COAST GUARD CUTTER VIGOROUS RETURNS TO CAPE MAY FROM 43 DAYS IN THE CARIBBEAN

October 8, 2005

CAPE MAY, N.J.- Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous returned Monday from a 42-day deployment in the Caribbean conducting counter-drug, migrant and search and rescue operations.

Under the new command of Cmdr. Glenn F. Grahl, Vigorous made her way south towards the Caribbean on August 23. This was the first Vigorous deployment to the Caribbean since 2004.

After only seven days into the patrol, Vigorous was diverted from the Windward Pass to rendezvous with Coast Guard Cutter Gallatin and Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team 103 to escort M/V Sea Atlantic into San Juan, Puerto Rico. The vessel was laden with 68 bales of cocaine and nine suspected smugglers. For five days, the crew of Vigorous supplemented the Sea Atlantic with deck watch officers to steer the vessel, engineers to keep the aged plant working, and boarding team members to keep a watchful eye on the detainees.

After the safe delivery of Sea Atlantic, contraband and suspected smugglers, Vigorous departed San Juan and conducted helicopter operations to maintain proficiency and to qualify new crewmembers. Once Vigorous was back in the Windward Pass, Vigorous conducted four law enforcement boardings with the assistance of an embarked Creole interpreter as well as a Royal Bahamian Defense Force Chief. The boardings contributed to the deterrence of drug smuggling and illegal migration.

On September 23, Vigorous responded to a search and rescue call from two people in distress aboard the sport-fishing vessel Hot Pursuit. The owner of the disabled vessel was Bonnie M. Anderson.

Vigorous will now participate in the Coast GuardÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s Mission Effectiveness Project by turning the cutter over to the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Dependable, homeported in Cape May, while Dependable is in dry-dock. The Dependable crew will patrol aboard Vigorous this Fall while the Vigorous crew attends schools, training and augments other units.

During the patrol, Petty Officer Brendan Smith and Petty Officer Adam Sansoucie were promoted to Operational Specialists 3rd class, Seaman Patrick Noce, Seaman Eric Duff, Seaman David Valverde and Seaman Andrew Pero all received orders to BoatswainÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s Mate “A” school, Petty Officer Joshua Lee was presented with Sailor of the Quarter and Petty Officer Jesus Garcia was presented with Sailor of the Year.

Vigorous is a 210-foot cutter homeported in Cape May.

COAST GUARD CUTTER VIGOROUS RETURNS TO CAPE MAY FROM 43 DAYS IN THE CARIBBEAN

CAPE MAY, N.J.- Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous returned Monday from a 42-day deployment in the Caribbean conducting counter-drug, migrant and search and rescue operations.

Under the new command of Cmdr. Glenn F. Grahl, Vigorous made her way south towards the Caribbean on August 23. This was the first Vigorous deployment to the Caribbean since 2004.

On September 23, Vigorous responded to a search and rescue call from two people in distress aboard the sport-fishing vessel Hot Pursuit. The owner of the disabled vessel was Bonnie M. Anderson.

Vigorous is a 210-foot cutter homeported in Cape May.

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