USCGC Oliver F. Berry
USCGC Oliver F. Berry (WPC 1124) is the United States Coast Guard's 24th Sentinel class cutter. She was the first member of the three members of her class to be homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii.[1]
Design
Like her sister ships, Oliver F. Berry is designed to perform search and rescue missions, port security, and the interception of smugglers.[2] She is armed with a remotely controlled, gyrostabilized 25 mm autocannon, four crew-served M2 Browning machine guns, and light arms. She is equipped with a stern launching ramp, that allows her to launch or retrieve a water-jet propelled high-speed auxiliary boat, without first coming to a stop. Her high-speed boat has over-the-horizon capability, and is useful for inspecting other vessels, and deploying boarding parties. She is designed to support her crew of 24 for missions of up to five days, over distances of almost 3,000 nautical miles.
Operational history
In July 2018 the Oliver F. Berry set off for the Marshall Islands, a voyage of 4400 nmi (8148.8 km).[3] Since this exceeded her maximum endurance she was refueled by other Coast Guard cutters. She was the first Sentinel class cutter to travel that far from the USA's territorial waters, and the first Sentinel class cutter to travel on a voyage of that length. It took eight days to travel from Hawaii to Majuro Atoll, in the Marshall Islands.
When she arrived her crew engaged in joint exercises with the RMIS Lomor, a Marshall Islands' patrol vessel of similar size to the Oliver Berry.[3] Her crew also engaged in various forms of cultural exchange with Marshall Islands citizens.
In early July of 2022 below normal levels of rainfall left some of the islands of Kiribati dangerously low levels of drinking water.[5][6] The Oliver Berry was mobilized to assist with a delivery of potable water.
In addition to bringing water the Oliver Berry helped patrol Kiribati waters, while some of her crew help Kiribati authorities ashore, following its declaration of a national emergency.[4]
Namesake
In 2010, Charles "Skip" W. Bowen, who was then the United States Coast Guard's most senior non-commissioned officer, proposed that all 58 cutters in the Sentinel class should be named after enlisted sailors in the Coast Guard, or one of its precursor services, who were recognized for their heroism.[7][8] In 2015 the Coast Guard announced that Oliver F. Berry, an aviation pioneer, who played a key role in shipping and using helicopters for a maritime search and rescue, would be the namesake of the 24th cutter.[9]
References
- ↑ FRC Plan B: The Sentinel Class, Defense Industry Daily, 2014-05-02. Retrieved on 2014-04-03. “All of these boats will be named after enlisted Coast Guard heroes, who distinguished themselves in USCG or military service. The first 25 have been named, but only 8 have been commissioned...”
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Amanda Levasseur, Sara Muir. USCGC Oliver Berry crew sets new horizons for cutter operations, Dvidshub, 2018-08-01. Retrieved on 2018-08-09. “In July Oliver Berry's crew set a new milestone by deploying over the horizon to the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The 4,400 nautical mile trip marked marking the furthest deployment of an FRC to date for the Coast Guard and is the first deployment of its kind in the Pacific.”
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry Conducts Potable Water Offload at Kiritimati Island, Kiribati: In addition to providing humanitarian assistance, the Oliver Berry crew supported Kiribati maritime law enforcement efforts., Homeland Security Today, 2022-07-08. Retrieved on 2022-07-12. “'Thanks to the coordination efforts of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, and the Kiribati Government, we are able to provide safe drinking water to the Island of Kiritimati at a time when it is needed most.'”
- ↑ U.S. Coast Guard Brings Water to Drought-Stricken Pacific Island, Maritime Executive, 2022-07-10. Retrieved on 2018-08-09. “One of these FRCs - the Honolulu-based USCGC Oliver Berry - recently deployed to the Republic of Kiribati to help fend off the worst effects of a drought.”
- ↑ Edward Lundquist. Coast Guard Delivers Water to Drought-Stricken Kiribati at Critical Juncture, Seapower magazine, 2022-07-11. Retrieved on 2022-07-12. “Honolulu-based Coast Fast Response Cutter USCGC Oliver Berry (WPC 1124) delivered potable drinking water to the island of Kiritimati, working with U.N. representatives to support the local residents amid the national state of emergency.”
- ↑ Susan Schept. Enlisted heroes honored, United States Coast Guard, 2010-03-22. Retrieved on 2013-02-01. “After the passing of several well-known Coast Guard heroes last year, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Charles "Skip" Bowen mentioned in his blog that the Coast Guard does not do enough to honor its fallen heroes.”
- ↑ U.S. Coast Guard announces name for first Sentinel-class cutter, 2010-03-22. Retrieved on 2013-02-01. “Previously designated to be named the Coast Guard Cutter Sentinel, the cutter Bernard C. Webber will be the first of the service's new 153-foot patrol cutters. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen approved the change of the cutter's name to allow this class of vessels to be named after outstanding enlisted members who demonstrated exceptional heroism in the line of duty. This will be the first class of cutters to be named exclusively for enlisted members of the Coast Guard and its predecessor services.”
- ↑ Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Reveals Names of FRCs 26-35, United States Coast Guard, 2015-02-27. Retrieved on 2017-03-25. “The Coast Guard recently announced the names of the 26th through 35th Sentinel-class fast response cutters through a series of posts on its official blog, the Coast Guard Compass.”