Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Nicole Murtaugh
Students and staff members from the University of Guam’s basic design class unveiled a painted carabao statue as a tribute to the Coast Guard. The statue, located on the grounds of the Sector compound on Naval Base Guam, is painted in an island motif that represents the Coast Guard’s missions, paying tribute to the Coast Guard’s friendship with Guam and honoring fallen comrades.
Capt. Thomas M. Sparks, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Guam, spoke during the ceremony and formally recognized several key members involved in the creation of ‘Coastie’, the carabaos given name.
Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin Spratt, deck member stationed aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Sequoia, a 225-foot buoy tender homeported in Apra Harbor, was recognized by Sparks for creating the design that was used to paint Coastie. Jennifer Ada, the artist, the Navy League, Jose Babauta, basic design class professor, and the students were all formally recognized and thanked during Spark’s speech.
The students who painted the statue signed their names on the statue’s base. The Territory of Guam seal, University of Guam seal, Navy League logo, and the Coast Guard Emblem appear in various locations on the statue.
“This carabao stands as a symbol of partnership between the Coast Guard, the Navy League, University of Guam, and the island itself,” said Sparks.
The design splits the carabao statue into a day and night side to depict the Coast Guard’s 24-hour a day missions. On the daylight side, the Cutter Sequoia maintains a buoy under a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter. On the other side, a 110-foot patrol boat and a 25-foot small boat patrol during a night search and rescue mission with an HC-130 Hercules aircraft flying overhead. Both are numbered to depict Coast Guard aircraft lost recently, in honor of their fallen crews.
Coastie now joins Guam’s other public works of art as a proud symbol of the Coast Guard’s history and connection with the community.
