Friday Film: U.S. Coast Guard "Flying Lifeboat" HH-52A Helicopter (1960's)

Amphibious helicopter. Single turbine version of Navy H-3.

Sunday Ship History: Rum War of the Prohibition Era

The United States, for all its alleged "libertarian" leanings, is full of people who are more than happy to impose their personal moral beliefs on their fellow citizens. In many cases these fits of moral fervor resulted in consequences arguably worse than what they were intended to fix.

After a number of years of political and other activity by a number of groups, enough states ratified the 18th Amendment:

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Supporters of the Amendment were a very mixed bag - ranging from the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (that's Carry Nation pictured above), Anti-Saloon League, a host of church groups (not, by the way including the Episcopal Church, which argued against the government should be involved in "deciding morality" (see Holmes, A brief history of the Episcopal Church, p.147)- to the Ku Klux Klan.

With the now Constitutional ban on the import of liquor there followed the issue of who would enforce the law. The answer, as set forth in a Coast Guard publication, Rum War, was the Treasury Department, the sea-going component of which was the United States Coast Guard.

It seems, despite the vote of the American legislators making the country "dry," that there were substantial numbers of Americans who still wanted "wet." And they were willing to pay for the privilege, even it was -well- illegal.

The existence of a market, in turn, spawned the growth of systems of "importers" willing to meet demand with goods.

At the time, the territorial waters of the United States were 3 miles in width. The business model for illegal liquor importers, who also became known as "rum runners," was to fill up a boat with bottles of liquor in some place like Cuba and sail from Cuba to a location 3 miles and a foot off the U.S. coast. While sitting in international waters, fast boats might arrive to visit with the rum runner where upon, in exchange for money, cases of liquor might find their way onto the speed boats (see NY Times, June 11, 1922- "Rum Runners Flood City with Liquors"). The speedboats might then race off into U.S. territorial waters carrying their cargo to some safe haven at which the cases would be offloaded and placed into newly established illegal delivery systems (often operated by unsavory characters like Al Capone and other underworld notables) through which liquor was dispersed to "speakeasies" and, finally, to consumers.

One such sea-going liquor warehouse operator was a man named William McCoy. It is alleged in various places that he was such an honorable crook that he never diluted his product, unlike his competitors, that the expression "the real McCoy" was coined to indicate high quality liquor (see here). In any event, McCoy used a British registered vessel to a little more than 3 miles off Long Island to sell his wares. The registry and the location rendered him invulnerable to U.S. law enforcement. Others followed suit and the area where these liquor wholesalers parked their boats became known as "Rum Row."

In fact, as the above cited Coast Guard article notes, there were many "Rum Rows" off the U.S. coast - even after the U.S. unilaterally declared a "12 mile limit" in the mid-1920's. Later, there was a treaty negotiated with Great Britain to allow boarding of British-flagged ship inside the 12 mile limit. By the way, the real adoption of a 12 mile limit appears to have come during the Reagan administration in the 1980's. What really happened in the 1920's was an announcement of different right:

The United States, like many states, claims limited jurisdiction in a "contiguous zone" of twelve additional miles beyond the territorial sea to enforce customs, fiscal, immigration, and sanitary laws, and to punish violations of its laws committed in its territory or territorial sea. U.S. courts have supported the arrest of smugglers hovering beyond territorial waters with the intent to violate customs laws..

A Supreme Court case allowed such activity for "American" ships (United States v. Lee, 274 U.S. 559 (1927):

Officers of the Coast Guard are authorized, by virtue of Revised Statutes, § 3072, to seize on the high seas beyond the 12-mile limit an American vessel subject to forfeiture for violation of any law respecting the revenue.

From the Tariff Act of 1922:

Sec. 581. Boarding vessels.—Officers of the customs or of the Coast Guard, and agents or other persons authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury, or appointed for that purpose in writing by a collector may at any time go on board of any vessel or vehicle at any place in the United States within four leagues of the coast of the United States, without as well as within their respective districts, to examine the manifest and to inspect, search, and examine the vessel or vehicle, and every part thereof...

A league is 3 miles, thus 4 leagues is 12 miles. As simple math will tell you, this greatly expanded the area to be covered by the Coast Guard but until later there was to real expansion of ships or other units to allow the Coast Guard to do its job. Eventually the Navy "loaned" the Coasties some old destroyers and a number of Eagle ships to be used on patrol. Aircraft were also procured for spotting - in typical Coast Guard fashion, there was some scrambling involved first:

But there were so many rum-runners, and the ocean is so big, and the patrol boats had to replenish fuel and supplies, that it was often a heart breaking task. Von Paulsen as a flier knew the value of planes for searching at sea. He interested Lieutenant Commander Stephen S. Yeandle, aide to Rear Admiral Frederick Billard, Commandant of the Coast Guard, in the idea of getting planes for searching the ocean for rum runners. Yeandle in turn discussed the idea with Admiral Billard who favored it. But there was no money, no appropriation. In spite of this, they planned and "scummed schemes," all on a shoestring. An old O2U-2 single float biplane with a 200 horse-power motor had been stored in a hanger at Cape May Section Base. It was surplus. Some enlisted personnel from the first C.G. Air Station at Morehead City were at Section Base #7. A small, unused island belonging to U. S. Fisheries near Section Base #7 was acquired for temporary use. It was called "Ten Pound Island." (that's the Ten Pound CG AIr Station pictured nearby). A large surplus tent was acquired from the Army for $1.00. It became the "hangar." Coast Guard aviation was starting again. Von Paulsen and Melka flew the old crate searching at sea for rum-runners and keeping tabs on patrol boats. A year later Admiral Billard was successful in obtaining from Congress an appropriation for five planes for the Coast Guard with some equipment. Three were sent to Ten Pound Island and two to Cape May. Thus the puling infant was given sustenance, was carefully nurtured, and grew to its present efficient stature.

I guess that all current Coast Guard aviators owe something (may I suggest a toast?) to the rum runners for providing a continuing rationale for the CG aviation program.

There were many lessons to be learned from the "Rum War" - especially concerning the value of intelligence to counter smuggling operations. However, as noted in the introduction to LT Eric Ensign's Intelligence in the Rum War at Sea: 1920-1933, many of those lessons had to be painfully relearned for the modern "drug war" we find ourselves in. One of the those lessons is that an increase in interception capability quickly led to an increase in smuggling capability, as LT Ensign wrote:

As the Coast Guard's successes became known, the rum fleet became more secretive about its operations and more elusive to the now formidable anti-smuggling armada. Naturally, when smuggling is stopped in one area it tends to move to another, in a "balloon effect."

As you might gather from his paper's title, LT Ensign points to a growth in the intelligence branch of the Coast Guard as a major player in the anti-smuggler operation. He may be right.

Of interest to those of you who are interested in reports of modern drug smuggling semi-submersible boats in modern times, there were reports of "rum-running submarines" in 1924:

In the summer of 1924, the Coast Guard received a report of submarines being used to smuggle liquor int New York via the Hudson River. With no aerial capability of its own, the Coast Guard obtained the assistance of the Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation in locating and photographing the suspected rum runners. A resulting photograph, taken from an altitude of 5,000 feet, showed two subsurface craft, each approximately 100 feet in length, transiting the Hudson River.

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose? Maybe, but the connection between the subs and alcohol smuggling was never proven, unlike the clear connection between the modern cartels and their drug subs.

In any event, Prohibition was repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933 and the sea-going "War on Alcohol" ended. It's safe to say, however, that the effect on the Coast Guard has lingered to the present day.

All the photos, with the exception of those of Carry Nation, the Ten Pound Air Station, the O2U-2 and the submarines, come from the U.S. Coast Guard website here. The picture of the O2U-2 is of a Navy version flying over Cavite in the Philippines circa 1930.

Oh, by the way, the Coast Guard's 219th birthday is August 4. Happy birthday, Coasties!

Coast Guard Auxiliary celebrates 70th anniversary

The Coast Guard Auxiliary celebrates 70th anniversary:

"The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the finest all-volunteer organization in our nation," said Adm. Thad Allen, Commandant of the Coast Guard. "It is an integral part of our Coast Guard. We simply could not meet the challenges we face or conduct the missions we do on a day-to-day basis without their selfless devotion to duty."

For the past decade, Coast Guard Auxiliary efforts have accounted for more than 3,100 lives saved, assistance to more than 91,000 boaters in distress, the prevention of the loss of more than $437 million in property and the education of more than 1.6 million boaters through boating safety courses, in addition to the many other services the Auxiliary provides. Coast Guard Auxiliarists accomplished these feats by volunteering more than 36 million hours of their time.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary was founded June 23, 1939, when Congress authorized legislation that established a volunteer civilian component of the Coast Guard to promote boating safety and to facilitate operations of the Coast Guard. Auxiliary members initially conducted safety and security patrols and helped enforce provisions of the 1940 Federal Boating and Espionage Acts. In 1996, the Auxiliary’s role was expanded to allow members to assist in any Coast Guard mission, with the exceptions of law enforcement and military operations.

An earlier salute to the CG Aux Sunday Ship History: The Coast Guard Auxiliary :

In any given year, Auxiliary members work an untold number of hours, as they largely administer their own organization. In 1998, their assistance to the public resulted in 445 lives being saved, 12,760 persons being assisted, and a total value of $36.4 million dollars in volunteer services being provided on specific missions.

You can join, too, by visiting here:

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, at least 17 years old, and pass a basic background check. There are no upper age limits or height/weight standards, although for operational activities, you must be physically able to perform certain tasks. There are no minimum service hours – you can serve as little or as much as you want.

You do not have to own a boat or participate in water-based operations to join the Auxiliary.

Here's one lesson in how to help in times of need (in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina):

Auxiliarist Mike Howell’s 53-foot facility, Mañana, docked at CG Station New Orleans. Mañana served as a temporary command center after the station had been damaged during Hurricane Katrina. From his vessel, Howell, a Vietnam combat veteran, was able to provide power, communications, potable water, and rest facilities for the station and crews. August-September 2005. Coast Guard Auxiliary Press Corps.

Your neighbors, your friends.

Thank them for their service.

Maritime Security: The Small Boat Threat

From National Defense Magazine, "No Silver Bullet for Thwarting Terrorists Aboard Small Boats":

Small boats provide terrorists with a myriad of options. They could be used in suicide attacks, as was the case in 2000 when al-Qaida operatives in Yemen rammed an explosives-laden dinghy into the USS Cole, killing 17 U.S. sailors. They could attack ships docked at shore, entering ports or sailing off the coast. They could deliver nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological devices, or be used to mine harbors, wrote James Carafano, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, in a paper entitled, “Small Boats, Big Worries: Thwarting Terrorist Attacks from the Sea.”

Ports can also be an entryway for terrorists, as was the case recently when gunmen struck Mumbai, India, and killed nearly 200 people.

“Mumbai was not an isolated incident,” said Allen. “We do know that the capability exists and I think that Mumbai just underscores that.”

Kenneth McDaniel, maritime security deputy division chief at the Coast Guard office of counterterrorism and defense operations, said one of the greatest threats are vessel-borne improvised explosive devices.

The consequences of an IED attack on a U.S. port would be devastating, said Scott Truver, executive advisor for national security programs at Gryphon Technologies.

Carafano article here. A more recent analysis by Dr. Carafano on the Mumbai small boat attack here.

Anti-Piracy Efforts Discussed at DoD Blogger's Rountable

As Lt Cragg has noted in comments to my post below, the transcript and mp3 file for the 17 Feb 09 Blogger's Rountable have been posted here under the headline "Coast Guard Discusses Global Anti-Piracy Efforts." For some reason the DoD site won't let you link to an individual post, so ...you get the full page.

The pdf transcript of the Roundtable is here. MP3 file here.

You should read or listen the conversation in its entirety if you are interested in the legal (and international political) aspects of taking on modern pirates. Here are some highlights, though:

Some of you may already have seen the piracy action plan, which is signed out by the president earlier this year. And it lays out essentially three lines of action for combating piracy. And from my view, almost all of the action taken by the U.S. government, at least in my world of work, fall quite neatly under that -- the piracy plan of action.

And we fall under the three lines of prevention of piratical attacks, responding to piratical attacks and, lastly, prosecution of pirates. If I can start with the first line of attack on the prevention, that essentially focuses on three different areas. One is hardening the target and that's things like private security measures and I can talk about any of these in detail. And that includes all the way to the right end of arms security under certain circumstances as well as a whole basket of different measures taken by merchant vessels to make themselves less vulnerable to pirates. And I can discuss a number of those different things.

It also includes measures like the maritime security patrol area that's been set up in the region to better monitor shipping and, lastly, it constitutes a contact group which has been set up by the United States, or at least led by the United States, which has four working groups under it, that is supposed to put a diplomatic overlay in the international community to this prevention effort.

Along the second line of attack is the -- in responding to piracy attacks -- is the establishment of a piracy coordination center. And I can talk a little bit about that if anybody has any questions -- as well as seizing and destroying vessels.

There's a strategy in place for that; the development of a ship- rider program, which I can discuss at length with you; as well as actions ashore in disrupting pirate revenue.

The last one, disrupting pirate revenue, I really don't have a lot of visibility on that, although I can tell you what I know about that, which is not too terribly much. The last line of action involved prosecution of pirates and that involves negotiation of international agreements and arrangements. I can discuss a number of those including the recently concluded U.S.-Kenya MOU as well as the Djibouti code of conduct, which sets up a regional agreement or understanding for prosecuting pirates.

The implementation of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts at sea convention, or the SUA convention -- there's a number of different very interesting tools that are available under that convention that I can discuss with you at length. And then, lastly, the last piece under that particular line of action in prosecuting pirates is the development of regional capacity. And I can discuss that with you as well, whether it's under the Djibouti code of conduct framework or under various international frameworks.

(In my earlier post, I linked to some earlier posts and outside sources that Captain Michel is referring to -but here they are again: The Kenyan-U.S. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, 1988 (SUA Convention) and the Djibouti Code of Conduct are touched on here, here, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) (U.S. not a party), and the 1958 Convention on the High Seas(U.S. a party)).

In response to a question from David Axe of War is Boring, Captain Michel elaborated on the legal process of getting captured pirates to trial:

So what it actually involves and the challenges that have been there in prosecuting pirates is, number one, identifying the appropriate legal framework and, from that perspective, there actually is an appropriate legal framework for the prosecution of pirates. It's contained in either customary international law or the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

And pirates are subject to universal jurisdiction: i.e., every state on the planet can prosecute pirates. But every state has to have two things: They've got to have domestic law in order to prosecute pirates and they have to have a willingness to prosecute those pirates.

I think we're seeing tested right now in the cases that Mike talked about with the Vella Gulf and the Mahan, the legal frameworks that we've established. The number-one thing is we've signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kenyan government that will facilitate the transfer of pirates ashore to Kenya and then prosecution in a Kenyan court.

The challenges there are not small. We need to ensure that our evidence-collection procedures are lashed up very tightly with the Kenyan judicial system so that the activities that Captain Giglio was talking about -- putting the other evidence packages, collecting statements, collecting video evidence, collecting physical evidence -- are actually going to be admissible in a Kenyan court. Then we've got the additional challenge of actually supporting the trial itself, which may include bringing witnesses from, say, the attacked ship, as well as bringing witnesses from either the Coast Guard LEDET or Navy boarding team who may have been on board that particular vessel.

The challenges are pretty daunting because you may actually have, for example, say, Coast Guard and Navy personnel involved with Somalian pirates who may have attacked a Panamanian vessel with a Filipino crew being tried in a Kenyan court. ***
I will say this, that with an eye to the future, one of the mechanisms that we may want to use in the future is the Suppression of Unlawful Acts convention, which may allow for extradition of pirates to other nations, say, victim states, for prosecution in their courts.
***
(Part of the answer to a question I pose) The Suppression of Unlawful Acts convention has been signed by I think about 78 percent of the world's nations. Virtually all of the maritime states are signatories to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts convention. And what this Suppression of Unlawful Acts convention does, besides requiring the criminalization of the particular offenses against maritime navigation, is it requires states to accept offenders under the convention from masters of ships who capture these individuals. And then, it requires states to either do one of two things: prosecute these Suppression of Unlawful Acts convention violators or extradite them to another country that is willing to prosecute.

The types of activities that are engaged in the current Horn of Africa piracy fall under the definitions of violated acts under the SUA convention. So these types of takeovers that are being done by these pirates -- they're also pirates. These individuals are also SUA violators. And because of that, those people can be delivered to other states -- for example, to Kenya who is a party to the SUA convention. And then, Kenya can either prosecute the individuals under the SUA convention or extradite them to another state. And, for example, one of the states that they may wish to extradite them to is the victim state. That could be a flag state like Panama or a state whose nationals were held captive, say, for example, the Ukraine or the Philippines or even a cargo state whose cargo was taken over. Any of those individuals, if they are party to the SUA convention, can accept those SUA violators and prosecute them.

Now, we're not currently using that. But I know there are discussions underway right now to potentially, for example, use Kenya as an extradition point, bring the pirates through Kenya, put them on a plane, and send them to another country who may be willing to prosecute them. So that's how that mechanism works. And it's a little bit more robust and modern mechanism than exists under customary piracy law. So it's an extra tool in the toolkit that we're hopeful will work in the future.

Q (by E1) Well, let me follow up if I may with a question about the treatment of pirates once they've been captured. There have been a couple of law review articles recently about what to do with these pirates and whether they're subject to Article -- I mean, the Third Geneva Convention or to the anti-torture law. Is there a problem with transferring through a state like Kenya to some other state that may not honor some of these other obligations? Do you see that as an issue?

CAPT. MICHEL: Yeah, I do see it as an issue. As a matter of fact, I know specifically, the Europeans are very concerned about transfer of pirates to other countries. I know the United States is concerned about that as well. We have certain treaty obligations in place. And we would not obviously violate any of our treaty obligations. And that would have to be played against, for example, if a country is a SUA signatory but we're not convinced they're otherwise meeting treaty obligations for fair and humane treatment of individuals, yes, that would absolutely be a consideration as to whether we would turn those individuals over. So in answer to your question, yes, that all plays in the background in determining what a particular course of action is for any particular piratical event.
***
Q. (Bill Nagle from Small Wars Journal) A good number of my questions have been touched on. Let me ask you about the options available to you and the challenges when you are successful and interdict a pirate prior to catching them red- handed. You spoke somewhat to the cracks with the SUA convention. But I know intent to piracy is a rather unsettled. But when you are successful, what can you do on the interdiction side?

CAPT. MICHEL: Well, in answer to your question, we're talking about whether individuals have to actually do piratical acts in order to be pirates.

The answer to that is no. The individuals who are out there outfitted for piracy are just as much pirates as guys who actually commit acts. Nonetheless, this does create additional evidentiary issues as to whether you're actually going to bring a case or not.

And, for those of you interested in private maritime companies offering armed escort services in international pirate infested waters:

Q This is Eagle 1 with Eaglespeak. Can I ask one question, that in the Straits of Malacca, there have been some private escort services and, you know, they're in territorial waters of the adjacent -- the littoral nations. And I know that there is at least one American company and perhaps some other foreign companies that are in the business of offering up private, armed, security/escort ships. Would you care to venture opinion about how that would work?

CAPT. MICHEL: Well, I'll give you an opinion on this: First of all -- well, I guess I'll tell you what my personal thoughts are on that particular issue. First of all, it's interesting you should raise about operation of these activities in the territorial sea; my view for operation of activities in the territorial sea, is that that would likely be subject to the jurisdiction of that territorial sovereign. So activities of the nature you're talking about -- private escort vessels -- in my view, would come under the cognizance of that particular sovereign nation and require some type of at least coordination or probably permission from that territorial sovereign.

I wasn't actually aware that they had any private services operating down there, but if they did, my view would be it would be subject to that territorial sovereign. Now, as far as outside the sea of any particular nation, my view is, I'm not aware of any, at least, U.S. law or international law that would prohibit that type of activity for use of private escort vessels. The use of the armed force, in my view, would be governed by the law of that particular flag-state of that particular vessel and most likely, would fall under the law of self-defense under international law, of which there's a body of international law out there that authorizes individuals to use self-defense either for their protection or the protection of other, innocent individuals. And that can include lethal force if confronted by lethal force. So that's kind of a basic framework of how I would think all that would work.

Thanks to Capt. Charles Michel, Chief of the Office of Maritime and International Law, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters and Capt. Michael Giglio, Chief of Law Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, the U.S. Coast Guard and the DoD for this Roundtable discussion.

UPDATE: The Countering Piracy Off the Horn of Africa: Partnership & Action Plan can be downloaded in pdf format here.

UPDATE2: A related story: A Puntland court has delayed the trial of 8 pirates captured by the French pending production of "solid evidence" supporting the case against them.

Coasties: Training to fight terrorists

Reported here:

In what looked like one of those action movies on late-night television, the Coast Guard showed off its new weapon Monday in a simulated air-and-sea, small-boat gunbattle in the choppy and windy San Pablo Bay in a training exercise.

Two small black boats, manned by crews dressed all in black and carrying simulated rocket-propelled grenades, were intercepted by an orange-colored Coast Guard H-65C Dolphin helicopter. The sinister-looking black boats were "playing the role of the adversary," a Coast Guard officer said - pretending to be terrorists on a raid against a cruise ship, a tanker or one of the bay bridges.

The Coast Guard helicopter was out to stop them. The black boats twisted and dodged, throwing up clouds of spray, and the helicopter swooped down on them like a bird of prey. A marksman aboard the copter fired blank rounds, the sound echoing across the water: rata-tat-tat.
***
"The terrorist raiders in Mumbai in November came by sea," said Cmdr. Sam Creech, the officer in charge of the Coast Guard's Air Station San Francisco.

"An attack by a small boat on a cruise ship, or a tanker, or one of the bridges here could be devastating."

The Coast Guard's biggest fear is terrorists on a small boat coming out of a marina and firing a missile at a cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers, or a loaded tanker, causing a huge oil spill.

Or an attack on one of the famous bridges - "hitting an icon like the Golden Gate Bridge, for example," he said - "could cause a lot of damage to the American psyche."

More here:

Training includes more than just Coast Guard units. Photo:

SAN FRANCISCO -- Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91105 descend from a U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 129th Rescue Wing, California Air National Guard, Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif., onto the Coast Guard cutter Tern in the bay here Jan. 28, 2009. Crewmembers conducted vertical insertion training, which is a fast-paced technique used to effectively deploy law enforcement teams to a high-risk situation. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Melissa Hauck)

Outgoing President Issues Arctic Policy Directive

The National and Homeland Security Directive pertaining to the Arctic can be found here:

III. POLICY

A. It is the policy of the United States to:

1. Meet national security and homeland security needs relevant to the Arctic region;
2. Protect the Arctic environment and conserve its biological resources;
3. Ensure that natural resource management and economic development in the region are environmentally sustainable;
4. Strengthen institutions for cooperation among the eight Arctic nations (the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, and Sweden);
5. Involve the Arctic's indigenous communities in decisions that affect them; and
6. Enhance scientific monitoring and research into local, regional, and global environmental issues.

B. National Security and Homeland Security Interests in the Arctic

1. The United States has broad and fundamental national security interests in the Arctic region and is prepared to operate either independently or in conjunction with other states to safeguard these interests. These interests include such matters as missile defense and early warning; deployment of sea and air systems for strategic sealift, strategic deterrence, maritime presence, and maritime security operations; and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight.
2. The United States also has fundamental homeland security interests in preventing terrorist attacks and mitigating those criminal or hostile acts that could increase the United States vulnerability to terrorism in the Arctic region.
3. The Arctic region is primarily a maritime domain; as such, existing policies and authorities relating to maritime areas continue to apply, including those relating to law enforcement.[1] Human activity in the Arctic region is increasing and is projected to increase further in coming years. This requires the United States to assert a more active and influential national presence to protect its Arctic interests and to project sea power throughout the region.
4. The United States exercises authority in accordance with lawful claims of United States sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the Arctic region, including sovereignty within the territorial sea, sovereign rights and jurisdiction within the United States exclusive economic zone and on the continental shelf, and appropriate control in the United States contiguous zone.
5. Freedom of the seas is a top national priority. The Northwest Passage is a strait used for international navigation, and the Northern Sea Route includes straits used for international navigation; the regime of transit passage applies to passage through those straits. Preserving the rights and duties relating to navigation and overflight in the Arctic region supports our ability to exercise these rights throughout the world, including through strategic straits.
6. Implementation: In carrying out this policy as it relates to national security and homeland security interests in the Arctic, the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Homeland Security, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:
1. Develop greater capabilities and capacity, as necessary, to protect United States air, land, and sea borders in the Arctic region;
2. Increase Arctic maritime domain awareness in order to protect maritime commerce, critical infrastructure, and key resources;
3. Preserve the global mobility of United States military and civilian vessels and aircraft throughout the Arctic region;
4. Project a sovereign United States maritime presence in the Arctic in support of essential United States interests; and
5. Encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes in the Arctic region.
***
D. Extended Continental Shelf and Boundary Issues

1. Defining with certainty the area of the Arctic seabed and subsoil in which the United States may exercise its sovereign rights over natural resources such as oil, natural gas, methane hydrates, minerals, and living marine species is critical to our national interests in energy security, resource management, and environmental protection. The most effective way to achieve international recognition and legal certainty for our extended continental shelf is through the procedure available to States Parties to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
2. The United States and Canada have an unresolved boundary in the Beaufort Sea. United States policy recognizes a boundary in this area based on equidistance. The United States recognizes that the boundary area may contain oil, natural gas, and other resources.
3. The United States and Russia are abiding by the terms of a maritime boundary treaty concluded in 1990, pending its entry into force. The United States is prepared to enter the agreement into force once ratified by the Russian Federation.

UPDATE: More news from Government Executive:

In her confirmation hearing Tuesday, Secretary of State designate Hillary Clinton said, "I believe that the issues of the Arctic are one of those long-term matters that will dramatically affect our commercial, our environmental, and our energy futures," according to an account by KTUU television, the CBS affiliate in Anchorage.

Clinton told Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that resolving boundary disputes with other nations was critical. "We've got to figure out where our boundaries are if people start drilling in areas that are ice-free most of the year, and we don't know where they can and can't drill, and whether we can," Clinton said, according to the KTUU account.

The implications of the new policy are especially great for the Coast Guard, which is responsible for safeguarding U.S. waters. In an interview at the National Press Club early last year, Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen declined to discuss his views about climate change, but said, "All I know is there's water where it didn't use to be, and it's my responsibility to deal with that."

The Coast Guard's aging fleet of icebreaking ships has long been a concern for the service. It has two 30-year-old icebreakers, one of which has been out of service for most of the last year. It also has one ship devoted to scientific research that has some ice-breaking capability.

A Weapon to Stop Pirates - from the Air

Ignore the misspelling in the headline, and enjoy reading about a non-lethal weapon that could stop some pirates and terrorists (those without water jet propulsion, at any rate) here. Nice to see that MarineLink has the same gremlins in their keyboards I have:

The program, referred to as Boat Trap, involves dropping an entangling net from a helicopter into the path of a boat. The net entangles in the boat’s propeller, forcing the vessel to a safe stop.

Dropping a Hellfire missile on a boat will also slow it down, though you lose that "non-lethal" thing.

Stratfor: Mumbai attack parallels failed New York attack plan

Stratfor posts an interesting comparison between the Mumbai attack of last week with a failed plan to attack New York City several years ago in From the New York Landmarks Plot to the Mumbai Attack. From the last piece by and :

A third similarity exists in the geography of the two cities. In both plots, the use of watercraft is a distinctive tactical similarity. Watercraft gave militants access at unconventional locations where security would be more lax. Both Mumbai (a peninsula) and Manhattan (an island) offer plenty of points where militants can mount assaults from watercraft. Such an attack would not have worked in New Delhi or Bangalore; these are landlocked cities where militants would have had to enter by road, a route much more likely to encounter police patrols. Being centers of trade and surrounded by water, both Mumbai and New York have high levels of maritime traffic. This means infiltrating the area from the water would raise minimal suspicions, especially if the craft were registered locally (as was the case in the Mumbai attack). Such out-of-the box tactics take advantage of security services, which often tend to focus on established threats.
***
Ultimately, the biggest difference between the Landmarks plot and the Mumbai attack is that the Mumbai attack succeeded. The failure of the Landmarks plot probably provided key lessons to the planners of the Mumbai attack, who were able to carry out the stages of the attack without detection and with the full element of surprise. Gauging by the success of the Mumbai incident, we can expect similar strategies and tactics in future attacks.

www.stratfor.com

Note that the U.S. Coast Guard has an on-going concern over the threats potentially posed by terrorists using recreational or other small boats as a mode of delivering themselves or weapons. See here for a look at the DHS "Small Vessel Security Strategy" and here to view in pdf format the Strategy itself.

It's a challenging environment.

UPDATE: More thoughts from James Jay Carafano, Ph.D. at the Heritage Foundation:

The use of light craft to launch the assault has reenergized discussion about similar threats to the United States. The assault "underscores the importance of what we're doing at our ports in terms of security," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff declared, as reported in the Federal Times, "It reminds us that this is an attack vector we have to worry about."

The small-boat threat needs to be addressed, but rather than focusing on this particular terrorist tactic, Congress and the Administration should invest in improving the overall security of the maritime domain. Efforts should be expanded to improve U.S. situational awareness and law enforcement response rather than fixating on specific attack scenarios involving small boats or other terrorist threats. Additionally, any initiatives taken to specifically address the small-boat threat should address all the nation's maritime domain priorities.

Congress seems too busy bailing corporations out to worry much about funding for maritime security...

Arctic Turf War

From the Heritage Foundation The New Cold War: Reviving the U.S. Presence in the Arctic:

As an Arctic nation, the United States has signif­icant geopolitical and geo-economic interests in the High North. The U.S. should not only have a place at the table, but also seek a leadership role in navi­gating the nascent challenges and opportunities, such as disputes over the Outer Continental Shelf, the navigation of Arctic sea-lanes, and commercial development of natural resources and fisheries.

To play this role and to vindicate its interests, the U.S. needs to continue swiftly mapping the Arctic, build a modern U.S. icebreaker fleet, and work with its Arctic partners in bilateral and multilateral ven­ues. The U.S. needs to revitalize its Arctic policy and commit the necessary resources to sustain America's leadership role in the High North.

Read the whole thing. Check earlier posts on this topic by clicking on labels below, especially "arctic", "polar sea routes."

Self Propelled Semi-Submersibles Captures Earn CG BZ

From Coast Guard Commandant: All Hands Messages

To the Men and Women of the Coast Guard:

I'm proud to tell you that over the past five days, Pacific Area Coast Guard units, with the help of our U.S. Navy and interagency partners, seized over 14 tons of cocaine from two Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible (SPSS) vessels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. On 13 September, a Navy maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) detected an SPSS in international waters and vectored a Navy ship, with a Pacific Area Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), to intercept it. After conducting an unannounced nighttime boarding, the LEDET discovered 7 tons of cocaine. Then on 17 September, another Navy MPA detected an SPSS and vectored the cutter MIDGETT to investigate. MIDGETT's boarding team subsequently discovered an additional 7 tons of cocaine. SPSS vessels have become the conveyance of choice for narcotics smugglers. I have attached a background paper on these vessels so you can understand the unique challenges they present to our law enforcement personnel.

Congratulations to LEDET 404 and MIDGETT for making these seizures, and to the Pacific Area and Eleventh District staffs for coordinating the interagency law enforcement process. Their courage, dedication and professional expertise prevented these dangerous drugs from reaching American cities. The interoperability between Coast Guard and Navy assets has never been more effective. Our DOD and interagency partners are a critical force multiplier making such interdictions possible. We will continue to enhance those relationships. As satisfying as it is to tell you about these seizures, we need to understand that SPSS vessels represent a much larger threat.

The SPSS seized on 13 September was the most sophisticated one we have ever detected. Its propulsion, steering, and exhaust systems were much more advanced than earlier versions and its electronic suite rivaled those found on professionally constructed commercial vessels. SPSS vessels are built solely for illicit purposes and it's obvious that transnational criminal networks are investing heavily in this technology.

To date, SPSS vessels have been used to smuggle cocaine from South America to the United States but they could be converted to smuggle terrorists or weapons of mass destruction. Through current legislation pending in the Congress, we are trying to criminalize the operation of stateless SPSS vessels on international voyages. This will allow us to prosecute SPSS operators, deter the use of these vessels for other illicit purposes and increase the safety of Coast Guard boarding teams.

This vessel is just one of the many global maritime threats we deal with on a daily basis. We will continue to work across the federal government and through the international community to develop solutions to new challenges that demand our ingenuity, dedication and commitment. It's an exciting time to be in the Coast Guard. Every Active Duty member, Reservist, Civilian or Auxiliarist, whether stationed at an operational unit or directly supporting one, plays a critical role in protecting, saving and defending the American public. Thank you for being a Guardian.

Admiral Thad Allen
Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard

Links to SPSS capture info here under "Bad Subs" label.

UPDATE: Midgett op reported here:

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett and a U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft teamed up to interdict a stateless, self-propelled, semi-submersible vessel Wednesday with seven tons of cocaine aboard approximately 400 miles south of the Mexico-Guatemala border.

The 60-foot, self-propelled, semi-submersible (SPSS) craft was detected by a U.S. Navy aircraft. The aircraft vectored Midgett to the location of the SPSS whereupon the Coast Guard quickly commenced a boarding of the stateless SPSS. The Coast Guard boarding team located 295 bales of cocaine, valued at more than $196 million, in a huge forward compartment. The SPSS became unstable and began to sink during the transfer of the bales of cocaine from the SPSS to Midgett. The condition of the vessel made it unsafe to tow and Midgett's crew sank the vessel as a hazard to navigation.

Wednesday's interdiction follows a daring nighttime boarding and seizure of another SPSS on Saturday in which the Coast Guard boarding team, embarked aboard the USS McInerney, surprised an SPSS with four suspected smugglers using the cover of darkness to take positive control of the SPSS. The smugglers attempted to throw the boarding team into the sea by reversing the SPSS engines suddenly, and attempted to scuttle the vessel, but the boarding team compelled the smugglers to comply with orders to close the scuttling valves. Seven tons of cocaine were seized from the SPSS and the USS McInerney took the SPSS in tow.

"I'm proud to tell you that over the past five days, Pacific Area Coast Guard units, with the help of our U.S. Navy and interagency partners, seized more than 14 tons of cocaine with a street value of more than $383 million from two self-propelled, semi-submersible vessels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean," said Adm. Thad Allen, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. "The interoperability between Coast Guard and Navy assets has never bee more effetive. Our Department of Defense and interagency partners are a critical force multiplier making such interdictions possible."

Update: Video and more info here.
UPDATE2: Another video here.
UPDATE3: Interior video

Shipping limits through the Bosphorus

Interesting read on U.S. intentions with respect to the Black Sea at Oktay Eksi: United States scratches the Montreux Convention itch.

I won't comment on his conjecture about what reasons other than Georgia the U.S. might want access to the Black Sea for, but it should be noted:

The Montreux Convention limits the total weight of a single warship that countries not bordering the Black Sea can deploy to 15,000 tons. Country’s bound by the agreement can deploy warships totaling a maximum of 45,000 tons.

So, if you wonder why we are sending destroyers and a Coast Guard cutter...now you know.

UPDATE: More on the Montreux Convention here and here.

Maritime Security: Human Smuggler Boat Caught by Recreational Boater

Reported at The Log.com:

At 9:30 a.m., the Coast Guard received a VHF radio report from a recreational boater about a vessel severely overloaded with passengers, making way about 18 miles off Point Loma.

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) patrol boats, and the Coast Guard Cutter Haddock converged on the scene to find 20 suspected illegal immigrants crammed aboard the 20-foot skiff, La Estrella.

The suspects were turned over to CBP marine interdiction agents for further processing. La Estrella was towed by the cutter back to Coast Guard Station San Diego, where it remains impounded.

“This is a good example of how a vigilant boater can directly contribute to the protection of our homeland,” said Capt Tom Farris, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Diego. “We appreciate the assistance and invite the help of America’s boating public to assist the Coast Guard in keeping our waterways safe and secure.”

Coasties Need Modern Icebreakers for "New" Arctic Realities

The U.S. Coast Guard has two big, new polar ice breakers. Well, they were new about 30 years ago... and the new realities of the push into the newly accessible, potentially rich Arctic (see here) has the Coasties pointing out they need new ice breakers now!

The National Academy of Sciences, the Coast Guard and others have warned over the past several years that the United States’ two 30-year-old heavy icebreakers, the Polar Sea and Polar Star, and one smaller ice-breaking ship devoted mainly to science, the Healy, are grossly inadequate. Also, the Polar Star is out of service.
***
Adm. Thad W. Allen, the commandant of the Coast Guard, who toured Alaska’s Arctic shores two weeks ago with the homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, said that whatever mix of natural and human factors is causing the ice retreats, the Arctic is clearly opening to commerce — and potential conflict and hazards — like never before.

“All I know is, there is water where it didn’t used to be, and I’m responsible for dealing with that,” Admiral Allen said in a recent interview. Given the 8 or 10 years it would take to build even one icebreaker, he added, “I think we’re at a crisis point on making a decision.”

Ice breakers ain't cheap and need a long lead time, as some of us who were around when the current ships were built recall.

Time to get a move on - Congress needs to put money into the Coast Guard, and the Coast Guard needs to spend it smartly.

Popular Mechanics: "The Coast Guard's Most Extreme Rescue"

Sure, it's a promo for magazine sales, but it's also a must visit to learn about Coast Guard rescue ops - 8 hours of flying in a helicopter? Yikes! Vist Alaska Ranger Down and view the video:here.

Great work, Coasties!

Photo is from Coast Guard training session.

DHS Small Vessel Security Strategy

DHS: Fact Sheet: DHS Small Vessel Security Strategy:

As the U.S.S. Cole attack vividly demonstrated, there is a clear need to close security gaps and enhance the small vessel security environment. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) addresses these concerns, providing a coherent framework to improve maritime security and safety.

The complete stratgy, in pdf format, can be viewed here.
From the Foreward:

Law enforcement agencies face the challenge of distinguishing between the vast number of legitimate vessel operators and the relatively few individuals engaged in illicit activities. The challenge is immense, as it involves nearly 13 million registered U.S. recreational vessels,2 82,000 fishing vessels, and 100,000 other commercial small vessels. On any given day, a considerable number of these boats share waterways with commercial and military traffic, operating at hundreds of U.S. ports and in the immediate vicinity of critical maritime infrastructure, including bridges and waterfront facilities such as petrochemical plants. More information concerning small vessels is needed to improve the proper assessment of the risk posed by these vessels. The challenge is to balance the collection of requisite information necessary for proper assessment of risk posed by these vessels, with the freedom of the seas expected by the small boating community.

Small vessels?

Small vessels are characterized for the purposes of this strategy as any watercraft—regardless of method of propulsion—less than 300 gross tons, and used for recreational or commercial purposes. Small vessels can include commercial fishing vessels, recreational boats and yachts, towing vessels, uninspected passenger vessels, and any other personal or commercial vessels involved in U.S. or foreign voyages.

Some analysis of the stratgy here:

As boating season approaches, the Bush administration wants to enlist the country's 80 million recreational boaters to help reduce the chances a small boat could deliver a nuclear or radiological bomb along the country's 95,000 miles of coastline and inland waterways.

According to a Wednesday intelligence assessment obtained by the Associated Press: "The use of a small boat as a weapon is likely to remain al-Qaeda's weapon of choice in the maritime environment, given its ease in arming and deploying, low cost, and record of success."

While the United States has so far been spared this type of strike in its own waters, terrorists have used small boats to attack in other countries.

The millions of humble dinghies, fishing boats, and smaller cargo ships that ply America's waterways are not nationally regulated as they buzz around ports, oil tankers, power plants, and other potential terrorist targets.
***
The United States has spent billions of dollars constructing elaborate defenses against the giant cargo ships that could be used by terrorists, including strict regulations for containers and shipping.

"When that oil tanker is coming from the Middle East, we know everything about it before it gets here," said John Fetterman, deputy chief of Maine's marine patrol. But when it comes to small boats, he said, "nobody knows a lot about them."

The only way to police the waterfront, said maritime security expert Stephen Flynn, "is to get as many of the participants who are part of that community to be essentially on your side." Flynn, a fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, said treating boaters as allies instead of a threat would go a long way.
***
Allen says the boater who is on the water every weekend knows where people fish and when a boat near a piece of critical infrastructure looks out of place.

Increasing Coast Guard Arctic Flights

An increase in Coast Guard Arctic flights might not be a big story but check out the little gem in the middle of this piece:

The U.S. Coast Guard says it's stepped up surveillance flights to the Arctic.

It plans to complete one every two weeks to familiarize crews with the terrain.

A flight last week, called the Arctic Domain Awareness, also provided training for crew on the C-130 cargo plane.

Rear Adm. Gene Brooks, commander of the 17th Coast Guard District, said the Guard needs to know about the lay of the land and what other nations might be doing in the Arctic.

During one of the flights, which began last fall, Brooks said the Coast Guard was surprised to come upon Chinese research vessels.

Yeah, I'd keep an eye out for that...wonder what oil field they were researching? And what else they were looking into...

Port Security: Protecting Tankers

Good summary of the publicly released version of a recent GAO report covering port protection of tankers (oil, LPG and LNG) from MarineLog:

U. S. energy needs rest heavily on ship-based imports. Tankers bring 55 percent of the nation's crude oil supply, as well as liquefied gases and refined products like jet fuel. This supply chain is potentially vulnerable in many places here and abroad, as borne out by several successful overseas attacks on ships and facilities.

GAO's review addressed (1) the types of threats to tankers and the potential consequences of a successful attack, (2) measures taken to protect tankers and challenges federal agencies face in making these actions effective, and (3) plans in place for responding to a successful attack and potential challenges stakeholders face in responding.

GAO's review spanned several foreign and domestic ports, and multiple steps to analyze data and gather opinions from agencies and stakeholders.

The supply chain faces three main types of threats--suicide attacks such as explosive-laden boats, "standoff" attacks with weapons launched from a distance, and armed assaults.

Highly combustible commodities such as liquefied gases have the potential to catch fire or, in a more unlikely scenario, explode, posing a threat to public safety. Attacks could also have environmental consequences, and attacks that disrupt the supply chain could have a severe economic impact.
***
Domestically, units of the Coast Guard, the lead federal agency for maritime security, report insufficient resources to meet its own self imposed security standards, such as escorting ships carrying liquefied natural gas.

Some units' workloads are likely to grow as new liquefied natural gas facilities are added. Coast Guard headquarters has not developed plans for shifting resources among units.

Multiple attack response plans are in place to address an attack, but stakeholders face three main challenges in making them work.

First, plans for responding to a spill and to a terrorist threat are generally separate from each other, and ports have rarely exercised these plans simultaneously to see if they work effectively together.

Second, ports generally lack plans for dealing with economic issues, such as prioritizing the movement of vessels after a port reopens. The President's maritime security strategy calls for such plans.

Third, some ports report difficulty in securing response resources to carry out planned actions.

Federal port security grants have generally been directed at preventing attacks, not responding to them, but a more comprehensive risk-based approach is being developed.

GAO report (pdf format) here. Same report covered in a more hysterical manner ("Doomed, doomed, I say")-and with a large factual error- here, covering particular concerns over a planned LNG facility:

The report is likely to raise more questions about a proposed $800-million LNG terminal in the Port of Long Beach, which Sound Energy Solutions, a Mitsubishi/ConocoPhillips subsidiary, wants to build on 25 acres of Pier T.

The proposal was shelved by port officials in early 2007 following a wave of protest from community groups and elected leaders concerned the facility would be a magnet for terrorists.

LNG, if released into the air and ignited at a very precise air-gas mixture, is capable of exploding, although the risk of such an incident is minute.

Contrary to the article, LNG will not explode (unless, I suppose, you manage to heat the entirety of an LNG tank on a ship while also stopping any overpressure vents), it may burn, but it will not explode. See here. But see for yourself, FERC reports: (1)ABS report (pdf):

Although LNG vapors can explode (i.e., create large overpressures) if ignited within a confined space, such as a building or structure, there is no evidence suggesting that LNG is explosive when ignited in unconfined open areas. Experiments to determine whether unconfined methane-air mixtures will explode have been conducted and, to date, have been negative.

; (2) Sandia Lab report (pdf) here.

GAO: Maritime Security has improved

Gloomy Gus GAO says "maritime security" is bright spot in Homeland Security's development:

A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, says the Department of Homeland Security has failed to meet half its performance expectations since it was established in 2003....
"There were 171 different performance expectations of which we judged that 78 were generally achieved, 83 generally not achieved, and 10 that we did not assess."

The GAO says the Homeland Security Department made the least progress toward some of the fundamental goals set after the 2001 attacks, including improving emergency preparedness and eliminating bureaucratic and technical barriers to information sharing.

The GAO finds moderate progress made in such areas as immigration enforcement, transportation security, and securing critical infrastructure, including bridges and power plants.

The report says the only area where significant progress has been achieved has been in maritime security.

Some of the reasons for the improvement is the U.S. Coast Guard, as set out here:

Since September 11, 2001 the Coast Guard has:

· Created Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSSTs) – federal maritime SWAT teams – highly trained, strategically located, and specially equipped to provide an extra layer of security to key ports, waterways and facilities. Established Special Missions Training Center at Camp Lejeune, N.C. to train new MSSTs and other CG commands in port security.

· Boarded and inspected ships to search for threats and confirm the identity of those aboard.

· Developed special “Sea Marshal” boarding procedures where Coast Guard law enforcement officers remain onboard certain ships as they enter and leave ports to ensure they stay safely on course.

Escorted cruise ships in and out of port and enforced 100-yard “no sail” Security Zones around them.

· Established a new, centralized National Vessel Movement Center and required foreign ships to provide a 96-hour advance notice of arrival plus more information about the ship, cargo, and all people on board – information that is shared with other intelligence and law enforcement agencies to detect threats.

· Established and enforced Naval Protection Zones around all naval vessels. Penalties include forfeiture of vessel, 6 years in prison and $250,000 fine.

· Enforced Security Zones around sensitive maritime areas and facilities.

· Used the pollution and hazardous materials expertise of the of Coast Guard’s National Strike (NSF) to prepare for and respond to bio terrorism response and weapons of mass destruction.

· NSF Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Strike teams assisted with WTC response, cleanup of Anthrax attacks in Florida and Washington.

· Worked to “push our borders out” to detect threats before they reach our shores. Strengthened our relationships with federal, state, local and international agencies to share information and coordinate security operation.

· Launched a nationwide Port Security Assessment program to review and improve security in 55 key ports and waterways.

· Partnered with mariners and boaters to help keep waterways safe and secure by asking them to be more careful about their own activities on the water, and to be more aware of and report unusual and suspicious activity.

· Maintained the highest level of alert and continued the largest port security effort since WWII.

· Submitted wide range of U.S. security-related proposals to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to improve security of ships and cargo worldwide, leading U.S. initiative to make global transportation system more secure.

· Launched the first phase of a long-term $17-billion program to build the next generation of Coast Guard ships and aircraft, communications and logistics systems and began some immediate system upgrades that will enable the Coast Guard to perform their essential maritime safety and security missions. Years in the planning and known as the “Deepwater” program because of its focus on larger ships and planes capable of operating far offshore, the contract will strengthen the front line of the Coast Guard's layered homeland security strategy.

· Begun procuring 46 new port security boats around country to enhance patrol and response capabilities of most vital ports.

· Coast Guard Captains of the Port (COTPs) have joined Dept. of Justice Anti-Terrorism Task Forces.

· Coast Guard continues to exercise operational control of 13 U.S. Navy special operations command Patrol Boats for Homeland Security duties, with Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments and U.S. Navy crews aboard.

· The coastline is our longest border and we will remain vigilant. (95,000-mile coast includes Great Lakes and inland waterways.)

Approx. 10,000 vessels enter the US each year and make approx. 68,000 port calls.

Coast Guard remains at a heightened state of alert at over 361 major ports.

Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agents continue to serve as Air Marshals in support of the DOT and FAA. (they are the only military personnel allowed to participate in Air Marshal program).

Over 2,700 Reservists were recalled to active duty· Port Security Units remain on duty in Guantanamo Bay Cuba providing security to JTF 160 at the U.S. Naval Base.

95% of our annual commerce comes by ships through our ports.

Maritime industries contribute $742 billion per year to U.S. Gross National Product.

Picture explanation:

USCG Eagle Salutes 9/11/01 Tragedy, by Thomas Picard

The Coast Guard training Barque Eagle sails up the Hudson River past the area of the World Trade Center tragedy, saluting as it passes during Fleet Week activities.

U.S. Coast Guard: A Million Lives Saved

U.S. Coast Guard hits a milestone: U.S. Coast Guard Marks a Million Lives Saved. Top 10 Rescues video:


List of top rescues:

TOP TEN COAST GUARD RESCUES

• Hurricane Katrina Search and rescue operations alone saved 24,135 lives from imminent danger, usually off the roofs of the victims’ homes as flood waters lapped at their feet. Coast Guardsmen “evacuated to safety” 9,409 patients from local hospitals. In total, 33,545 souls were saved. Seventy-six Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary aircraft took part in the rescues. They flew 1,817 sorties with a total flight time of 4,291.3 hours in the air. The air crews saved 12,535. A total of 42 cutters and 131 small boats also participated, with their crews rescuing 21,200. Over 5,000 Coast Guardsmen served in Katrina operations.

• Prinsendam Rescue A fire broke out on the Dutch cruise vessel Prinsendam off Ketchikan, Alaska on 4 October 1980. The Prinsendam was 130 miles from the nearest airstrip. The cruise ship’s captain ordered the ship abandoned and the passengers, many elderly, left the ship in the lifeboats. Coast Guard and Canadian helicopters and the cutters Boutwell, Mellon, and Woodrush responded in concert with other vessels in the area. The passenger vessel later capsized and sank. The rescue is particularly important because of the distance traveled by the rescuers, the coordination of independent organizations and the fact that all 520 passengers and crew and crew were rescued without loss of life or serious injury.

• Pendleton Rescue On 18 February 1952 during a severe "nor’easter" off the New England coast, the T-2 tankers SS Fort Mercer and SS Pendleton broke in half. BM1 Bernard C. Webber, coxswain of motor lifeboat CG-36500, from Station Chatham, Massachusetts, and his crew of three rescued the crew of the stricken tanker Pendleton, which had broken in half. Webber maneuvered the 36-footer under the Pendleton's stern with expert skill as the tanker's crew, trapped in the stern section, abandoned the remains of their ship on a Jacobs’s ladder. One by one, the men jumped into the water and then were pulled into the lifeboat. Webber and his crew saved 33 of the 34 Pendleton crewmen. Webber and entire crew were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for their heroic actions. In all, U .S. Coast Guard vessels, aircraft, and lifeboat stations, working under severe winter conditions, rescued and removed 62 persons from the foundering ships or from the water with a loss of only five lives. Five Coast Guardsmen earned the Gold Lifesaving Medal, four earned the Silver Lifesaving Medal, and 15 earned the Coast Guard Commendation Medal.

• Dorchester Rescue On 3 February 1943 the torpedoing of the transport Dorchester off the coast of Greenland saw cutters Comanche and Escanaba respond. The frigid water gave the survivors only minutes to live in the cold North Atlantic. With this in mind, the crew of Escanaba used a new rescue technique when pulling survivors from the water. This "retriever" technique used swimmers clad in wet suits to swim to victims in the water and secure a line to them so they could be hauled onto the ship. Escanaba saved 133 men (one died later) and Comanche saved 97.
• Joshua James and the Hull (MA) Life Saving Station (25-26 November 1888) Over the two day period Keeper Joshua James and his crew by their zealous and unswerving work rescued some twenty-eight people from five different vessels during a great storm. In addition to the number of individuals rescued, the number of vessels involved, the weather conditions, and the duration of their efforts, James and his crew conducted differing types of rescues which included the employment of the beach apparatus and rescue by boat. For their versatility, endurance, skill, and dedication, James and his crew were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal.

• The Priscilla Rescue On 18 August 1899, Surfman Rasmus S. Midgett, from the Gull Shoal Life-Saving Station (NC), was conducting a beach patrol on horseback and came upon the barkentine, Priscilla, which had run aground. Given his distance from the station, he determined to do what he could alone. Immediately, he ran as close to the wreck as he could and shouted instructions for the men to jump overboard one at a time as the waves receded. Obeying his instructions, the sailors leapt overboard. Midgett, seized each man and dragged him from the pursuing waves safely to the beach. In this manner, he rescued seven men. There were still three men on board who were too weak to get off the vessel. Midgett went into the water and carried each of them to the beach. For the ten lives he saved, Midgett was subsequently awarded a Gold Lifesaving Medal.

• Keeper George N. Gray and the Charlotte (NY) Life Saving Station (14-15 December 1902) The crew received the Gold Lifesaving Medal in recognition of their rescue of 4 men and 1 woman from the wreck of the schooner John R. Noyes. They were engaged for more than a day and a night with little sleep, having been under oars from 11:30 PM of the 14th to 4:30 PM. of the 15th with the exception of about two hours. They pulled in a heavy seaway for nearly 60 miles and all were covered in ice and were frostbitten. In addition to the conditions and distances rowed, the keeper commandeered a train and sleds to move the beach cart and equipment through the deep snow drifts for the launching of the surfboat.

• Overland Rescue In 1897, eight whaling ships were trapped in the Arctic ice near Point Barrow, Alaska. Concerned that the 265 crewmen would starve during the winter, the whaling companies appealed to President William McKinley to send a relief expedition. USRC Bear sailed northward from Port Townsend, Washington in late November 1897. With no chance of the cutter pushing through the ice to Point Barrow, it was decided to put a party ashore and have them drive reindeer to Point Barrow. Lieutenant David H. Jarvis was placed in charge. He was joined by fellow officers Lieutenant Ellsworth P. Bertholf and Surgeon Samuel J. Call along with three other men. Using sleds pulled by dogs and reindeer, snowshoes, and skis, the men began the expedition on 16 December. They arrived at Point Barrow, 1,500 miles later, on 29 March 1898. The expedition managed to bring 382 reindeer to the whalers, having lost only 66. For their work, Bertholf, Call, and Jarvis received a gold medal from the United States Congress.

• Bermuda Sky Queen Rescue (14 October 1947) The American-owned flying boat Bermuda Sky Queen, carrying sixty-nine passengers was flying from Foynes, Ireland to Gander, Newfoundland. Gale force winds had slowed her progress and she was running low on fuel. Too far from Newfoundland and unable to make it back to Ireland, the captain decided to fly toward the cutter Bibb which was on Ocean Station Charlie in the North Atlantic. The plane’s captain decided to ditch and have his passengers and crew picked up by Bibb. In 30-foot seas, the transfer was both difficult and dangerous. Initially the Bibb’s captain tried to pass a line to the plane which taxied to the lee side of the cutter. A collision with the cutter ended this attempt to save the passengers. With worsening weather, a fifteen man rubber raft and a small boat were deployed from the ship. The raft was guided to the escape door of the aircraft. Passengers jumped into the raft which was then pulled to the boat. After rescuing 47 of the crew, worsening conditions and the approach of darkness forced the rescue’s suspension. By dawn, improved weather allowed the rescue to resume and the remaining passengers and crew were transferred to the Bibb. The rescue made headlines throughout the country and upon their arrival in Boston, Bibb and her crew received a hero’s welcome for having saved all those aboard the ditched Bermuda Sky Queen.

• 1937 Mississippi River Flood During the disastrous 1937 Mississippi River flood, the Coast Guard rescued a total of 43,853 persons who they “removed from perilous positions to places of safety". Additionally, they saved 11,313 head of livestock and furnished transportation for 72 persons in need of hospitalization. In all 674 Coast Guardsmen and 128 Coast Guard vessels and boats served in the relief operations. The immense scope of the operations actually eclipsed the number of persons that the Coast Guard rescued during the Hurricane Katrina operations.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Chicamacomico (NC) Lifeboat Station (16 August 1918) On 16 August 1918 the British steamship SS Mirlo, proceeding northward along the Atlantic coast, struck a mine laid by U-117 about 1 mile off the Wimble Shoal buoy, abreast of the Chicamacomico Coast Guard Station. Her cargo of gasoline and refined oil spread over the sea and ignited. This converted the surface into a mass of flame and smoke. The matter of rescuing the crew was rendered extremely difficult owing to the heavy sea, quantities of wreckage everywhere, and the intense heat from the burning vessel and fuel. Despite these difficulties, Boatswain (L) John A. Midgett and the Chicamacomico Station crewmen forced their boat into this mass of fire and wreckage. After heroic efforts they rescued six men found clinging to a capsized boat. Midgett and his men then picked up two more boatloads (36 men) of the Mirlo’s crew and landed them through the heavy surf. The total count of those rescued was 42 persons. For their efforts, Midgett and his crew were each awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal.
• Carl von Paulsen Rescue LCDR Carl von Paulsen set the seaplane Arcturus in a heavy sea in January 1933 off Cape Canaveral and rescued a boy adrift in a skiff. The aircraft sustained so much damage during the open water landing that it could not take off. Ultimately, Arcturus washed onto the beach and all including the boy were saved. He was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for this rescue. The rescue made him famous and he appeared in the "Unsung Heroes" comic book in the mid-1930s.

Thanks to all the Coasties!

UPDATE (8/31/07): Due to a typing error on my part, the source of the the "Top Ten List" was AWOL from this post - as was the "blockquote" indicator (I guess it helps if you spell things right). In any event, the source of the Top 10 list: Coast Guard Chief of Public Affairs Jim McPherson, identified here, and I think I have fixed the quote thing. My apologies to Mr. McPherson and to the readers of this post.