USCGC Joseph Napier

USCGC Joseph Napier is a Sentinel-class cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is the fifteenth Sentinel class to be delivered, and the third of six to be assigned to Puerto Rico.[3] she was commissioned on 29 January 2016.[2]

USCGC Joseph Napier (WPC-1115)
Joseph Napier at speed
History
United States
NamesakeJoseph Napier
BuilderBollinger Shipyards, Lockport, Louisiana
Launched20 October 2015
Acquired20 October 2015[1]
Commissioned29 January 2016[2]
HomeportSan Juan, Puerto Rico
Identification
MottoFailure is not an option
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeSentinel-class cutter
Displacement353 long tons (359 t)
Length46.8 m (154 ft)
Beam8.11 m (26.6 ft)
Depth2.9 m (9.5 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 4,300 kW (5,800 shp)
  • 1 × 75 kW (101 shp) bow thruster
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Endurance
  • 5 days, 2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi)
  • Designed to be on patrol 2,500 hours per year
Boats & landing
craft carried		1 × Short Range Prosecutor RHIB
Complement2 officers, 20 crew
Sensors and
processing systems		L-3 C4ISR suite
Armament

Like her sister ships, she is equipped for coastal security patrols, interdiction of drug and people smugglers, and search and rescue. Like the smaller Marine Protector class she is equipped with a stern launching ramp.[4] The ramp allows the deployment and retrieval of her high speed water-jet powered pursuit boat without first coming to a stop. She is capable of more than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and armed with a remote controlled 25 millimetres (0.98 in) M242 Bushmaster autocannon; and four crew-served Browning M2 machine guns.

Operational history

Joseph Napier intercepted a fishing vessel in February 2017, that was attempting to smuggle over four tons of cocaine.[5] Lady Michelle's crew of four individuals from Guyana were taken to the U.S. Virgin Islands, for prosecution. The cocaine's street value was estimated at US$125 million.

Namesake

She is named after Joseph Napier, who had commanded a lifeboat station at St. Joseph, Michigan.[6][7][8] Napier was an employee of the United States Lifeboat Service, one of the precursor services that were amalgamated into the Coast Guard.

Lore

Being one of seven FRC's Sentinel-class cutter home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico is a big job and eventually each boat carves out their own niche. The USCGC Joseph Napier (WPC-1115) has carved out that spot being known as "El bote de gente soñolienta". The crew of the aptly named Bote de gente soñolienta can often been seen lounging on the outside decks on beanbag chairs or logging countless hours of rack ops in an attempt to break the long-standing record held by the USCGC Mohawk.

References
  1. "Acquisition Update: 15th Fast Response Cutter Delivered To Coast Guard" (Press release). United States Coast Guard. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  2. "Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier commissioned in San Juan, Puerto Rico". Coast Guard News. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  3. "Bollinger delivers FRC Joseph Napier". Marine Log. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015. Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, LA, has delivered the Joseph Napier, the 15th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard took delivery on October 20, 2015 in Key West, Florida, and is scheduled to commission the vessel in Puerto Rico during January, 2016.
  4. Alfonso Chardy (18 October 2012). "Coast Guard unveils its newest cutter; base will be Miami Beach". Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014.
  5. Susan Mohammed (2 March 2017). "T&T Coast Guard in $837 million drug bust: ...fishing vessel intercepted off Suriname". Trinidad Express. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017. The crew of the Napier, which is based in Port Canaveral, Florida, towed the 70-foot (21-meter) fishing vessel, the Lady Michelle, to St. Vincent and four men on board from Guyana were taken to the U.S. Virgin Islands to face possible criminal charges. The Coast Guard took the cocaine to Puerto Rico and turned it over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
  6. Connie Braesch (8 November 2010). "Coast Guard Heroes: Joseph Napier". United States Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. As keeper of the Saint Joseph Life-Saving Station, Station 6, Joseph Napier demonstrated his heroism during multiple rescues as a career lifesaver on the Great Lakes. His gallantry was no more visible than on the day he risked his life and led his crew into gale-force winds to save six souls aboard a stranded vessel.
  7. Stephanie Young (27 October 2010). "Coast Guard Heroes". United States Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  8. "U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Will Bear the Name of Great Lakes Sailor". Ohio`s Yesterdays. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2013. There, son Joseph Napier became the city's harbormaster. In the tradition of his seafaring family, Napier built, owned, and captained Great Lakes vessels. In 1854, the citizens of Chicago presented Napier with a gold watch for leading the daring rescue of the crew of the "Merchant:" during one of the city's most violent storms.
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