JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (WMEC 621) returned to their homeport at Naval Station Mayport Nov. 7, 2022, following a 35-day Caribbean Sea patrol, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a Nov. 7 release.
While underway in the Coast Guard Seventh District’s area of operations and in support of Joint Interagency Task Force – South, Valiant conducted counterdrug and migrant interdiction operations.
Within the first week of patrol, Valiant’s crew boarded a vessel suspected of carrying illegal narcotics and seized just under 900 pounds of cocaine worth approximately $8 million.
Valiant’s crew also patrolled off the coast of Haiti as a deterrent to dangerous and irregular maritime migration events occurring because of continued instability in the country.
Prior to patrol, Valiant completed a 7-month dry-dock period in Tampa where the 55-year-old cutter completed extensive maintenance and preservation work.
“The past eight months have certainly been very busy for Valiant’s crew, and we are glad to finally be back in Jacksonville,” said Cmdr. Jacob McMillan, commanding officer of Valiant. “The crew’s remarkable ability to quickly transition from maintenance to operations has been impressive. I’m very proud of the crew and I’m honored to be serving at sea with them.”
Valiant is a multi-mission, 210-foot medium-endurance cutter. Its primary missions include search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, marine environmental protection, homeland security and national defense operations.
