U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Enters The Tense Black Sea Highlighting The Service's Overseas Presence

TheDrive ^ | 4-27-21 | JOSEPH TREVITHICK

[dynachrome]

AU.S. Coast Guard cutter has entered the Black Sea for the first time in 12 years, underscoring a resurgence in the significance of the service's presence around the world in recent years. The Legend class National Security Cutter USCGC Hamilton arrived in that important body of water less than a week after Russia claimed it had started to reverse course on a worrisome military buildup along its border with Ukraine. The flood of Russian forces into the region, starting in March, had prompted fears that a new crisis was imminent.

Hamilton transited from the Mediterranean Sea into the Black Sea, by way of the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits, on April 27. The ship left its homeport of North Charleston, South Carolina earlier this month and made its way across the Atlantic together with a pair of smaller Sentinel class fast response cutters, the USCGC Charles Moulthrope and USCGC Robert Goldman.

[ro_dreaming]

Do the Russians have a dozen naval vessels active and afloat?

I mean, they don’t have more than 1 aircraft carrier that works, no telling how many subs they really have that are safe and functional.

I would be surprised if the Russians have enough ships and manpower to put a dozen targets off the US coast.

[Captain7seas]

“Why is a US Coast Guard cutter in the Black Sea?.............”

That cutter is painted white I bet.

Al Sharpton gonna have something to say about this.

[AppyPappy]

“Put those ships in New Orleans and I bet most of the crews **desert**...”

You misspelled “get rolled”

[rlmorel]

True. Don’t know why we have a Coast Guard ship there.

[Trinity5]

We often have US naval vessels in the Black Sea. Two destroyers just left in March. Also note that the Black Sea has three NATO “Allies” on the coast with US and NATO troops constantly training there. So yes in effect we are always “poking the Russian Bear...”.

[Red Badger]

Navy ok, but Coast Guard?..............

[Red Badger]

But it’ll have a big Orange Man Stripe!...............

[elpadre]

I understand why the USCG has overseas responsibilities during wartime, but how is it justified now?

[exPBRrat]

We have no vital national interest at stake over there.

[colorado tanker]

The point of this is to tell the Russians that the Black Sea is international waters and not their pond. The Navy has been doing these exercises for decades.

Why a CG Cutter? Why not? Hamilton is in the Med for exercises and working with similar forces in allied countries.

The two smaller Cutters are in transit to Bahrain. CG craft provide security for US forces there.

[AFreeBird]

From wiki:

The Coast Guard is further defined by Title 14 of the United States Code:
The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times. The Coast Guard shall be a service in the Department of Homeland Security, except when operating as a service in the Navy.

[AFreeBird]

The service has participated in every major U.S. conflict from 1790 through today, including landing troops on D-Day and on the Pacific Islands in World War II, in extensive patrols and shore bombardment during the Vietnam War, and multiple roles in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[BiteYourSelf]

Yes.🤔

[Starboard]

So basically the Coast Guard can operate far from U.S. coastal areas and support unlimited military operations anywhere on earth. That kind of open ended dual service role is just the kind of thing that could lead to an incident that triggers WWIII. Imagine WWIII being started by an attack on a Coast Guard cutter. That fact that such a thing is possible should be of great concern to many Americans.

[Laslo Fripp]

What’s with the Fauci mask?

I remember the USCG’s presence in Vietnam in 1966.

[Trinity5]

International Force Laydown

The Coast Guard’s permanent international units are depicted above. Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) is the Coast Guard’s largest unit outside of the United States. PATFORSWA is currently supporting the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Coast Guard has two commands (Activities Europe and Activities Far East) that support the Coast Guard’s Maritime Safety and Security mission conducting marine inspection, marine investigation, and international port security operations to ensure the integrity of the Maritime Transportation System. The Coast Guard also has personnel assigned to eight DoD Combatant Commands and often has a presence on all seven continents and the world’s oceans, projecting national sovereignty with our icebreakers, national security cutters, high-endurance cutters, aviation assets, and deployable specialized forces.

https://www.uscg.mil/Portals/0/Brading/Laydown-INTL.jpg?ver=2018-06-14-115020-440

[AFreeBird]

So attacks on other types of vessels don’t matter, or couldn’t start a war?

The CG is military, just like National/Air Guard.

[Starboard]

So attacks on other types of vessels don’t matter, or couldn’t start a war?

Where did that come from? I never said or suggested that. Damn near anything can start a war when tensions are running high and conditions are right. The point is, while a USCG cutter may be considered a military asset, it is in no way comparable to a real warship and is therefore a much more inviting target. Which would you rather fire on -- a sophisticated surface combatant or a patrol cutter?