In this documentary series, we spoke with retired Coast Guard Capt. Walter Reger, he was the third commanding officer of HITRON (Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron). Coast Guard HITRON operations started as an experiment in 1998 to halt the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. Drug trafficking organizations primarily used “go-fast” boats, high-speed smuggling vessels Leer másCoast Guard HITRON History Series: Capt. Walter Reger[…]
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard air and surface units assisted a distressed sailing vessel Monday that was taking on water with eight people onboard in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 80 nautical miles south of Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico. The Zoma, a 46-foot Danish flagged sailing vessel, and all its passengers, five Danish and Leer másCoast Guard assists Danish sailing vessel taking on water 80 nautical miles south of Puerto Rico[…]
JAPAN — The USCG concluded a joint law-enforcement exercise Sunday with the Japan Coast Guard in the Philippine Sea, furthering interoperability in performing law-enforcement missions. This weekend, ships from the U.S. Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard conducted exercises near the Ogasawara Islands of Japan. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball and Japan Coast Guard Leer másUSCG and Japan Coast Guard strengthen capabilities with a joint exercise[…]
PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane and HITRON returned to home after a 71-day counter-drug patrol with $40 million incauted, Feb. 12. In support of the Coast Guard’s 11th District and Joint Interagency Task Force South, the USCGC Harriet Lane crew worked throughout the duration of the patrol in conjunction with a deployed Leer másCoast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane and HITRON interdicts $40 million in drugs[…]
ALAMEDA, Calif. – Crews aboard two Alameda-based Coast Guard cutters interdicted three suspected drug smuggling vessels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean between Jan. 26 and Feb. 1 and seized more than 9,000 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $156 million. Conducting the operations were the crews of the Coast Guard Cutters Munro (WMSL 755) and Leer másAlameda Coast Guard cutter crews seized $156M in drugs (cocaine) in Eastern Pacific[…]
CAPE CHARLES, Va.— The Coast Guard medevac two mariners who suffered burns after their vessel caught fire approximately 36 miles east of Fisherman Island, Tuesday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Virginia Command Center received notification that a vessel caught fire and was spotted roughly 36 miles east of Fisherman Island at approximately 3 p.m. Sector Leer másCoast Guard medevac 2 mariners injured from a vessel fire off Cape Charles coast[…]
In this documentary series the U.S. Coast Guard spoked with Charles Anthony Hopkins, a Chief Warrant Officer retired with nearly 32 years in military service and was one of the original ten members to stand up Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON). Hopkins is a HITRON 10 member and recognized for his role in selecting and Leer másCoast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) History[…]
MIAMI — Coast Guard rescue crews assisted the 40-foot fishing vessel Santa Maria, Thursday, after the crew launched two flares signaling their distress approximately 80 miles southwest of Key West. A nearby good Samaritan saw the flares and reported to Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders the Santa Maria crew’s distress. The good Samaritan stayed Leer másCoast Guard rescue crews assists fishing vessel 80 miles off Key West[…]
HONOLULU — The USCGC Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) conducted a port call in Honolulu after completing the first stage of their expeditionary patrol in the Pacific to curtail illegal fishing and strengthen maritime law enforcement self-sufficiency with Kiribati partners. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak traveled from Dec. 28, 2020, to Jan. Leer másUSCGC Joseph Gerczak conducts patrol to increase maritime presence in Pacific[…]
The U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) operations started as an experiment in 1998 to halt the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. Drug trafficking organizations primarily used “go-fast” boats, high-speed smuggling vessels capable of traveling over twice the speed of Coast Guard cutters. The Coast Guard needed a way to counter Leer másCoast Guard HITRON History Series: Rear Adm. Donna Cottrell[…]