United States Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell is of a kind great vessel and Philippines would be privileged to be US’ heir.
USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719) is a United States Coast Guard high endurance cutter based on San Diego, California.
She was named after the United States Secretary of the Treasury in the time of President Ulysses S. Grant, George S. Boutwell.
She is into Coast Guard missions including Search and Rescue Operations, Law Enforcement, Maritime Security and National Defense.
USCGC Boutwell was fifth of the Coast Guard fleet of 378 foot High Endurance Cutters. Built in 1967 in Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, LA and later launched on the same year.
She had underwent Fleet Renovation and Modernization Program in 1990 after she moved to Seattle. She later replaced the decommissioned USCGC Hamilton.
She was great and one of a kind and her success was historical. Sailed and return home with successful missions and earned number of respect in Coast Guard Community.
1980, Boutwell conducted the largest at-sea rescue ever conducted which saves more than 500 people in the burning cruise ship Prisendam, in the Gulf of Alaska.
She defended the oil terminals off the coast of Iraq and Iran back in 2003 during Iraq conflict. She received the Admiral John B. Hayes Award for Unit Excellence.
Boutwell was also a law enforcer of US as she seized over 900 million dollars of cocaine (28,000 lbs). She had a new pal, the new HITRON helicopter in which their operations was called Go-Fast Response Team that intended to seize drugs and stronger enforce the law.
She was noteworthy to receive counterdrug deployment in support of the US Coast Guard’s Western Hemisphere Strategy.
2013 Forrest O. Rednour Memorial Award Large Afloat Dining facility recognized the bravery of USCGC Boutwell. She was also second place winner for 2014 Large Unit Afloat MWR Program of the Year.
USCGC Boutwell was decommissioned in March 16, 2016 and will be sold to the Philippines as Excess Defense Article (EDA) during the presidency of Barack Obama which was declared during Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit which was held in the Philippines as host country.
