USCGC Active (WMEC-618)
Encyclopedia
USCGC Active (WMEC-618) is a United States Coast Guard
medium endurance cutter. Active was launched at Bay Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
on July 31, 1965. Commissioned as a Coast Guard Cutter on September 1, 1966, she is 210 feet (64 m) long, has a 34 feet (10 m) beam, displaces 1000 tons, and draws 10 feet (3 m) of water. She is powered by two diesel engines, combined for a total of 5000 hp. Quarters are provided for up to 12 officers and 70 enlisted members. Active's cruising range is 5000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 15 knots (29 km/h), designed with an operating endurance of about 30 days. At top speed of 18 knots (35 km/h), Active has an approximate range of 2200 nautical miles (4,074.4 km). Active's armament consists of a single 25 mm gun on the forecastle. 50 caliber machine guns can also be mounted on the forecastle. bridge or fantail. The Active has a flight deck which allows for the deployment of a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin
or MH-68A Stingray
Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron
(HITRON). USCGC Active has received several awards in recent years for its outstanding service to the maritime community, including oil spill clean ups in Prince William Sound
, Alaska
during the Exxon Valdez oil spill
.http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/active/history.htm
Active has received several awards in recent years for its outstanding service to the maritime community. Active was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation
for exemplary service from 1987 to 1989 and a Coast Guard Unit Commendation for outstanding service from 1989 to 1991. Active was awarded the Special Operations Service Ribbon for the Exxon Valdez
oil spill cleanup in Prince William Sound, Alaska, participation in the Portland
Rose Festival, the Coast Guard Bicentennial celebration at San Francisco Fleet Week in October 1992, and for the 1994 at sea apprehension of the motor vessel JIN YINN No. 1 carrying 123 illegal Chinese migrants. Active has been awarded fifteen Cutter Achievement Ribbons for “clean sweeps” of all training requirements during Tailored Ships Training Availability. Active has also received two National Defense Service ribbon
s. Active was awarded a Coast Guard Unit Commendation for exceptional meritorious service from 12 to 26 August 1997 for the interdiction of the motor vessel LAPAS No. 3 carrying 60 illegal Chinese migrants. In August 1998, Active participated in a cooperative counter-drug operation with Mexican authorities that resulted in the interdiction of the fishing vessel LADY DOUNIA and the seizure of 2.55 metric tons of cocaine. Active earned the Special Operations Service Ribbon for actions in a November 1998 counter-drug operation with Canadian authorities resulting in the apprehension of the fishing vessel BLUE DAWN and the seizure of 14 tons of hashish.
Recently, Active received the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation for exceptional meritorious service on 23 and 24 January 2000 in interdicting the Mexican fishing vessel VALERA, resulting in the seizure of 5.5 metric tons of cocaine. On May 2, 2001 Active seized the Belize flagged fishing vessel SVESDA MARU with 13.2 tons of cocaine, the largest maritime cocaine seizure in history and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation
Award.
Active's deployments are normally scheduled for 45 to 55 days. Inport periods for maintenance are scheduled between deployments, lasting four to six weeks. Every four years the ship undergoes a major maintenance period lasting six to eight weeks.http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/active/welcome.htm#_MISSIONS
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
medium endurance cutter. Active was launched at Bay Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay is a city in and the county seat of Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. It is located at the natural end of Sturgeon Bay, although the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was built across the remainder of the Door Peninsula.-Geography:Sturgeon Bay is...
on July 31, 1965. Commissioned as a Coast Guard Cutter on September 1, 1966, she is 210 feet (64 m) long, has a 34 feet (10 m) beam, displaces 1000 tons, and draws 10 feet (3 m) of water. She is powered by two diesel engines, combined for a total of 5000 hp. Quarters are provided for up to 12 officers and 70 enlisted members. Active's cruising range is 5000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 15 knots (29 km/h), designed with an operating endurance of about 30 days. At top speed of 18 knots (35 km/h), Active has an approximate range of 2200 nautical miles (4,074.4 km). Active's armament consists of a single 25 mm gun on the forecastle. 50 caliber machine guns can also be mounted on the forecastle. bridge or fantail. The Active has a flight deck which allows for the deployment of a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin
HH-65 Dolphin
The Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin is a twin-engined, single main rotor, MEDEVAC-capable Search and Rescue helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard...
or MH-68A Stingray
Agusta A109
The AgustaWestland AW109 is a light-weight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter built by the Anglo-Italian manufacturer AgustaWestland...
Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron
Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron
The Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron is an armed U.S. Coast Guard helicopter squadron specializing in Airborne Use of Force and drug-interdiction missions. It is based at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida....
(HITRON). USCGC Active has received several awards in recent years for its outstanding service to the maritime community, including oil spill clean ups in Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound is a sound off the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its largest port is Valdez, at the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
during the Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker bound for Long Beach, California, struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled of crude oil. It is considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused...
.http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/active/history.htm
Missions
Active is assigned primarily to law enforcement and search and rescue duties. The law enforcement duties involve counter-narcotic operations, fisheries, and environmental protection. To add to its diverse mission capability, Active also participates in public relations activities such as the Portland Rose Festival and Seattle Sea Fair.Active has received several awards in recent years for its outstanding service to the maritime community. Active was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
for exemplary service from 1987 to 1989 and a Coast Guard Unit Commendation for outstanding service from 1989 to 1991. Active was awarded the Special Operations Service Ribbon for the Exxon Valdez
Exxon Valdez
Oriental Nicety, formerly Exxon Valdez, Exxon Mediterranean, SeaRiver Mediterranean, S/R Mediterranean, Mediterranean, and Dong Fang Ocean is an oil tanker that gained notoriety after running aground in Prince William Sound spilling hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil in Alaska...
oil spill cleanup in Prince William Sound, Alaska, participation in the Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
Rose Festival, the Coast Guard Bicentennial celebration at San Francisco Fleet Week in October 1992, and for the 1994 at sea apprehension of the motor vessel JIN YINN No. 1 carrying 123 illegal Chinese migrants. Active has been awarded fifteen Cutter Achievement Ribbons for “clean sweeps” of all training requirements during Tailored Ships Training Availability. Active has also received two National Defense Service ribbon
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
s. Active was awarded a Coast Guard Unit Commendation for exceptional meritorious service from 12 to 26 August 1997 for the interdiction of the motor vessel LAPAS No. 3 carrying 60 illegal Chinese migrants. In August 1998, Active participated in a cooperative counter-drug operation with Mexican authorities that resulted in the interdiction of the fishing vessel LADY DOUNIA and the seizure of 2.55 metric tons of cocaine. Active earned the Special Operations Service Ribbon for actions in a November 1998 counter-drug operation with Canadian authorities resulting in the apprehension of the fishing vessel BLUE DAWN and the seizure of 14 tons of hashish.
Recently, Active received the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation for exceptional meritorious service on 23 and 24 January 2000 in interdicting the Mexican fishing vessel VALERA, resulting in the seizure of 5.5 metric tons of cocaine. On May 2, 2001 Active seized the Belize flagged fishing vessel SVESDA MARU with 13.2 tons of cocaine, the largest maritime cocaine seizure in history and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
Award.
Active's deployments are normally scheduled for 45 to 55 days. Inport periods for maintenance are scheduled between deployments, lasting four to six weeks. Every four years the ship undergoes a major maintenance period lasting six to eight weeks.http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/active/welcome.htm#_MISSIONS