Lt. Myles McCarthy salutes Lt. Joshua Branthoover as he relieves him of command during a change of command ceremony held at Naval Station Everett, Washington, June 1, 2020. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Cmdr. Brendan Harris)
EVERETT, Wash. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake held a change of command ceremony Monday at Naval Station Everett.
During the traditional military ceremony, Lt. Myles McCarthy relieved Lt. Joshua Branthoover of command of the cutter Henry Blake under the direction of Rear Adm. Anthony “Jack” Vogt, commander, 13th Coast Guard District.
McCarthy is reporting to the Henry Blake from U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Maritime Studies Branch.
Branthoover will be the new team supervisor at the United Kingdom Support Team.
The Henry Blake is the thirteenth of 14 Keeper-class of coastal buoy tenders. All the coastal buoy tenders are named after famous U.S. Lighthouse Keepers. Mr. Henry Blake was the first lighthouse keeper of the New Dungeness Light, which is located on the tip of the Dungeness Spit in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The cutter Henry Blake was constructed by Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette, Wisconsin, and was commissioned on Oct. 27, 2000. Her primary mission is to ensure aids to navigation in the environmentally sensitive Puget Sound are maintained to the highest standards, therefore ensuring the safe navigation of the vessels which carry over $40 billion each year.
The crew of the Henry Blake has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of 177 buoys and 58 shore aids to navigation.
The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition and deeply rooted in Coast Guard and Naval history. The event signifies a total transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability for the command.
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