COOS BAY – The Coast Guard decommissioned the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Orcas (WPB1327) during a ceremony Tuesday.
Rear Adm. Charles Fosse, the commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District, presided over the ceremony honoring the 35 years of service Orcas and its crews provided to the nation.
Commissioned on April 14, 1989, Orcas was the twenty-seventh Island-Class cutter to join the fleet.
Orcas has been stationed in Coos Bay, Oregon, since 1989 and is the sixth Coast Guard cutter to be stationed in Coos Bay since 1935.
The Orcas was a multi-mission platform that conducted operations to support search and rescue response, marine environmental protection, and national defense.
“From training allied nation maritime forces, conducting the largest-ever cocaine seizure in the history of the Pacific Northwest, and saving countless lives and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of property on the Pacific Ocean – Orcas has done it all,” said Lt. Brendan O’Farrell, the commanding officer of the Orcas. “This ship, one of the last of its kind, is an old American-made workhorse built to endure the harsh Pacific waves. I’m extremely proud and blessed to have served with the finest crew in the fleet.”
Wish the Coast Guard’s news release on the decommissioning of the Orcas had noted what sort of after life of indignity this cutter will suffer? Just another party boat or rusty hulk lurking someplace out here in the Northwest? Or maybe it’ll scrapped and salvaged for whatever value there is?
While I can’t speak for Orcas, most of the time these USCG and US Navy vessels are given to Latin or South American countries.
Will she be replaced with another ship, or is the deepest port between San Fransisco and the Columbia River going to be without Coast Guard or Naval Deep Water protection?
Wish they’d let the community know when Orcas was being decommissioned. I was the EPO from January 1995 to July 1998, enjoyed every minute of it (Even though we did get our asses handed to us a few times) l am retired now but drive-by her almost daily. Will miss seeing her moored up at the dock. Would of really enjoyed attending the decommissioning ceremony, but knew nothing about it. Thank you, US Coast Guard. and a special thanks to Group North Bend excuse me, Sector North Bend, for keeping the local community informed.