USCGC Stratton (WMSL-752)

USCGC Stratton near Annapolis, Maryland in 2011
History
United States
Namesake: Dorothy C. Stratton
Ordered: January 2001
Builder:
Laid down: July 20, 2009
Launched: July 23, 2010
Sponsored by: Michelle Obama
Christened: July 23, 2010
Acquired: September 2, 2011
Commissioned: March 31, 2012
Motto: "We Can't Afford Not To"
Badge:
General characteristics
Displacement: 4500 LT
Length: 418 ft (127 m)
Beam: 54 ft (16 m)
Height: 140 ft (43 m)
Draft: 22.5 ft (6.9 m)
Decks: 4
Propulsion: Combined diesel and gas
Speed: 28+ knots
Range: 12,000 nm
Endurance: 60 days
Crew: 111 (15 Officers, 15 CPO, 81 Enlisted)
Sensors and
processing systems:
X and S band radar, 3D air search radar, AN/SPQ-9 radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare System
  • 2 SRBOC/ 2 NULKA countermeasures chaff/rapid decoy launcher
Armament:
Aircraft carried: (2) MCH, or (4) VUAV or (1) MCH and (2) VUAV

USCGC Stratton (WMSL-752) is the third Legend-class cutter of the United States Coast Guard. It is the first "white hull" cutter named after a woman since the 1980s (USCGC Harriet Lane was launched in 1984). Stratton is named for Coast Guard Captain Dorothy C. Stratton (1899–2006). Stratton served as director of the SPARS, the Coast Guard Women's Reserve during World War II.[1]

Construction began in 2008 by Northrop Grumman's Ship System Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The keel was laid on July 20, 2009. The cutter's sponsor is Michelle Obama, who is the first First Lady to sponsor a Coast Guard cutter.[2]

On July 23, 2010 Michelle Obama christened the cutter in a ceremony at the ship builder's.[3]

In August 2011, the Stratton completed sea trials.[4]

On September 2, 2011 the Stratton was acquired by the Coast Guard.[5]

On December 19, 2011 Stratton arrived in San Francisco, pier 27, for its inaugural homecoming visit to the Bay area.[6]

On March 31, 2012, the Stratton was officially commissioned by the Coast Guard in Alameda, California, with First Lady Michelle Obama in attendance.[7]

In April 2012, the crew of the Stratton discovered four holes in the hull and the ship was sent to drydock to have these repaired.[8]

On July 18, 2015, the Stratton intercepted a semi-submerisible loaded with approximately 16,000 pounds of cocaine. Stratton was able to offload more than 12,000 pounds worth an estimated $181 million before the craft sank.[9][10] It is estimated to be the largest such seizure of its kind.[11]

See also

References

  1. Susan Gvozdas (2009-07-21). "Coast Guard Lays Keel for NSC Stratton". Navy Times. Retrieved 2009-08-02.
  2. "First Lady Leaves Her Mark on Future USCGC Stratton". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 2009-08-02.
  3. "Michelle Obama Christens National Security Cutter Stratton". United States Coast Guard. 2010-07-23. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  4. "Cutter Completes Acceptance Trials". UPI. 2011-08-16. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
  5. LT Stephanie Young (2011-09-02). "Coast Guard Takes Possession of Stratton". Coast Guard Compass blog. US Coast Guard. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
  6. "Inaugural homecoming for Coast Guard's third National Security Cutter". uscgnews.com. December 21, 2011.
  7. John Coté (2012-04-01). "Michelle Obama Commissions Coast Guard Cutter". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  8. Alicia A. Caldwell (2012-05-08). "New Coast Guard ship has rust, holes in hull". Navy Times.
  9. Pete Williams and Phil Helsel (2015-08-06). "Coast Guard Busts Homemade Submarine, Seizes $181M Worth of Cocaine". NBC News.
  10. United States Coast Guard (2015-08-06). "U.S. Agencies Stop Semi-Submersible, Seize 12,000 Pounds of Cocaine". United States Coast Guard.
  11. Svati Kirsten Narula (2015-08-07). "The US coast guard's biggest drug bust ever involved 16,000 pounds of cocaine and a homemade submarine". Quartz.

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