Local Coast Guard Buoy Tender Proves Multi-Mission Capabilities

Story by PA1 Tasha Tully, PADET St. Petersburg, Fla.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - February 25, 2006 -  The Coast Guard Cutter Joshua Appleby returned to its homeport in St. Petersburg last night after a 12-day patrol in the Florida Straits.

Joshua Appleby is a 175-foot Keeper Class Coastal Buoy Tender.  Typically, this sea-going buoy tender services more than 240 aids to navigation in shipping channels along the west coast of Florida, from Crystal River south to West Palm Beach. 

However, the crew was prepared for another mission Monday when the cutter acted as a holding platform for 120 Cuban migrants that had been interdicted at sea by several Coast Guard patrol boats.

"Our primary mission is to maintain buoys, but sometimes we provide support to Sector Key West as a relief for the 210-foot patrol boats, which are the primary holding platforms for migrants," said Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Jones, Commanding Officer of Joshua Appleby.

Although the cutter's crewmembers were prepared to receive detainees, they had never had this many people on board before. 

"In the past, the most we've received is about 40 migrants.  This time the decks were filled," said Chief Petty Officer Douglas G. Hendrix, Executive Officer.  "We have a crew of 25 (people), so adding five times the amount we're used to was an adjustment."

Joshua Appleby held the detainees on deck for four days while transiting the coast along Key West.  Twice daily the ships two cooks served a meal of rice and beans to each of the 120 migrants, as well as the 25 crewmembers. 

"The first meal was the most difficult to prepare," said Petty Officer 2nd Class (FS2) William T. Wall.  "We didn't open enough cans of beans and had to keep going back to open more and more before we finally had enough to feed everyone."

There were 12 children onboard ranging in age from 3- to 12-years-old.  The crew was prepared with diapers, formula and children's medication. 

"There were a few people with health concerns," said BM3 John K. Fullmer, certified Emergency Medical Technician. "One man had a rash all over his body, another had stitches in his hand and a woman had several broken ribs."

The crew of Joshua Appleby spent about five hours on Thursday in Key West transferring the migrants to the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute, a 210-foot patrol boat home-ported in St. Petersburg. 

"We know that being a buoy tender in Florida doesn't always mean that we're tending buoys," said Jones. "We're part of a multi-mission service, and the crew knows that this is one of the adaptations we have to make in order to get these missions accomplished."

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