USCGC Forward
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Image:USCGC Forward WMEC-911.jpg |Ship caption=USCGC Forward (WMEC-911) in 1992. }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United States|coast guard}} |Ship name=USCGC Forward |Ship namesake=Walter Forward |Ship owner= |Ship operator= |Ship registry= |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Robert Derecktor Shipyard Incorporated, Rhode Island, U.S. |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired=4 August 1990 |Ship commissioned=1990 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport=Portsmouth, Virginia |Ship identification=*{{MMSI Number|367261000}}
|Ship motto=Ever the Sentinel |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate= |Ship status=In active service |Ship notes= |Ship badge=File:USCGC Forward (WMEC-911) Crest.jpg }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class={{sclass2|Famous|cutter|3|boat}} |Ship type= |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement={{convert|1800|LT|t|0|lk=in|abbr=on}} |Ship length={{convert|270|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|38|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft={{convert|14.5|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=Twin turbo-charged ALCO V-18 diesel engines |Ship sail plan= |Ship speed={{convert|19.5|kn}} |Ship range=9,900 miles |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats=*1 × Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Interceptor
|Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement=100 personnel (14 officers, 86 enlisted) |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors=*MK 92 Fire Control Radar
|Ship EW=AN/SLQ-32 |Ship armament=*1 OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft=*HH-65 Dolphin |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
USCGC Forward (WMEC-911) is a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter. She is the fourth cutter of that name; two were United States Revenue Cutter Service vessels and two, including the contemporary cutter, Coast Guard vessels. All were named for Walter Forward, fifteenth United States Secretary of the Treasury.{{cite web |url=https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Area-Cutters/CGCFORWARD/History/ |title=USCGC FORWARD (WMEC 911) |website= United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area, U.S. Department of Homeland Security |publisher=Defense Media Activity |access-date=6 April 2024}} The present Forward was constructed by Robert Derecktor Shipyard Incorporated, Middletown, Rhode Island, was delivered in May 1989, and commissioned 4 August 1990. USCGC Forward (WMEC-911) and USCGC Legare (WMEC-912) were commissioned in a joint ceremony in Portsmouth, Virginia.{{Citation needed|date=May 2007}}
History
=2010s=
On 12 January 2010, USCGC Forward was at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base when the 2010 Haiti earthquake occurred. She was ordered to assist in the humanitarian relief efforts, and was the first American vessel to arrive in Port-au-Prince the following morning.{{cite web|url=http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/01/coastguard_haiti_011310w/|title=Coast Guard Sends Cutters, Aircraft to Haiti|publisher=Navy Times|date=2010-01-13|access-date=2010-01-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/world/americas/14cutter.html|title=Devastation, Seen From a Ship|author=Eric Lipton|date=January 13, 2010|work=New York Times|access-date=2010-01-14}}
USCGC Forward was set to wrap a deployment in the Caribbean and was ported in Guantanamo Bay in order to onload fuel, supplies, and debrief the USCGC Tahoma prior to returning to home port. The Tahoma was set to take over operations in the area and the Forward was set to return home. In lieu of returning home, the Forward and her crew set sail to Haiti to initialize the U.S. response to the massive efforts that would eventually take place in the following weeks.
=Awards=
{{uncited section |date= July 2023}}
Forward has been awarded the following unit and campaign awards:
- Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation (Hurricane device)
- Joint Meritorious Unit Award (Second)
- DHS Outstanding Unit Award
- Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award
- Coast Guard Unit Commendation
- Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation (Second)(Operational Distinguishing Device)
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Meritorious Team Commendation
- Coast Guard "E" Ribbon(Fourth)
- Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation
- National Defense Service Medal (Second)
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Humanitarian Service Medal (Fourth)
- Transportation 9-11 Ribbon
- Special Operations Service Ribbon
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Area-Cutters/CGCFORWARD/ USCGC Forward (WMEC 911) home page]
{{Famous class cutter}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forward (WMEC-911)}}
Category:Ships of the United States Coast Guard
Category:Ships built in Middletown, Rhode Island
Category:2010 Haiti earthquake relief
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