilities and a combination of range, speed and ability
to operate in extreme weather enable these ships to confront national security
threats, strengthen maritime governance, support economic prosperity and
promote individual sovereignty.

From the
Bering Sea and the Arctic to patrolling known drug trafficking zones off
Central and South America to working to strengthen the capabilities of our
partners across the Indo-Pacific, national security cutters deploy globally to
conduct essential Coast Guard missions.

Known as the
Legend-class, national security cutters can execute the most challenging
national security missions, including support to U.S. combatant commanders.
They are 418 feet in length, 54 feet in beam and 4,600 long tons in
displacement. They have a top speed of more than 28 knots, a range of 12,000
nautical miles, an endurance of up to 90 days and can hold a crew of up to 150.
These new cutters are replacing the high-endurance Hamilton-class cutters (378
feet) that have been in service since the 1960s.

The Midgett’s
transit to Hawaii was punctuated by two interdictions of suspected low-profile
go-fast vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the first July 25 and a second
July 31. The boardings resulted in a combined seizure of more than 6,700 pounds
of cocaine, estimated to be worth over $89 million.

National
security cutters are responsible for 40% of the 460,000 pounds of cocaine
interdicted by the Coast Guard in the fiscal year 2018. NSC crews have
interdicted more than 92,000 pounds of cocaine to date in the fiscal year 2019.

Midgett is
named to honor all members of the Midgett family who served in the Coast Guard
and its predecessor services. At least 10 members of the family earned high
honors for their heroic lifesaving efforts. Among them, the Coast Guard awarded
various family members seven gold lifesaving medals, the service’s highest
award for saving a life, and three silver lifesaving medals.

The Kimball is the third ship to bear that name, in honor of Sumner Kimball, who served as superintendent of the Revenue Marine and as general superintendent of the Life-Saving Service from 1878 until the two organizations merged in 1915 to become the modern-day U.S. Coast Guard.

“As you take to the seas, you will write the next chapters of the Kimball and Midgett legacies,” Schultz said, addressing the commands and crews of the two cutters on Aug. 24. “I charge you with carrying out the operations of these ships in such a manner as to be worthy of the traditions of self-sacrifice, inspirational leadership and unwavering dedication to duty — traits exemplified by these cutters’ distinguished and storied namesakes.”