USCGC Tahoma (WMEC-908)

USCGC Tahoma (WMEC-908) is a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter. Her keel was laid on June 28, 1983 at Robert Derecktor Shipyard Incorporated, Middletown, Rhode Island. She was delivered August 12, 1987 and commissioned April 6, 1988. She is the third cutter to bear the name Tahoma, which is the Northwest Pacific Indian word that refers to the Cascade Range mountain peak now known as Mount Rainier. Her nickname, Mighty T, was selected because it was the nickname of her predecessor, Tahoma (WPG-80), during World War II.[1]

USCGC Tahoma (WMEC-908) at Kittery Maine, February 2010
History
United States
NameUSCGC Tahoma
BuilderRobert Derecktor Shipyard Incorporated, Middletown, Rhode Island
Laid downJune 28, 1983
AcquiredAugust 12, 1987
CommissionedApril 6, 1988
HomeportNaval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island
Identification
MottoCourage, Justice, Compassion
Nickname(s)Mighty T, Never-Homa
StatusActive
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeFamous-class United States Coast Guard Cutter
Displacement1,800 tons
Length270 ft (82 m)
Beam38 ft (12 m)
Draught14.5 ft (4.4 m)
PropulsionTwin turbo-charged ALCO V-18 diesel engines
Speed19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Range9,900 nautical miles (18,300 km; 11,400 mi)
Complement100 personnel (14 officers, 86 enlisted)
Electronic warfare
& decoys
AN/SLQ-32 (receive only)
Armament
Aircraft carried

On 13 January 2010, the Tahoma was ordered to assist in the humanitarian relief efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.[2]

During the afternoon of 16 January 2010 a boy was born on board to a Haitian woman while Tahoma was transporting wounded survivors from Port-au-Prince to the still-functional medical facilities of Cap-Haïtien, to the north.[3]

The Tahoma rescued almost 100 Haitian refugees from this dangerously overcrowded smuggling craft.[4]

In March 2018 the Tahoma intercepted 201 Haitian undocumented immigrants, in Bahamanian waters.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ "USCGC TAHOMA (WMEC 908): Mission, History, and Facts". United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Defense Media Activity. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Coast Guard Sends Cutters, Aircraft to Haiti". Navy Times. 2010-01-13. Retrieved 2010-01-13.
  3. ^ "100116-G-0000X-001 HAITI RESPONSE". Visual Information Gallery. United States Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  4. ^ a b David J. Neal (2018-03-14). "Coast Guard repatriates 201 migrants by sea to Haiti". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 2018-03-15. Retrieved 2018-06-15. A total of 201 Haitians were returned to Haiti Wednesday by the U.S. Coast Guard, the agency said, after two overloaded boats were intercepted near the Bahamas.
  5. ^ "Haiti - Bahamas : 201 Haitian boat-people intercepted and repatriated to the country". Haiti Libre. 2018-03-15. Archived from the original on 2018-03-15. Retrieved 2018-06-15. On Sunday, a Jayhawk MH-60 helicopter from the Coast Guard spotted a 50-foot boat east of Great Inagua Island. The 86 Haitian boat-people were taken care of by the Tahoma cutter of the Coast Guard.
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USCGC Tahoma (WMEC-908)