R 022317Z APR 12

ALCOAST 154/12
COMDTNOTE 4500
SUBJ: USCGC DALLAS (WHEC 716) DECOMMISSIONING
1. ON 30 MARCH 2012, AFTER 45 YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE TO OUR
NATION, CUTTER DALLAS WAS DECOMMISSIONED.  THROUGHOUT HER SERVICE,
CGC DALLAS HAS ALWAYS LIVED UP TO HER MOTTO, SEMPER NOSTRA OPTIMA:
ALWAYS OUR BEST.
2. NAMED IN HONOR OF ALEXANDER J. DALLAS, SECRETARY OF TREASURY UNDER
PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON (1814-1816), WHEC 716 WAS THE SECOND SHIP IN
THE SECRETARY-CLASS CUTTER FLEET AND THE SIXTH CUTTER TO BEAR HIS
NAME.  CGC DALLAS WAS LAUNCHED FROM AVONDALE SHIPYARDS IN LOUISIANA
AND COMMISSIONED ON 26 OCT 1967.  ORIGINALLY HOMEPORTED IN GOVERNORS
ISLAND, NY, IN 1996 SHE SHIFTED HER HOMEPORT TO CHARLESTON, SC.
3. FROM HER COMMISSIONING, CGC DALLAS HAD A LONG PROUD HISTORY OF
SERVING HER COUNTRY. DALLAS SERVED SEVEN COMBAT PATROLS IN VIETNAM,
WHERE SHE CONDUCTED COMBAT, LOGISTICS AND HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT
MISSIONS. SHE SERVED AS THE COMMAND SHIP DURING THE MARIEL BOATLIFT,
DURING WHICH 125,000 CUBAN REFUGEES SET SAIL FOR THE SHORES OF
FLORIDA. FOLLOWING THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER DISASTER, DALLAS
ASSUMED ON-SCENE COMMANDER FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS.  SHE
REPRESENTED THE COAST GUARD AT THE 50TH ANIVERSARY OF THE D-DAY
INVASION.  SOON AFTER, DALLAS SERVED AS THE FLAGSHIP OF A FLOTILLA OF
27 COAST GUARD CUTTERS DURING OPERATION ABLE VIGIL, LEADING THE
RESPONSE TO ANOTHER MASS MIGRATION FROM CUBA.  IN 2008, WHILE
DEPLOYED WITH THE U.S. SIXTH FLEET, DALLAS PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION
ASSURED DELIVERY, PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES TO THE PEOPLE OF
THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA.
4. DURING HER LAST YEAR OF SERVICE, CGC DALLAS CRUISED ALL AHEAD
FULL, SAILING FOR 177 DAYS AND OVER 27,000 NAUTICAL MILES IN SUPPORT
OF WESTERN CARIBBEAN JIATFS COUNTER-DRUG OPERATIONS, AND SEIZED 2647
KG OF COCAINE. I KNOW THAT IT WAS HER HARD WORKING CREWS THAT MADE
THESE EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS POSSIBLE. THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS THAT
GAVE CGC DALLAS LIFE TRULY HONORED OUR PROFESSION.
5. TO CURRENT AND PAST CGC DALLAS CREWS, PLANK OWNERS, SHELLBACKS
(GOLDEN, EMERALD, HORNED, OR OTHERWISE), SUBJECTS OF THE GOLDEN
DRAGON, BLUE NOSES, AND EVEN POLLYWOGS, WELL DONE. THROUGHOUT 45
YEARS OF SERVICE, DALLAS AND HER CREWS ADMIRABLY SERVED THE COAST
GUARD AND THE NATION.  CONGRATULATIONS AND BRAVO ZULU.
6. STAND A TAUT WATCH. SEMPER PARATUS.
7. ADM BOB PAPP, COMMANDANT AND GOLD ANCIENT MARINER, SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.