Stratton departed Alameda on July 18 and patrolled the Alaskan Inside Passage to Juneau, Alaska, throughout the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea and into the Arctic Ocean. The crew supported U.S. strategic interests in the high latitudes and ensured the safety and compliance of domestic fishery operators. This was Stratton’s second 110-day Alaska patrol in 2024.

During the patrol, Stratton’s crew tracked and observed two Russian Federation Navy surface action groups transiting through U.S. waters above the Arctic Circle. Stratton patrolled under Operation Frontier Sentinel, an operation designed to meet presence with presence when strategic competitors operate in and around U.S. waters. The Coast Guard’s presence strengthens the international rules-based order and promotes the conduct of operations in a manner consistent with international law and norms.

While patrolling the Arctic, Stratton conducted the first at-sea refueling evolutions for a national security cutter in the high latitudes. The at-sea refueling extended patrol times in the Arctic and enabled persistent Coast Guard presence in the remote region.

Stratton conducted 20 boardings of commercial fishing vessels and foreign trans-shipment vessels enforcing safety and fishing regulations. Alaska’s fisheries are some of the nation’s largest providers of seafood and are a critical component of the U.S. economy. The Coast Guard’s efforts in ensuring safe fishing practices are essential to support this vital industry.

Stratton’s crew also conducted search and rescue (SAR) operations while deployed to the region. Stratton responded to the fishing vessel Galatea, which was adrift in a storm without propulsion due to a severed engine cooling line. Stratton crew deployed to the fishing vessel, repaired the casualty, and safely escorted Galatea to Dutch Harbor.

Stratton also responded to the 738-foot cargo tanker Pan Viva beset by a storm north of Dutch Harbor. After losing propulsion, the vessel was in danger of running aground in seas greater than 30’ and 90-mile-per-hour winds. Stratton provided operational oversight to Pan Viva as Coast Guard MH-60 helicopter air crews evacuated non-essential personnel and commercial tugs aided the vessel.

Throughout the patrol, Stratton conducted 334 deck landings qualifications with Air Station Kodiak’s MH-60 helicopter air crews operating near the Alaskan towns of Utqiagvik and Kotzebue above the Arctic Circle, to Cold Bay and Dutch Harbor in the Bering Sea. Stratton’s coordination of these flight operations provided training opportunities for the crews to enhance their SAR capabilities in the remote areas of Alaska, which tripled the number of shipboard-qualified pilots in the Alaska region.

“I am extremely proud of the resilience and professionalism of Stratton’s crew who’ve spent eight of the last ten months at sea in Alaska, conducting missions to safeguard our nation and people throughout two deployments to the region,” said Capt. Brian Krautler, Stratton’s commanding officer. “We met foreign presence in the Arctic, demonstrating our ability and resolve to protect our most challenging border and we found new ways to extend our presence, devising means to refuel at sea in the high latitudes. We boarded U.S. and foreign vessels to ensure compliance with legal and safety regulations, we enhanced SAR capabilities through rigorous flight training and conducted important search and rescue cases in our most demanding area of operations.”

Stratton also met with the Royal Canadian Navy leadership during a port call in Victoria, Canada, to discuss strategic interests and cooperative efforts in the region. Stratton hosted three Royal Canadian Navy members during the patrol, enhancing U.S. and Canadian interoperability.

Additionally, Stratton conducted community relations engagements in the remote Alaskan communities of Savoonga, Teller and Brevig Mission. During these engagements, crew members met with tribal and city council leadership, volunteered at elementary schools, provided training in water and boating safety, participated in community-wide events including a high-latitude half-marathon, and learned about Inupiat culture, aiding in the service’s understanding of the communities and how to optimize support for remote Alaskan villages.

Commissioned in 2012, Stratton is one of ten commissioned legend-class national security cutters and one of four homeported in Alameda. National security cutters are 418-feet long, 54-feet wide, and have a 4,600 long-ton displacement. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, and can hold a crew of up to 170. Stratton routinely conducts operations throughout the Pacific, where the cutter’s combination of range, speed, and ability to operate in extreme weather provides the mission flexibility necessary to conduct vital strategic missions.

Stratton’s namesake is Capt. Dorothy Stratton, who led the service’s all-female reserve force during World War II. Dorothy Stratton was the first female commissioned officer in the Coast Guard and commanded more than 10,000 personnel. The ship’s motto is “we can’t afford not to.”

Late addition: This trackline was from a gCaptain report on the deployment. Note the ship did not spend any significant time out the Aleutians chain. 

The USCGC Smilax (WLIC 315) celebrated its 80th anniversary on Nov. 7, 2024, during a ceremony attended by current and former crewmembers in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.

Commissioned Nov. 1, 1944 during World War II, Smilax is the oldest active Coast Guard cutter. It has been recognized as the “Queen of the Fleet” since 2011 when the USCGC Acushnet (WMEC-167) was decommissioned after 67 years of service. This title is symbolized by its gold hull number.

“As long as I’ve been in the Coast Guard, the Smilax has always been regarded as the Queen of the Fleet,” said Chief Petty Officer Jordan Bickford, the executive petty officer of the Smilax. “It’s been a goal of mine to stay and serve in the Aids to Navigation (ATON) afloat community throughout my career. It’s truly an honor to now serve aboard the Smilax, contributing to its legacy.”

The Smilax was built in 1943 by Dubuque Boat & Boiler Works in Dubuque, Iowa. When most other ships were being built in 40 days, the Smilax was built over the course of a year and cost approximately $194,238, making it the most expensive ship in its class.

It was originally homeported in Fort Pierce, Florida but moved to a new homeport in New Smyrna Beach, Florida from June 1, 1954, to Nov. 9, 1965.

After being fitted with new engines and receiving a 70-foot barge, the Smilax was re-classified as a WLI-315, making it an inland buoy tender responsible for short range ATON along the coastal and inland waterways, particularly in shallow waters or areas that larger tenders cannot reach.

It moved to a new homeport in Brunswick, Georgia on Nov. 9, 1965, before being re-classified again as a WLIC on Oct. 1, 1979. As a WLIC, or inland construction tender, the Smilax became responsible for constructing, repairing and maintaining fixed ATON within inland waterways. It remained there until July 1999, when it moved to its current homeport in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.

“One ship, one crew, everything says Smilax and they all work together,” said retired Chief Warrant Officer Scott McAloon, former commanding officer of the Smilax, 2010 to 2014. “Everybody’s dirty in a set of coveralls, and it’s just such a fun ship to be part of. These construction tenders, they’ll humble you. From ship driving to getting out on the deck and working, it’s a real special thing.”

Smilax plays a crucial role in maintaining navigation aids in Oregon Inlet, Hatteras Inlet, Ocracoke Inlet and Beaufort Inlet. It oversees 1,226 fixed aids and 26 buoys across the Outer Banks to ensure safe passage for various types of vessels. It also operates a 70-foot barge equipped with a crane capable of lifting heavy aids, making it well-suited for the shallow and shifting waters of the region.

Throughout its history, the crew of the Smilax has engaged in various missions beyond navigation support. They have assisted with search and rescue operations and even salvaged cannons and barrel hoops from the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the legendary pirate ship captained by Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard.

The cutter represents a vital federal presence on inland waterways and is part of an aging fleet dedicated to maintaining the U.S. Aids to Navigation System.

“The crew is keeping the ship going,” said retired Chief Petty Officer Matthew Hux, former Smilax crewmember. “She keeps going because of all of you and the legacy that comes behind you. So thanks to you, and thanks to my old shipmates.”

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Operation North Pacific Guard is an annual multi-mission effort between international partners that provides surface and air patrols and shares intelligence that guides patrol assets to detect and intercept illicit fishing activity.

The joint mission included U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, U.S. Coast Guard District Seventeen, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Japan Coast Guard, Fisheries Agency of Japan, and Korea Coast Guard.

As a result of the high seas patrols, air surveillance, and electronic monitoring, the joint crews identified potential instances of illegal harvesting of shark fins and dark vessels, a term for vessels that intentionally turn off their monitoring systems.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett patrolled the North Pacific for 65 days and conducted 21 high-seas boardings and inspections which detected four potential violations of conservation and management measures under the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC).

U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130J Super Hercules airplane crewmembers conducted five 12-day deployments near Yokota Air Base and Misawa, Japan and observed 411 vessels. The crews observed potential shark finning violations and improper fishing vessel markings on multiple vessels.

“IUU fishing is a complex and global problem that calls for an international unified response,” said Capt. Ryan Waters, chief of enforcement for the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District. “North Pacific Guard is a prime example of a strong, sustained multi-lateral partnership to maximize the impact of collective counter-IUU fishing enforcement efforts and promote the rule of law at sea.”

IUU fishing is detrimental to long-term, stable national security, international relations, and global economics. Up to 27 million tons of fish are caught illegally each year worldwide. The U.S Coast Guard leads U.S. Government efforts in multinational campaigns like North Pacific Guard that counter IUU fishing at-sea, uphold global rules-based order, and promote economic prosperity.

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