Security Levels
USCGC FORWARD (WMEC 911)
Portsmouth, Virginia
History of Cutter "FORWARD"
The roots of the U. S. Coast Guard lie in the U. S. Treasury formed by
Alexander Hamilton, when our nation was in its infancy. Walter Forward was
Secretary of Treasury under President John Tyler from 1841 to 1843. Each
FORWARD has been named after him.
The first FORWARD (1845 - 1865) was a schooner built in Georgetown, District
of Columbia. During the Mexican-American War, the U. S. Navy was very short
of shallow draft vessels, and the Revenue Cutters were used to supplement
the fleet. FORWARD was the most active cutter, having participating in
Tabasco assault and attacks on Alvarado and Frintera. During the Civil War,
FORWARD was used as a dispatch boat.
The second FORWARD (1882 - 1912) was a cruising cutter, which operated in
the Gulf of Mexico for most of its career. FORWARD patrolled for and
interdicted filibusters, citizens from the United States engaging in private
military actions in a foreign country.
The third FORWARD (1925 - 1947) led a varied career, which began as a
100-foot patrol boat designed to combat smuggling during the prohibition.
FORWARD served in both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. In March of 1933,
she seized the Honduran freighter Auros with 502 sacks of liquor aboard. In
1938 FORWARD was converted to a buoy tender. On February 19, 1942 FORWARD
assisted in the rescue of 18 persons from the torpedoed gasoline tanker, Pan
Massachusetts.
The current USCGC FORWARD (WMEC 911) was built by Derecktor Shipyard,
Middletown, Rhode Island. The keel was laid July 11, 1986, and the ship
commissioned August 4, 1990.
Former Commanding Officers
CDR P. M. Stillman 1989 – 1991
CDR J. H. Morton 1991 – 1993
CDR R. J. Papp, Jr 1993 – 1995
CDR T. E. Tilghman 1995 – 1996
CDR F. X. O’Bryne, Jr 1996 – 1998
CDR M. J. Sikorski 1998 – 2000
CDR D. R. MacLeod 2000 – 2002
CDR F. M. Midgette 2002 – 2004
CDR G. J. Sanial 2004 – 2006
CDR M. W. Sibley 2006 – 2008
CDR D. W. Durham 2008 – 2010
CDR M. S. Stewart 2010 – 2012
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