Lt. John F. String, Jr., USCGR, CO USS PC-545, Silver Star Recipient

Posted on January 23, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Photo: USS PC-545, Commanded by Lt. String, At sea during World War II. Probably photographed in 1942-43, while wearing rather weathered pattern camouflage. Donation of Phil Wagner, 2001. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

The “This Day in Coast Guard History” for January 22 included this simple statement,

1944 Coast Guardsmen participated in Operation Shingle – the landings at Anzio-Nettuno, Italy. Coast Guard units involved were USS PC-545 and LSTs 16, 326, 327, and 381.

The Coast Guard manned only four of these PCs during WWII. I remembered one had performed extremely well. This is the story.

STRING, John F. Jr., LT, USCGR, WWII, Anzio invasion, Silver Star, for conspicuous gallantry in action while serving as commanding officer of the USS PC 545 off Anzio, Italy on March 18, 1944. When an enemy motor torpedo boat was sighted at night. Lt. String immediately ordered the attack. With an expert display of seaman ship, he so skillfully maneuvered the ship that the first shots scored hits on the enemy craft before it was able to maneuver into position to effectively use its torpedoes and the resulting fire caused it to disintegrate in an explosion. This successful action against the enemy contributed materially to the protection of shipping in the Anzio area and to the successful maintenance of forces ashore.

This is a brief summary of USS PC-545 career while Coast Guard manned from NAVSOURCE.

Laid down 31 March 1942 by the Defoe Shipbuilding Corp., Bay City, MI
Launched 8 May 1942
Commissioned USS PC-545, 27 June 1942 with a Coast Guard crew
PC-545 participated in the following campaigns: Sicilian occupation, 9 – 15 July, 28 July – 17 August 1943 Salerno landings, 9 – 12 September 1943 Anzio Netturno advanced landings, 28 January – February 1944 and the Invasion of Southern France, 15 August – September 1944
Sank a German E-boat 19 March 1944 west of Anzio, Italy
Decommissioned 17 October 1944, transferred to France at Toulon, France and named Goumier (W 91). Her Coast Guard crew was removed the same day.

Typical E-Boat. The German Schnellboot (“E-boat”) S 204 flying a white flag of surrender at the coastal forces base HMS Beehive, Felixstowe, Suffolk (UK), on 13 May 1945. The two German E-Boats S 204 and S 205 from the 4th Schnellboot-Flotilla were escorted in by ten British MTBs. On board of S 205 was Rear Admiral Erich Breuning, who had been in charge of E-Boat operations and who signed the instrument of surrender. Note the black panther painted on the side of S 204 which had on board KKpt Kurt Fimmen (CO 4th Schnellboot-Flotilla) and KptLt Bernd Rebensburg (Ia Op/Operations-Officer of the Staff of Führer der Schnellboote/FdS). Lt. J.E. Russell, Royal Navy official photographer

“Coast Guard announces immediate action in support of Presidential Executive Orders” –News Release/What Will the CG Do Differently?

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Chuck Hill

A good Samaritan notified Sector Miami watchstanders of a migrant vessel about 10 miles east of Sunny Isles, Florida, Jan. 8, 2023. The people were repatriated to Cuba on Jan. 16, 2023. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Below is a CG news release.

The Coast Guard is a military organization. It does as it is told. That is the way it is supposed to be. But these are not new missions. Units are already positioned to carry out these missions. If we devote more assets to these missions, until, if or when, the Coast Guard gets more assets, they will have to come from other missions.

Frankly it seemed Immigration interdiction on the water routes was going well, doing much better than we are doing on the land borders. The New York Post, apparently reporting on this news release was headlined, “After Trump’s orders, US Coast Guard surges near Haiti, Cuba to block ‘mass migration’, but there have been no reports I’ve seen of a large increase in immigration attempts. The New York Post article also includes a video that indicates an avenue of legal immigration, that has been used as an incentive to not attempt illegal immigration, is being closed off.

So, what will be done differently?

NE fisheries might get less attention. Generally, the East coast has had a disproportionate percentage of the fleet, considering that something like 84% of the US EEZ is under PACAREA. It appeared new construction FRCs were already programmed to go to the Pacific and that there might be a new base in American Samoa.

It had appeared that another WMEC270 transfer to the Pacific was in the works, but they could probably use more than one more.

Will Coast Guard Aircraft be moved from the NE to the SE or the Pacific?

The President might choose to stop fisheries patrols with the Compact of Free Association States, but that would leave a vacuum the Chinese might exploit.

I would really love to see the Coast Guard start a program to provide a ship class around 2-3000 tons, with better potential as a warship, to build in greater numbers, in lieu of the as yet uncontracted last 10 OPCs. But that could provide no near-term help.

I would love to see cutters better prepared for a terrorist attack, which would also provide them better potential for use as a naval auxiliary. We could start doing that relatively quickly, but it would not have any effect on immigration.

There is no indication what the Coast Guard will do to interdict fentanyl which was one of the criticisms of Admiral Fagan’s term as Commandant. I don’t see what the Coast Guard could do since, I believe, it primarily comes across the land border or in containers.

If the President wants more assets to interdict drugs in the Eastern Pacific Drug Transit Zone, he could task the Navy to provide more ships to 4th Fleet. The Coast Guard could probably provide more law enforcement detachments relatively quickly if needed.

{I wonder if Customs and Border Protection are doing anything differently?)

Will the Coast Guard get additional billets it would need to operate now very old deactivated WMEC210s and WPB87s?

Or will the Coast Guard once again try to do more with less?

Jan. 22, 2025

The Coast Guard announced immediate action on executive orders issued by the White House Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is the world’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency, vital to protecting America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant. “Per the President’s Executive Orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets — cutters, aircraft, boats and deployable specialized forces — to increase Coast Guard presence and focus starting with the following key areas:

The southeast U.S. border approaching Florida to deter and prevent a maritime mass migration from Haiti and/or Cuba;
The maritime border around Alaska, Hawai’i, the U.S. territories of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands;
The maritime border between the Bahamas and south Florida;
The southwest maritime border between the U.S. and Mexico in the Pacific;
The maritime border between Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of America; and
Support to Customs and Border Protection on maritime portions of the southwest U.S. border.

Together, in coordination with our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense teammates, we will detect, deter and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border.”

Acting Commandant, ADM Kevin E. Lunday

Posted on January 21, 2025 by Chuck Hill

ADM Kevin E. Lunday, August 19, 2024, US Coast Guard Official Photo

So, who is the Acting Commandant now? Wikipedia tells me Admiral Kevin Eugene Lunday (born October 12, 1965) is a native of South Carolina and 1987 Coast Guard Academy graduate. He has an interesting background.

His background in Cyber, Law, D14, DOD, and Engineering and numerous notable educational experiences appear promising. I have no information on early command experience before achieving flag rank. Will be interesting to see if he will remain on as Commandant.

This is his official Bio: Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, Vice Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard

Admiral Kevin E. Lunday assumed the duties and responsibilities of the 34th Vice Commandant on June 13, 2024. As the Vice Service Chief, he advances and executes the Commandant’s strategic vision and intent, directs internal organizational governance, and serves as the Component Acquisition Executive.

–

Admiral Lunday previously served as Commander, Atlantic Area where he directed operations from the Navigable Inland Waterways east of the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, and East Coast of the U.S. throughout the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean to the Arabian Gulf.  He also served under Presidential appointment as Director, Department of Homeland Security Joint Task Force East, responsible for unifying operations to secure the U.S. Southeast Border and maritime approaches, including leading efforts to deter and prevent maritime mass migration from Haiti and Cuba. Admiral Lunday has extensive experience in the Indo-Pacific where he served as Commander of the Fourteenth Coast Guard District, directing operations throughout Oceania, including Hawai’i, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, as well as activities in Japan and Singapore. He led efforts to strengthen partnerships through maritime security with other Pacific Island nations in the face of growing strategic competition.

–

Experienced in operational and technical cyberspace operations, Admiral Lunday served as Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command where he directed the operation, maneuver, and defense of the Coast Guard Enterprise Mission Platform as part of Department of Defense (DoD) networks. He also directed remote and deployable cyberspace operations to protect U.S. maritime critical infrastructure from cyberattack. Prior to this role he served as Director of Exercises and Training (J7), U.S. Cyber Command where he directed the joint training and certification of the DoD Cyber Mission Force, the joint U.S. warfighting force in cyberspace.

–

His other Flag assignments include Deputy for Materiel Readiness where he oversaw enterprise program management for Coast Guard acquisitions and contracting, information technology, and engineering and logistics. He also served as Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Information Technology where he performed the duties of Chief Information Officer.

–

Admiral Lunday is a career national security attorney and judge advocate, licensed to practice in multiple states and before the U.S. Supreme Court.  He is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional and has spoken and published on cybersecurity, privacy, technology, and the law. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the National War College with a Master of Science in National Security Strategy, and graduate of the Naval War College with distinction. He holds a Juris Doctor with high honors from George Washington University Law School and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering with honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. His is a recipient of the American Bar Association Outstanding Military Service Career Judge Advocate Award (2005) and National Intelligence Certificate of Distinction (2004) for his leadership integrating the Coast Guard into the U.S. Intelligence Community. He has earned additional personal, team, and campaign awards during 37 years of Coast Guard service.

“Coast Guard commandant removed from post”–Politico

Posted on January 21, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Admiral Linda L. Fagan

Politico reports,

Homeland Security officials have removed Adm. Linda Fagan from her role as the Coast Guard’s commandant, according to a note sent to service members — the first firing of a top military officer under the Trump administration.

I have reproduced the linked ALCOAST below.

DHS Secretary did not give a reason for the dismissal but apparently someone gave the reasons to Fox, “Coast Guard commandant terminated over border lapses, recruitment, DEI focus: official.”

I have not always agreed with Admiral Fagan’s positions, but she has had some notable successes. As Pacific Area Commander she pushed out the operating envelop of the Fast Response Cutters to include distant operations in the Eastern Pacific Drug Transit Zone and the Western Pacific. Alien migrant interdiction seems to be working well.

Admiral Fagan seems to have solved our long running recruitment problem. In 2024,

For the first time since 2007, the Coast Guard has achieved all its recruiting missions for enlisted active duty, the Reserve, and Non-Academy Officer Candidate School (OCS) accessions.

Fox sites, “mismanagement in acquiring key acquisitions such as icebreakers and helicopters.” Admiral Fagan has only been Commandant since June 2022. Contracts for icebreakers and helicopters predate her selection as Commandant.The “Fouled Anchor” report was mentioned. It came in January 2020, a year and a half before she became commandant and reported on events that occurred 2006 or earlier.

A parts procurement problem for our now 40 year old H-65s helicopters, was identified in 2021 and the Coast Guard made the decision to go to a uniform fleet of H-60s, but it is a long-term program. (meanwhile, “Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Gets 16 New Helicopters“) The program hit a bump when there was a reduction in pre-SLEP operational life of H-60s from 20,000 to 19,000 hours, but it seems manageable.

As for the difficulties with the Polar Security Cutter, the choice of the shipyard and the decision to accept an unproven design, rather than that of an already operational icebreaker, as was required in the initial request for proposal, happened during the first Trump administration.

On April 23, 2019, the Coast Guard-Navy Integrated Program Office for the PSC program awarded a $745.9 million fixed-price, incentive-firm contract for the detail design and construction (DD&C) of the first PSC to Halter Marine Inc. of Pascagoula, MS, a shipyard that as owned by Singapore Technologies (ST) Engineering.

Admiral Fagan has been pointing out shortfalls in support for the Coast Guard.

My own evaluation is that Admiral Fagan has been one of the more effective Coast Guard Commandants we have had in this century. I am sorry to see her go.

I expect the Chief of Naval Operations will be next.

ALCOAST 021/25 – JAN 2025 LEADERSHIP NOTIFICATION TO USCG WORKFORCE

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 01/21/2025 07:25 AM EST

O 210536Z JAN 25 MID180001563582U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 021/25
SSIC 1000
SUBJ: LEADERSHIP NOTIFICATION TO USCG WORKFORCE
1.To All Hands:
The following message is forwarded on behalf of Acting Secretary of
Homeland Security Huffman.
Under my statutory authority as the Acting Secretary of the
Department of Homeland Security I have relieved Admiral Linda L. Fagan
of her duties as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.
She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her
service to our nation. Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, by operation of law,
is now the Acting Commandant of the United States Coast Guard and
assumes all the authority and responsibilities of the office.
2. Benjamine C. Huffman, Acting DHS Secretary, sends.
3. Internet release is authorized.

The former USCGC Active, Museum Ship

Posted on January 19, 2025 by Chuck Hill

A friend sent me the link to the video above. Thought you might enjoy it. A good visual tour, but there seem to be errors in the narration–I don’t think it ever served in the Navy, although it did go to war. Also, I don’t think it was ever equipped a 3″/50. During WWII they were armed with the 3″/23 and after WWII with a single Bofors 40mm.

Good to see this former cutter, the former USCGC Active, being well taken care of. It is owned by the Vietnam war flight museum in Houston, Texas.

Another of the class, the former USCGC McLane, is at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum (formerly the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum), 1346 Bluff Street, Muskegon, MI 49441.

These were members of the Active class. 35 of them were built in a big hurry to enforce Prohibition, with all 35 commissioned between 30 November 1926 and May 1927.

85 years separate them, but they make an interesting comparison with the Webber class (Sentinel) Fast Response Cutters. In 1966, the remaining Active class were redesignated WMECs, but originally, like the new cutters, they were designed WPCs.

The old cutter is smaller (232 tons vs 353) but for much of its life, it had a larger crew, up to at least 38, though I seem to remember 44. I went aboard one as a cadet and the crowded berthing area, well forward, made a lasting impression. I could imagine what it would have been like pitching in a heavy sea.

While the new cutters have 11,600 HP for 28 knots, the old cutters started life with only 600HP for 10 knots and were upgraded to 1200 HP for a blistering 13. Range really wasn’t that different, with the old cutters good for 2,500 miles at 13 knots after the upgrade–2,500 miles at 14 knots for the newer cutters. The old cutters were probably more comfortable sustaining an eight knot cruise speed.

There is definitely a huge difference in ship’s boats and boat handling as you may note in the video.

Having seen how much wiring goes into the new cutters, they come from totally different worlds.

Thanks to Lee for bringing this to my attention.

Hellfire the Drone Killer

Posted on January 18, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Enlisted technicians from the Navy Munitions Command (NMC) Bahrain Detachment support the delivery of hardware and software upgrades aboard USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) in September 2024 while the ship was forward deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility. USN

The War Zone reports, “Littoral Combat Ship Can Now Rapidly Shoot Down Aerial Drones with Hellfire Missile.”

The Coast Guard needs a counter drone capability if Coast Guard ships are going to do force protection and the “Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security” and “Defense Readiness” missions.

Hellfire, and its form factor twin replacement JAGM, are emerging as primary candidates for this role. Compared to gun systems, they do not throw multiple rounds well beyond the target that might cause collateral damage. They also have the advantage of being useful in other roles as well, including as an anti-aircraft weapon against low flying sub-sonic threats and as an effective surface to surface weapon against a range of naval threats from small fast highly maneuverable threats like kamikaze USVs to ships.

Included in the report was the photo below that depicts a proposed deck mounted vertical launcher for Hellfire/JAGM. It probably weighs about the same as a 30mm Mk38 Mod4 and would not require the same deck foundation strength since there is no recoil.

A close-up of the Hellfire/JAGM launchers on the Arleigh Burke model on display at the 2025 Surface Navy Association symposium. Joseph Trevithick

I cropped the photo to get a better look at the launchers. It appears the mount is being loaded in the horizontal position and would return to the vertical for firing. This means reloading would be relatively easy and the location of the mount could be very flexible.

It appears that each of the three sets of tubes (above) are much the same as the “Patrol Boat Compatible” above deck launchers pictured below, which would mean each mount could house twelve missiles. A pair of these would provide up to 24 rounds ready to launch–same as the number in the LCS mission module.

For smaller cutters Hellfire has been adapted to USVs as small as 12 meters.

Unmanned High Speed SWATH

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Here is a new type of craft that might find use in the Coast Guard.

Would welcome suggestions of how the Coast Guard could use these.

Who You Gonna Call?

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Chuck Hill

I just ran across this interesting bit from Wikipedia. Sounds like a good idea.

“In May 2000,the Japan Coast Guard introduced a nationwide emergency number, 118, for reporting accidents at sea, oil spills, suspicious vessels, smuggling, and illegal immigration. It can be dialed from mobile phones, landline phones, public phones, and marine radiotelephones in Japan.“

“Alaska homeported cutter earns cutter of the year award” –News Release

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Below is a Coast Guard news release.

Jan. 15, 2025

JUNEAU, Alaska – Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award.

For the second year in a row, Alex Haley earned the medium cutter of year award across the entire Coast Guard fleet. The Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award recognizes the ship that demonstrated exceptional performance across operations and mission accomplishment, commitment to crew and families, training and readiness, and engineering.

Spending nearly 200 days deployed in support of Coast Guard Pacific Area and District 17, Alex Haley embodied the proud tradition of the Bering Sea cutter, sailing from the Arctic Ocean to the furthest reaches of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Leading all cutters in Bering Sea and Aleutian Island living marine resource law enforcement boardings to protect and help sustain Alaska fisheries, the ship also supported strategic United States Government priorities including intercepting and escorting a Russian warship across the Aleutian Islands. Most notably, the cutter and crew earned a Letter of Commendation from the International Maritime Organization for bravery saving eight mariners in distress while towing a fishing vessel 32 hours to safe harbor during a winter gale.

Additionally, Alex Haley earned the 2024 Large Afloat Dining Facility of the Year award for best galley and was runner up for the 2024 Morale Program of the Year Award. The Alex Haley crew was awarded the Arctic Service Medal and the Operational Excellence “E” Award.

“As the only major cutter homeported in Alaska, the ‘Bulldog of the Bering’ lives and operates in unforgiving conditions across a vast area of responsibility,” said Cmdr. Steven Baldovsky, Alex Haley ‘s commanding officer. “Our crew displayed exceptional mission execution and resilience against a challenging work-life balance – always answering the call and providing an incredible return on investment to the American people. I could not be any prouder of the crew and our amazing family support for the work Alex Haley did to earn the back-to-back Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Awards.”

Alex Haley is a 282-foot Medium Endurance Cutter that performs search and rescue, fisheries law enforcement and maritime security across Alaska and has been homeported in Kodiak since 1999.

This Day in Coast Guard History, January 15

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Chuck Hill

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

1836 A General Order from the Secretary of the Treasury prescribed that “Blue cloth be substituted for the uniform dress of the officers of the Revenue Cutter Service, instead of grey…” thereby ending a controversy that had brewed for years regarding the uniforms of the Service.

1947 The first helicopter flight to the base “Little America” in Antarctica took place. The pilot was LT James A. Cornish, USCG and he carried Chief Photographer’s Mate Everett Mashburn as his observer. They flew from CGC Northwind.

1966 When winds of 30 to 50 knots hit the southern California coast, surface craft off the 11th Coast Guard District rendered assistance to six grounded vessels, three disabled sailboats, and three capsized vessels. They also responded to seven other distress cases. A Coast Guard helicopter played a prominent role in one of the cases by evacuating the five-man crew of the vessel Trilogy that had gone aground and broken up on Santa Cruz Island.

1974 The first group of women ever enlisted as regulars in the Coast Guard began their 10-week basic training at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May. Thirty-two women were in the initial group and formed Recruit Company Sierra-89.

USCGC Escape (WMEC 6) Operation Able Manner.

1993 In response to a massive increase in the number of Haitians fleeing their country by sea that began in October 1991, President-elect William Clinton ordered the commencement of Operation Able Manner on this date in 1993. It was the largest SAR operation ever undertaken by the Coast Guard to that time. Twenty-nine cutters were initially involved, as were aircraft from 10 air stations and five US Navy vessels.

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