Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless Returns from 58-Day Patrol

PENSACOLA,
Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless returned to their homeport in
Pensacola, Florida, June 12 after a 58-day patrol in the Gulf of Mexico, the
Coast Guard 8th District said in a release of the same date.

During its
two-month patrol, the cutter supported several 8th Coast Guard District mission
areas, including search and rescue, enforcement of domestic living marine
resource regulations and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activity
near the U.S. and Mexico maritime border.

The crew
deterred three Mexican vessels caught illegally fishing in U.S. waters and
recovered three miles of long line fishing gear, preventing the illegal
harvesting of red snapper and other regulated Gulf of Mexico fish species.

They also
conducted five safety boardings of U.S. flagged commercial fishing vessels to
ensure the proper safety equipment was onboard and crewmembers were properly
trained in safe seamanship practices.

The crew’s
employment in south Texas waters supported Operation Patriot Curtain, which
addressed threats to border security and U.S. sovereignty near the maritime
boundary line.

During the
patrol, the crew collaborated with the Mexican Naval Warship Arm Independencia
to share operational best practices. This beneficial exchange allowed the
Dauntless crew to demonstrate effective interoperability with a key
international maritime partner while conducting a shared mission of combating
transnational threats.

The crew
stopped in Galveston, Texas, the ship’s homeport from 1995 to 2018, and hosted
over 400 tours for the Galveston community. The ship was honored by the city
council with a proclamation declaring May 15th, “Sin Miedo” Day in
honor of Dauntless’s motto, “Sin Miedo,” meaning, “Without
Fear.”