WMEC 907
The Coast Guard Cutter ESCANABA (WMEC-907) is the seventh of thirteen Famous Class medium endurance cutters in the United States Coast Guard's inventory. Each is named after a cutter prominent in the Coast Guard's history. This is the third ship to bear the name ESCANABA The other Famous Class cutters are: USCGC BEAR (WMEC-901), USCGC TAMPA (WMEC-902), USCGC HARRIET LANE (WMEC-903), USCGC NORTHLAND (WMEC-904), USCGC SPENCER (WMEC-905), USCGC SENECA (WMEC-906), USCGC TAHOMA (WMEC-908), USCGC CAMPBELL (WMEC-909), USCGC THETIS (WMEC-910), USCGC
FORWARD (WMEC-911), USCGC LEGARE (WMEC-912), and USCGC MOHAWK (WMEC-913). USCGC ESCANABA (WMEC 907) was built by R. E. Derecktor Shipyard in Middletown, Rhode Island. In fitting tribute to her namesake, she was commissioned in Grand Haven, Michigan on August 29, 1987. The third ESCANABA continues the proud tradition of her predecessors, earning awards for distinguished operational performance. ESCANABA has patrolled from the waters off New England enforcing federal and international fishing regulations to deep in the Caribbean on drug and migrant interdiction patrols.
Most recently, in the summer of 2007, the ESCANABA completed a northern Caribbean patrol. The ESCANABA’s mission was Alien and Migrant Interdiction (AMIO) and Law Enforcement (LE). These two duties are vital to the US Coast Guard’s broader job of preserving the safety, mobility, and security of waters in and around the United States. To this end the crew of the ESCANABA interdicted Cuban and Haitian migrants from small sailboats heading north to Florida and the Bahamas. Many of them were sick from drifting for days at sea in jam-packed living conditions. Removing and transferring them is a tedious and delicate operation that the crew of the ESCANABA conducted with professionalism and compassion. ESCANABA also actively tracked and boarded vessels suspected of illegal drug trafficking, contributing to the seizure of 200 lbs of cocaine. Throughout this patrol the cutter flew active search missions and practiced vertical replenishment and in-flight refueling with the Coast Guard’s two main helicopter air frames, the HH-65 Dolphin, and the larger HH-60 Jayhawk. When the ship was not interdicting migrants and conducting boardings it maintained its defensive posture as a military vessel. Routine casualty drills, combat scenarios, and simulated medical emergencies kept the crew prepared for real threats inherent in the mission and area of operations. As Hurricane Dean made landfall in the southern Caribbean Escanaba followed in its wake ready to deliver humanitarian support or conduct search and rescue for storm ravaged regions at a moments notice.
In recent years, ESCANABA has patroled in the North Atlantic, Caribbean, and Great Lakes. While on patrol, ESCANABA’s missions included domestic and international Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Marine Environmental Protection, and Public Relations, both internationally and at home. While participating in operations such as Operation Atlantic Venture II, Operation Northern Visit, Operation Caribbean Adventure, and Operation Proyecto Puerto Rico, ESCANABA completed seventy-eight law enforcement boardings, eighteen Search and Rescue cases, over 685 helicopter operations, steamed 46,441 miles, consumed 644,696 gallons of fuel, and spent 419 days away from homeport. ESCANABA made port calls in Balboa, Panama; Manta, Ecuador: Martinique, FWI; Halifax, NS; Tortola, BVI; San Juan, PR, and numerous ports throughout the Great Lakes region and Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Boarding Teams from ESCANABA issued over one dozen violations of the Magnuson Fisheries Conservation Management Act. Employing the Vessel Monitoring Service (VMS), which NMFS uses to monitor fishing vessels’ positions and days at sea, ESCANABA monitored the fishing vessel VICTOR from 125 miles away while it fished for sea scallops illegally. The information gathered by the ESCANABA from VICTOR’s VMS data made it the first time the VMS system was used to make a long range seizure of a fishing vessel’s catch in the Coast Guard’s First District. This seizure proved that the Coast Guard is able to enforce fishing regulations even if there are not any Coast Guard units in the immediate area.In addition, ESCANABA provided seventy-five sightings of endangered marine mammals, directly supporting the National Marine Fisheries Service conservation efforts and Endangered Species Act. ESCANABA intercepted seventy migrants from Ecuador and returned them to their homecountry. Also, ESCANABA interdicted and safely repatriated 106 Dominican Republic migrants. ESCANABA hosted over 20,000 visitors over the last two years and served as the flagship during the 75th Coast Guard Day celebration in Grand Haven, Michigan. ESCANABA completed in-depth training during Tailored Ship’s Training Availability (TSTA) in Little Creek, Virginia in March 2000. ESCANABA completed damage control and fire-fighting, navigation, law enforcement, and weapons, warfare and defensive measures training during this period. While in Little Creek, ESCANABA earned the coveted Coast Guard “E” for excellence in all readiness categories. ESCANABA has upheld the high standards of the United States Coast Guard and the proud traditions of our American Maritime Culture.
Semper Paratus.
"THE SPIRIT LIVES ON"
427 Commercial Street
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 223-3107
(617) 223-3110 FAX
Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF)