CHARLESTON, S.C. – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Gallatin is scheduled to return home following an eight-week deployment Friday at 2:24 p.m.
The 38-year-old cutter steamed over 10,000 miles in the Caribbean Sea with a primary focus on finding and stopping smugglers with drugs bound for United States shores. Gallatin also carried a MH-68A armed helicopter crew based at the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron in Jacksonville, Fla., to assist them with their mission.
Over the past two years, Gallatin crew members have seized nearly 23 tons of cocaine, detained 59 suspected smugglers, and received the United States Interdiction Coordinator’s 2005 Award as the leading afloat asset in America’s campaign against drugs. In addition, this past August Gallatin rescued thirteen of the fifteen crewmembers of the 420-foot Indian car carrier Dayana after it sank in the Caribbean.
Upon their return to Charleston, the crew of Gallatin will be re-joining the Low Country community and providing support through the Partnership in Education program with North Charleston Elementary School, the “Adopt-A-Road” program to help keep Spruill Avenue clean, and by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to build and refurbish homes in the Charleston peninsula area.
The crew of Gallatin looks forward to returning to the Low Country after patrolling over the holiday season. The Gallatin is scheduled to depart on another patrol later this year.
The Gallatin is a 378-foot cutter with a crew of approximately 160 people and is commanded by Capt. Andrew P. White.
