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Coast Guard Cutter Munro returns from multi-month Alaska Patrol

Photo By Senior Chief Petty Officer Matthew Masaschi | Petty Officer 2nd Class Hannah Capps hugs her spouse after the Coast Guard Cutter...... read more read more

ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

03.06.2023

Story by Chief Petty Officer Matthew Masaschi

U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) and crew returned home to Alameda, Monday, following a 105-day, 11,500-nautical mile Alaska patrol.

Munro partnered with NOAA Office of Law Enforcement personnel to conduct 24 boardings of commercial fishing vessels with the goal of enforcing sustainable fishing practices and ensuring compliance with federal regulations.

During the patrol, the Munro and crew served as the primary search and rescue (SAR) asset in the Bering Sea.

“The continued existence of these fisheries depends on a healthy and productive ecosystem,” said Capt. Rula Deisher, Munro’s commanding officer. “As a federal law enforcement agency, it is the Coast Guard’s responsibility to ensure the longevity of these resources and safety of the fishing fleet. We’re happy to do our part combating unsustainable fishing and promoting maritime commerce that is essential to a strong U.S. economy.”

The crew performed 452 flight evolutions with five separate aircraft from Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, qualifying seven pilots and ensuring SAR readiness in the region.

“A winter patrol in the Bering Sea is the ultimate test of the cutter and crew,” said Deisher. “I am so proud of the women and men of the Munro who braved the elements, operating in the Arctic region to protect our nations resources and fishers.”

Commissioned in 2017, Munro is named for Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro, the only Coast Guardsman awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1942 for his actions and sacrifice in the defense, rescue, and evacuation of a U.S. Marine battalion from Point Cruz at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

Munro is one of four Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Alameda. National security cutters are 418-feet long, 54-feet wide, and have a 4,600 long-ton displacement. They have a top speed of more than 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, endurance of up to 90 days, and can hold a crew of up to 170. These cutters are the centerpiece of the U.S. Coast Guard's fleet, capable of executing the most challenging operations, including supporting maritime homeland security and defense missions at home and abroad.