CG Aviation History

A systematic organization and expansion of Coast Guard aviation capabilities and facilities to accommodate operational requirements continued. A Coast Guard “Group” concept, in support of multi- mission responsibilities, greatly enhanced efficiency and effectively employed people and assets. Group Commands were established to coordinate the efforts of Coast Guard stations, patrol boats, aids to navigation and other functions within a given geographic area. The Group provided operational, administrative, supply, and engineering support. In some situations, Coast Guard Air Stations were an integral part of the Group and the Commanding Officer of the Air Station was also the Commanding Officer of the Group. In other instances an Air Station, as a separate entity, supported multiple groups.

In order to meet operational commitments four HC-130 aircraft were placed on the west coast of Florida. To accomplish this, Air Station St. Petersburg was moved to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater airport and Air Station Clearwater was established in 1977. The Coast Guard Air Station serving Southeast Alaska was moved from Annette Island to Sitka which was more centrally located in the area of responsibility. The Air Station/Group Humboldt Bay was commissioned in June of 1977 in response to a multi-year initiative by local residents to gain a year round aviation search and rescue facility for Northern California. Air Station Sacramento, California was established in September 1978 to provide HC-130 operations on the West Coast of the United States.

Based on the recommendations of the Coast Guard Aircraft Characteristics Board and the Medium Range Search Aircraft Evaluation Project, a requirement of forty-one turbojet aircraft to replace the HU-16 was established. The HU-25 Falcon was ultimately selected. Because of procurement delays, seventeen HC- 131 aircraft were obtained from the U.S. Air Force as an interim replacement. The HU-25 came on line in February 1982. The Aerospatiale HH-65 was chosen as the Short Range Recovery helicopter replacement for the HH-52. The HH-65 became operational in November of 1985.

In the early years of Coast Guard Aviation, the US Coast Guard trained its enlisted aviation personnel at Navy schools. Aircraft and aircraft equipment increasingly became Coast Guard specific. “A” school graduates did not see a Coast Guard aircraft until they reach their first Air Station as an E4 Petty Officer. There also existed a difference in maintenance philosophies between the two services. There was a need for Coast Guard specific aviation technical training conducted at a common training site. The concept was approved by the Commandant and money was appropriated in FY 76 Budget. Construction of the Coast Guard Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC) began in July of 1976 at Elizabeth City North Carolina. The training center has continued to evolve to satisfy Coast Guard requirements.

In 1984 a helicopter Rescue Swimmer program was established to expand marine rescue capabilities. It evolved from its initial mission of open ocean rescue to its now extensive capability to assist people in distress in virtually any environment in which the Coast Guard operates. CDR Bruce Melnick became the first Coast Guard Astronaut to launch into space in 1990 and in 1991 a Coast Guard Air Detachment was formed and deployed to the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm.

The off-shore fishery zone around the United States had been expanded to twelve nautical miles from shore in 1967. The establishment of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation Act in 1976 created a 200-mile fisheries zone off the coasts of the United States increasing the law enforcement area of responsibility significantly. The Coast Guard concentrates surveillance and enforcement efforts in the active fishing areas protecting designated marine life as well as ensuring compliance with international agreements governing certain fisheries off the U.S. coasts. Aviation plays a prominent role. A mix of long range and medium range aircraft patrol the areas and report locations to cutters on fisheries patrol. A mix of high and medium endurance cutters, with helicopters embarked are used to monitor foreign vessels for compliance with procedures as agreed upon.

The start of maritime drug smuggling was prompted by a demand for marijuana in America that could not be met by the land supply from Mexico. Initially marijuana smuggling was conducted by a large number of entrepreneurs, usually Americans, using fishing vessels, sailboats and cabin cruisers. By 1976 large amounts of Columbian marijuana were reaching the United States in “mother-ships.” These large vessels carried bulk shipments of marijuana to prearranged points off the U.S. Coast. The ships moored far enough away from shore to avoid notice, and off loaded their cargo to small boats and fishing vessels that could smuggle the drug ashore less conspicuously and avoid detection. Cocaine was not considered a problem until 1982. Because of its existing maritime assets the Coast Guard became the primary maritime enforcement agency for the war on drugs. The initial small commitment continued to grow throughout the period, at first defensive in nature and then offensive. In 1986 the mission was expanded to include air-interdiction operations. When Admiral J. William Kime became Commandant in 1990 he believed the mission distribution of the Coast Guard should be more balanced. Drug interdiction operations were cut back and de-emphasized. Aviation played a vital role in the drug interdiction operations.

In 1980 the Mariel Cuban Exodus began. What was initially a massive rescue operation became an illegal immigration interdiction problem. This was followed by regular patrols of the Windward Passage between Haiti and Cuba. The role continued to increase and by 1994 this operational responsibility absorbed a large portion of Coast Guard maritime and aviation assets in what was called operations Able Manner and Able Vigil. Alien interdiction has continued as a Coast Guard mission and over the years the number countries from which illegal immigration is generated has increased significantly.

The aging of assets, the acquisition of additional mission responsibilities and the dynamic increased emphasis and expansion of law enforcement activities, left the Coast Guard well short of budgetary needs. When Admiral John B. Hayes became commandant in 1978 he was deeply concerned as to the age of the cutter fleet, aircraft, and shore facilities as well as a shortage of personnel to carry out the missions. He embarked on a program to convince the Secretary of Transportation, the President, and the Congress that this was a serious problem. Secretary Adams was receptive and his replacement Neil Goldschmidt became fully convinced of the inadequacy of financial resources. President Carter was persuaded to support modernizing the Coast Guard and increasing the budget by fifty percent. A roles and mission study was initiated. Unfortunately the nation’s economy eroded and the serious budget deficits precluded any additional funding.

With the advent of the Reagan Administration certain key appointees wanted to convert the Coast Guard into a civilian agency and privatize as many Coast Guard functions as possible. They believed the private sector could manage the functions better, at less cost, and favored dismantling the Coast Guard. One of these was Darrell Trent, the Deputy Secretary of Transportation. Admiral Hayes stated that it was never clear as to the degree of collaboration between Mr. Trent and Transportation Secretary Drew Lewis but that he found himself cut off from making his case to anyone outside the Department. The Roles and Mission study, initially designed as an analysis to support budget requirements, was used by Mr. Trent and the Office of Management and Budget to question the fundamental reason why the Coast Guard existed. The Commandant realized that the Coast Guard was fighting for its survival. Every recommendation and virtually every conclusion of the study was fought over. In those instances of reduction or elimination an honest and pragmatic appraisal was made to identify missions and units that could be decommissioned with the least overall impact on Coast Guard operations. The Commandant then advised the Secretary that he felt the closures were not worth the money the administration would save in face of the anticipated political reaction. This proved to be true. Compromises were reached and many of the closures did not occur.

It was also clear that decisions as to the demilitarization of the Coast Guard had been made prior to any evaluation. One of Admiral Hayes’ initial strategic objectives after becoming Commandant had been to explore the Coast Guard’s national defense responsibilities and to cement more firmly the services relationship to the Navy and Department of Defense. This proved extremely beneficial. A memorandum crafted through a collaboration of the Coast Guard, the DOD and the Presidents National Security Advisor stated bluntly that in evaluating the Coast Guard’s military readiness mission, care should be taken that the Coast Guard’s contribution to national security should be in no way be adversely affected. The all out assault on the Coast Guard had been blunted but the budget wars would continue. During the next four years, Admiral James S. Gracey’s tour as Commandant, the attempts to privatize Coast Guard functions would continue. He had to deal with the Grace Commission and the continued hostility of the Office of Management and Budget. It was not until the mid to late 1980s that significant support was forthcoming from the Secretaries of Transportation. Significantly contributing to the problem was the fact that Coast Guard appropriations were included in the overall Transportation Department appropriations. Many times the Congressional appropriation committee would divert funds to other Department of Transportation functions and the full Coast Guard budget would not get supported. Obtaining sufficient funds was always a problem.

During Admiral Paul A. Yost’s years as Commandant he chose a pro-active approach. Relationships with the other military services were emphasized and for the first time Coast Guard aviation participated in air interdiction of drug smuggling. Assets to accomplish this were obtained and what was once a small operational mission represented 25% of the Coast Guard budget by 1989.

A military-led coup overthrew the government of Haiti in 1991. An increase in illegal migration took place as a result. Initially the numbers were small but by the end of the following year it had become a major problem. Haitian migrants were interdicted and returned directly to Haiti. Coast Guard patrols of the Windward Passage between Haiti and Cuba were maintained. During 1994 a mass exodus of migrants from Cuba again took place. The U.S. Government did not want a repeat of the 1980 Mariel Boat Lift so interdiction operations were begun in the Florida Straits. The Coast Guard found itself engaged in two major operations occurring at the same time. A total of forty-six cutters and fifteen aircraft were involved in these operations.

Search and rescue continued to be a primary responsibility of Coast Guard aviation during this period. The commissioning of Coast Guard Air Station/Group Humboldt Bay marked the completion of the Aviation Development plan initiated in 1962. Ten new Air Stations had been added, five had been relocated, and two decommissioned. Frank Erickson’s idea of Coast Guard Stations equipped with helicopters on the maritime coasts of the United States had come to pass. The capability of the helicopter increased exponentially. The HH-52 had come on board followed by the HH-3F. These were followed by the HH-65 and the HH-60J. The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program established in 1984 has been an outstanding success. The Rescue Swimmers have performed some truly remarkable feats. A copy of the first Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to a Rescue Swimmer is included within the Rescue Swimmer entry in this section of the timeline. Narratives of specific heroic exploits of Coast Guard aircraft crewmembers are much too vast a subject for presentation in this type of format but the magnitude of their achievements is amazing. Individual recognition awards may be view on the Coast Guard Pterodactyl website --- http://uscgaviationhistory.aoptero.org/ --- The Coast Guard does not break down rescue statistics into surface and aviation units but the combined statistics are astonishing. During the nineteen years, 1976 through 1994, the Coast Guard saved 101,729 lives and $48.5 billion dollars in property. These figures do not include the lives saved in the Mariel Boatlift of 1980 and the Alien Migrant Interdiction operations of 1993 and 1994.

In 1934, the Coast Guard Air Station St. Petersburg was commissioned at Albert Whited Airport located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Charged with Search and Rescue responsibilities, the Air Station became the base of operations for various amphibian aircraft and helicopters over the years. In 1976, to meet operational commitments, it was desired to place four HC-130 Aircraft in the southeastern geographic area of the United States. To accommodate this Air Station St. Petersburg was moved to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport 11 miles to the north.

Utilizing the HC-130 and the HH-3F helicopter the station provided search and rescue services, law enforcement patrols and logistics. During the initial ten year period a yearly average of 300 search and rescue cases were handled.

Clearwater became the Coast Guard’s largest Air Station in 1987 with the expansion of the drug interdiction mission. “Operation Bahamas. Turks, and Caicos” or OBBAT. This large ongoing mission resulted in the assignment of 12 HH-60J helicopters and an additional three HC-130 aircraft to support the increased law enforcement efforts. These operations boosted personnel strength to of over 500 men and women.

The Air Station is also home base for two AN/TRC-168 Emergency Communications Vans capable of a variety of communications. The units are normally transported by C-130 and their equipment can provide essential communications to any emergency organization. The vans are designed for continuous service under severe weather conditions and were deployed to assist in rescue relief efforts associated with hurricane Hugo, as well as other natural disasters.

Air Station Clearwater helicopter aircrews presently fly an average of over 400 Search and Rescue cases each year along the coasts of Florida, the Bahamas, and beyond. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater has a rich history, and its operations have been at the heart of significant events in Florida and the Caribbean for many years. In the early 80s, its high operations tempo earned Clearwater two Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Coast Guard Unit Commendation. It was during this time that the Air Station provided crucial support to the surface fleet during the Cuban boatlift. Shortly thereafter Clearwater answered the call to duty during operation URGENT FURY- the Grenada rescue mission, and was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation for its efforts. Later that same year a second Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation was awarded to the Air Station for OPERATION WAGON WHEEL, an international drug interdiction effort. In 1986 following on the success of the previous operation, Clearwater conducted OPERATION HUNTER. This drug interdiction effort planted the seeds for what is today's OPBAT.

The 90s were no less dramatic for the men and women of Clearwater. In 1991 unit C-130s responded rapidly to fly personnel and supplies in and out of the combat theater in support of operation DESERT STORM. During the Haitian uprising in 1992, Clearwater crews evacuated American embassy personnel and transported U.S. Special Forces into Haiti. When south Florida and Louisiana were devastated by hurricane Andrew, Clearwater crews flew missions round the clock transporting hundreds of tons of badly needed supplies. In March 1993 the "Storm of the Century" struck Florida leaving numerous sunken vessels in its wake. Air Station crews launched at the height of the storm and pulled 62 people from the water in what was the busiest search and rescue day in the Air Station history, In the summer of 1994 air crews participated in a massive SAR effort which located and rescued 34,568 Cubans and 23,389 Haitian migrants from the waters of the Caribbean.

In 1997 President Clinton announced a renewed effort towards the War on Drugs, and Clearwater responded as part of operations FRONTIER SHIELD, GULF SHIELD, and FRONTIER LANCE. Those operations were aimed at stemming the flow of illegal drugs and migrants and spanned from the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean to the southern coastline of Texas. The Coast Guard set new records for both drug seizures and arrests.

1976 – 200 mile fishing Zone established by Public Law 94-265 – The Coast Guard was given the responsibility for enforcement.

Public Law 94-265, also known as Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. It established a 200-mile fishery conservation zone, effective March 1, 1977, and established Regional Fishery Management Councils comprised of Federal and State officials, including the Fish and Wildlife Service. The concept of a fishery conservation zone was subsequently dropped by amendment and the geographical area of coverage was changed to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with the inner boundary being the seaward boundary of the coastal United States.

The Act provides for management of fish and other species in the EEZ under plans drawn up by the Regional Councils and reviewed and approved by the Secretary of Commerce. It provides for regulation of foreign fishing in the management zone under GIFA's (governing international fishing agreements) and vessel fishing permits. It also provides a mechanism for preemption of State law by the Secretary of Commerce.

The Coast Guard was given exclusive jurisdiction over the Fisheries Conservation Zone and provided the ships and aircraft and much of the manpower to staff the sensing equipment and the command and control function of operations. The National Marine Fisheries Service, which is primarily concerned with gathering management and scientific data, assisted in enforcement. The State Department has also played an important role in fisheries law enforcement. The State Department negotiated the various treaties and international agreements, and in the past, any foreign fishing vessel was seized only after coordination with the Secretary of State. A close liaison between the State Department and the Coast Guard was needed since any interference with foreign shipping, warranted or not, could certainly affect U S relations.

HC-130 "Hercules" making identification

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no “200-mile” limit within which foreign fishermen are forbidden. Foreign governments apply for permits which enable their vessels to conduct a direct fishery for an allocation of certain species. Vessels are required to check in and out of designated areas with the Coast Guard District by radio. The area encompassed by the 200-mile-wide band surrounding the United States and its possessions adds up to 2.5 million square miles of ocean and contains an estimated 20 percent of the world’s fishery resources. In order to enforce any regulation in any fishing area at any given time, fishing vessels must be classified as fishing according to the provisions of their permits and existing regulations or in violation of these controls; violators must be apprehended; and some prosecutor action must be taken.

Enforcement of regulations in the new 200-mile fishery zone is complicated by the size of the area and the fact that fishing is to be regulated not prohibited. It became readily apparent that, given the vastness of the area, Coast Guard aviation resources were absolutely essential to the operation. Surveillance and enforcement efforts concentrate on vessel and aircraft patrol operations in active fishing areas. A mix of long and medium range aircraft patrol the areas to monitor foreign fishing and coordinate with cutters on fishing patrols. The high and medium endurance cutter carry helicopters aboard. Additional flight hours were required and equipment to implement them was obtained. Four new HC-130 aircraft were purchased. As an interim measure four reactivated HC-131 were utilized as replacement aircraft to free up HU-16s to operate in the New England area. An additional HC-131 was utilized for patrols in the Gulf of Mexico area. The HC-131s were replaced by HU-25s when they came on board. Five HH-52 helicopters were assigned for deployment duties aboard Coast Guard cutters engaged in fishery patrols. Ten new HH-65 helicopters were procured to replace the HH-52s, resulting in a net increase of five Short Range Recovery helicopters in the Coast Guard inventory.

The “active fishing areas” concept which focused efforts on those areas which had historically shown, or were known to possess sufficient quantities of fish to support commercial exploitation, were geographically designated as high threat areas. Responsibility is assigned by Coast Guard District. The remaining area of the fishery conservation zone is overflown on a situational basis.

* Northeast – CGD1 --Traditionally cod, flounder and haddock
* Mid-Atlantic – CGD5 – scallop fishing
* Southeast/Gulf of Mexico –CGD7 and CGD8 – shrimp
* Great Lakes – CGD9 Canadian commercial fishing vessel encroachments
* Pacific Coast- CGD11 and CGD13 – groundfish species and salmon
* Central/Western Pacific – CGD14 – migratory species such as tuna
* Alaska – CGD17 – Peak activities lasting several months – salmon, halibut, king crab.

The method of enforcement is by overt presence by both surface vessels and aircraft; a barrier patrol operation used to board vessels enroute to or from a fishing ground; and pulse operations in which assets are concentrated for a dedicated period and concentrated on a specific fishing fleet or low compliance to a particular regulation.

As an example; In 1978 the Western Aleutian salmon fishery attracted over 600 Japanese vessels to Alaskan waters during the summer. An additional monthly average of 300 vessels were engaged in year round operations in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. A six to ten hour HC-130 patrol originated daily from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak carrying a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) agent on board. During multiple runs at 150 knots and 200 feet of altitude the HC-130s zig-zagged over 1500 track miles of the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian chain, or Bering Sea. Identification of vessels was made by name and homeport and activity noted and recorded together with position, course and speed. The sighting was documented by a 35 mm camera. Comparison of sighting data was made with historical data from a “management information system” computer in Juneau. This enabled selective interception and boarding of high interest targets.

HH-52 Helicopter operating off a Coast Guard WHEC

HH-52 helicopters were deployed aboard 378-foot cutters arriving in Alaskan waters from the Pacific Coast and Hawaii. The HH-52s were equipped with lightlight airborne radar and guided by x-band transponders and shipboard TACAN. Normal HH-52 deployment was for a period of up to seventy days of continuous reconnaissance duty, greatly expanding the cutters surveillance capability and thereby increasing mission effectiveness. Acts of provocation were rare, but a ship’s boarding party boarding party was vulnerable during a tense confrontation between a cutter and a violator. It was generally recognized that the cutter and her main battery constituted an ample deterrent.

The doctrine of hot pursuit became unnecessary. Even citations issued by aircraft could result in stiff fines or revocation of permit. In 1983 for instance a HC-130 from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii made an aerial seizure when it ordered the Japanese fishing vessel Daian Maru #68 to sail to Midway Island to await a Coast Guard boarding team. The Captain complied.

Over the years the number of statutes the Coast Guard has been given enforcement responsibility for has continued to expand. Mission creep set in. The present program has expanded to additional marine environmental and conservation areas. The strategic plan to provide effective planning and use of resources to fulfill this expanded mission is known as OCEAN GUARDIAN.

1976: - The Marijuana War Begins -- The Coast Guard becomes the lead agency for maritime drug interdiction:

The start of maritime drug smuggling was prompted by a demand for marijuana in America that could not be met by the land supply from Mexico. Initially marijuana smuggling was conducted by a large number of entrepreneurs, usually Americans, using fishing vessels, sailboats and cabin cruisers. Florida was closest to the developing marijuana sources and the coast from Miami to Palm Beach was an ideal off-load area. Fishing vessels and cabin cruisers could make the run from South Florida to a supply point in Jamaica in forty-eight hours. Key West also became a major marijuana port of entry. There were over 400 shrimp and lobster boats home-ported out of Key West and hundreds of miles of mangrove shore line and countless small uninhabited islands that were perfect off-load sites for marijuana bales. The shrimp boats had the range for non-stop trips to Columbia and below-deck capacity to carry large amounts of marijuana. It was common for American shrimpers to transit to and from the shrimp grounds off Central and South America. The ability to make more than a year’s wages with one or two marijuana runs was more than many could resist.

Marijuana smuggling changed dramatically in the mid seventies. In 1975 the Mexican government agreed to an aerial drug crop eradication program using the herbicide 2,4-D. The primary goal was to spray the poppy fields to reduce opium production but was spread to marijuana resulting in a “poisoned’ supply. The Marimberos, as they called themselves, of Columbia’s North Shore, who had been in various smuggling operations for years, stepped into the void. In order to meet demand a substantial capacity increase, best provided by maritime transportation, was needed. The Marimberos expanded their operation from production and packaging to include transportation and distribution. A mother-ship concept, similar in operation to that used during Prohibition, was set up using coastal freighters. Marijuana smuggling became highly organized and the product was delivered in multi-ton quantities. The independent operator surrendered the trade to multi-national groups who had volume capabilities.

There was a great deal of reluctance on the part of some senior Coast Guard Officers to be become involved in drug interdiction. Many did not look favorably upon becoming a maritime police agency engaged in a program which at the time did not have a public consensus. The Coast Guard had been transferred to the Department of Transportation and the service was focused on its lifesaving and other missions. The historical roots of the organization, however, were in the enforcement of revenue laws. Despite this reluctance, the Coast Guard became the lead agency for maritime drug interdictin. Admiral Owen Siler, Commandant of the Coast Guard, during this early period, addressed profound changes in law enforcement at an unprecedented rate.

By 1976 large amounts of Columbian marijuana were reaching the United States in the mother-ships. These large vessels carried bulk shipments of marijuana to prearranged points off the U.S. Coast. The ships moored far enough away from shore to avoid notice, and off loaded their cargo to small boats and fishing vessels that could smuggle the drug ashore less conspicuously and avoid detection. During the early part of the year, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) aircraft flew surveillance flights up and down the coast of La Guajira, Columbia, a major embarkation point for marijuana smuggling operations. Ships were loaded right off the beach in a scene that resembled a World War II amphibious operation. Trucks ran between warehouses and the beach. Bales were loaded by means of floating platforms or directly up ramps to the vessels. The DEA aircraft identified the vessels and reported the information to the DEA’s El Paso Intelligence Center, which then relayed the information to the Coast Guard.

Typical 190 foot coastal freighter

The Coast Guard developed an interdiction system was developed whereby existing assets could be concentrated and intercept a transporting vessel prior to it reaching its destination. In order for a vessel, leaving the La Guajira Peninsula on the north coast of Columbia, to reach drop-off areas adjacent to the United States they had to transit one of four passages through the Islands of the Caribbean. These passages were referred to as choke points. Cutters took up station at a choke point. Helicopters were placed on flight- deck equipped cutters greatly increasing coverage and effectiveness. Fixed wing aircraft flew surveillance flights in support of the cutters. They also patrolled the potential drop points. Intelligence information provided by the DEA significantly increased the interdiction rate .

The Coast Guard efforts became increasingly effective and began to make serious inroads into the drug operations. The smugglers adapted their operations to counteract this. By 1980 Marijuana smuggling had evolved into a highly efficient business. Operations were conducted according to specialized divisions of labor and expertise. Off load coordinates were passed at the last minute utilizing alpha-numerical codes. Air surveillance was used by the smugglers to ensure an off load point where a Coast Guard cutter was not present and high speed chase boats would check out the off-load area just prior to the arrival of the mother-ship. Marijuana, once carried openly, now began to be transported in hidden compartments. In spite of this, the Coast Guard choke point strategy, utilizing a combination of aircraft and surface vessels, was able to interdict a growing number of smugglers before they got to their off-load points. This strategy became know as OPERATION STEEL WEB.

The use of foreign and stateless ships became the mode of operation. In order to take enforcement action against a foreign vessel a Statement of No Objection (SNO) was required. Under the terms of the 1958 Geneva Convention, one nations naval or Coast Guard unit must receive permission from another nations government to board the latter’s vessel on the high seas. The procedure to obtain this was cumbersome but the procedure had been developed in the 1960’s for foreign fishery enforcement boardings and the SNO was usually obtained within a few hours. If the vessel was determined to be stateless or if the Master of the suspect vessel gave permission to board, no SNO was necessary. If contraband was found after a consensual boarding, a SNO was necessary to seize.

A number of events, starting in 1980, provided significant help in interdiction efforts. The Biaggi Act (21 USC 955a) expanded U.S. jurisdiction over U.S. and stateless vessels and the Cuban boatlift ended thus freeing up Coast Guard resources. In December of 1981 Congress amended the Posse Comitatus Law to enable the military to give indirect assistance to law enforcement entities, including sharing of intelligence, use of military equipment and facilities, and training of civilian law enforcement personnel. Three former Navy salvage tugs were outfitted and commissioned as Coast Guard cutters and three Surface Effect Ships were obtained. In Miami, drug related crime had risen to the point were it finally caught the nations attention and President Reagan created the South Florida Task Force (SFTF) to coordinate the activities of all agencies involved in the drug war.

The Seventh Coast Guard district encompassing 1.8 million square miles of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and a portion of the Gulf of Mexico exercised operational control. In the period 1982- 1984 RADM D.C. “Deese” Thompson, USCG was Commander Seventh Coast Guard District and the SFTF coordinator. Secretary of the Navy John Lehman authorized the Navy to support the Coast Guard with air and surface surveillance, towing or escort of seized vessel, embarkation of Coast Guard law enforcement details on naval vessels, and logistic support to Coast Guard units. RADM Thompson went to COMPATWINGSLANT and briefed the P-3 community on what the Coast Guard was looking for. Their patrol tracks were modified to put them in the most likely areas for targets of interest. The P-3s carried a Coastguardsman onboard. Once the Navy units were committed they chopped to CCGD7 operational control. The Coast Guard LantArea sent additional high endurance cutters (WHEC) and medium endurance cutters (WMEC) and some patrol boats (WPB) from other LantArea districts. They also chopped in and chopped out. The Coast Guard, for the first time, was able to maintain an almost continuous presence at all choke points. C-130s were made available when not tasked for other operations. HH-52s were sent out with the WMECs and WHECs within the limits of availability and as rapidly as pilots could be qualified for night shipboard operations.

HC-130 on patrol

A number of the WMECs and WHECs were forced to take up station without a helicopter aboard. There were not enough helicopters in CGD7 to provide both SAR coverage and shipboard interdiction operations. Additional helicopters from other Coast Guard Districts were assigned on a temporary basis for specific periods of time but there was a reluctance on the part of the aviation community to regularly deploy them. Each helicopter temporarily assigned to a WMEC or WHEC for drug interdiction in CGD7 directly effected the mission capabilities of the units designated to deploy them. There had been significant mission creep with no additional aircraft and no funds to procure them. Commandant Hayes had just recently been in a battle with the Bureau of the Budget (OMB) whose intent was to drastically reduce the Coast Guard budget and civilianize major portions of it. There just was not enough aircraft to adequately cover the missions the Coast Guard had been given.

Standing; RADM "Deese" Thompson; Attorney General William French Smith, President Ronald Reagan, and Coast Guard Commandant James S. Gracey; are on the right of the picture; On the left is D7 Chief of Staff CAPT Allen Breed and in the foreground the Commanding Officer of the USCGC Dauntless, CDR

Despite political posturing, fears of a military takeover, continuing interagency rivalries, and differences in emphasis, the SFTF provided a degree of multi-agency coordination not previous obtained. The Vice President made regular visits and as SFTF coordinator RADM Thompson would brief him. President Reagan paid a visit in November 1982 to reassure South Florida that actions were being taken to coordinate a more effective effort against “drug smugglers and the narco thugs.” RADM Thompson as SFTF coordinator briefed him on board the USCG Dauntless moored at the USCG Base Miami Beach, Florida. Drew Lewis, the Secretary of Transportation, called RADM Thompson the day before the briefing to make it known that he did not want him pressing for more USCG resources and requested a copy of the Admiral’s brief. The Admiral told him that he was not speaking from a brief. RADM Thompson commented, “The briefing room was secure and there was no note taking, so we had a very fruitful and candid discussion of our strategy, tactics, and need for more assets for us and better cooperation from some of the reluctant agencies.”

The incentive to engage in large scale maritime marijuana smuggling operations was generated by the enormous profits that could be realized. Good grade Columbian marijuana was purchased at the supply end for $35 a pound. The cost of a pound of marijuana at wholesale in the Southeast United States averaged out at $450 a pound. The average mothership carried between 10- 15 tons of marijuana. A shipment of 24,000 pounds would generate a gross profit of almost 10 million dollars. The mothership had a Captain, an Engineer and depending on the size eight to ten crewmembers representing a cost of $350,000 for manning and operating expenses. Aircraft surveillance would run about $275,000. A chase boat and off-load boats would add another $250,000. Handlers and off-load storage another $200,000. A payment of 1 million went to a middleman. The principals still made $7.88 million on each successful two –to-three-week round trip.

Although it was not realized at the time, the years 1982-1983 marked the turning point in maritime drug interdiction operations. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces were created to go after key traffickers and their money sources. The SFTF concept was expanded and the National Narcotics Border Interdiction System (NNBIS) had been created bringing the Department of defense and the national intelligence community assets into the drug war. The Coast Guard manning choke points on a continuous basis with valuable assistance from the Navy, was becoming very effective in interdiction operations.

Drug interdiction on the West Coast was considerably different than the Caribbean and the Atlantic areas. There were no natural choke points that smuggling vessels had to pass through. Initially, off-shore drug patrols, using 82-foot and 95-foot patrol boats were regularly conducted. Admiral Gracey, COMPAC at the time, stated they were not effective so they were discontinued and reliance was placed on over-flight patrols conducted by aircraft. The homeports of the patrol boats were moved to locations that enabled them to arrive on scene rapidly if intelligence dictated or a suspected smuggler was spotted by an aircraft. He went on to say that occasional patrols were made to establish a presence. In addition C-130 aircraft were deployed to Howard Air Force Base in Panama and flew patrols along the Panamanian, Columbian, and Ecuador coasts looking for ships that fit the profile. When one was found it was trailed until a destination was established. This was possible with the existing limited assets because the drug smuggling was not near as intense as in the Caribbean.

The total maritime marijuana seizure statistics for the period 1977 through 1982 compared to 1975 reflects the tremendous increase in marijuana smuggling. It also indicates the increase in U.S. interdiction efforts. In 1978 almost 3 million pounds of marijuana was interdicted and 115 vessels were seized. During 1980 the Coast Guard was actively engaged in alien migrant interdiction but marijuana seizures remained high. During the last three months of the year 69 vessels were seized for a total of 101 vessels seized during the year. Seizures rose to 126 in 1981 and to 145 in 1982. The amount of marijuana seized also continued to increase peaking in 1982 at 3.5 million pounds. In 1983 there was 3.1 million pounds intercepted, 75% of which was intercepted in the Caribbean. The Coast Guard accounted for roughly 80% of that or 2.4 million pounds while seizing 99 vessels. The years 1984 and subsequent reflect the growing success of the interdiction forces efforts.

Note: Peter Bourne, President Carter's Special Assistant for Health Issues believed that Cocaine was not a health hazard. Emphasis of the DEA was on Heroin. The smuggling of cocaine grew exponentially when Carlos Lehder and the Medellin Cartel developed a sophisticated air smuggling operation through the Bahamas in 1980. This part of the cocaine smuggling operation is addressed under the OPBAT heading of the Time Line. It was not until 1983 that cocaine smuggling also became a maritime problem. The maritime drug interdiction went on the offensive in 1984 and this action is addressed in the Time Line under that heading. Coast Guard aviation flew maritime surveillance flights both fixed wing and shipboard helicopter since the beginning of the Coast Guards interdiction efforts.

Coast Guard air interdiction did not commence until 1987 and is addressed under that heading.

1976 – HC-131A - Obtained As A Medium Range Search (MRS) Interim Replacement Aircraft For The HU-16:

A full scale wing fatigue test was conducted to determine whether – or when -- major repair or replacement of the HU-16 Es wing would be required. The test was completed on October 31, 1968 and a wing service life of 11,000 flight hours was established. The Coast Guard explored the possibility of utilizing a mixed fleet of HH-3F helicopters and C-130s. It did not prove a viable option. In 1971 the Coast Guard Aircraft Characteristics Board convened to develop operating characteristics and performance requirements for the HU-16E replacement and established a requirement for forty-one MRS aircraft. The ever faithful “goat” had served long and well. Several multi-engine aircraft were leased for evaluation. As a result of the evaluations it was decided to obtain the North American Sabre Model 40. The Sabre had the cabin interior volume required; had an established history and as the T-39 was being procured by the military. The Decision was made to proceed with the issuance of a Military Interservice Procurement Request (MIRP) with the Navy acting as purchasing agent.

The decision to proceed with a non-competitive procurement drew some sharp industry and congressional criticism. The Commandant directed the cancellation of the MIRP and initiated a competitive two-step, formally advertised, procurement. The request for proposals went out in January of 1975. The HU-16Es were being taken out of service due to flight time limitations and it became apparent that an interim MRS aircraft had to be obtained. The Falcon HU-25A would become the MRS aircraft coming on line in July of 1979. The rest followed at the rate of one per month.

Beginning in late 1975, under the direction of Commander Art Wagner, a search for an interim MRS replacement began. A business jet lease option was evaluated but none had the proper assets and the cost was high. Airline Turbo Props being replaced by jets were evaluated but the T-56 and Rolls powered Convairs were very high time as were the Viscounts and Fairchilds. An interim report was drawn up to that effect. The Commandant, Admiral Owen Siler, then contacted the Air Force and Navy and the Coast Guard was granted full access to anything stored at the Davis Monthan Storage Facility that met Coast Guard requirements.

There were a number of P2 aircraft but with R3350 engines, a Varicam stabilizer, two J85s on the wing, and they would have been costly to operate and maintenance intensive. There were a number of S2s with R1820 engines which would have been a good fit but they had come off Carriers and then sent to the training command. They were not in good shape and were limited on interior cabin space. There were a number of C-131s but they were of every version imaginable and it seemed there were no two alike in configuration. A check of the records, however, revealed that there were almost thirty former MedEvac C-131As, a version of the Convair 240/340 series commercial airliner, all with radar, all with APUs, and all identical in cockpit configuration. They averaged 20,000 flight hours on a 60,000 hour airframe and it was all airways flying. The Air Force was supplying support for the few remaining operational C-131 aircraft as was the Arizona Air Guard. In addition, it was discovered that there were approved plans for a camera hatch (became the drop hatch) and big windows in the side of the fuselage. It was a good fit. In 1976, the Coast Guard acquired seventeen C-131A transports from US Air Force stock as the interim replacement for the HU-16E Albatross. They were to be used for search and rescue flights as well as surveillance patrols of the new 200 mile exclusive fisheries zone. The Coast Guard refurbished and modified one aircraft per month from September 1976 through January 1978. Fourteen aircraft were acquired from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and three others were transferred from Air National Guard stocks. For spare parts, three other C-131As were held in reserve at Davis-Monthan and another was acquired for use at the training school located at ARSC Elizabeth City.

After initial flight trials, the Coast Guard modified the aircraft by adding specialized electronics and search and rescue equipment. Each aircraft first underwent an overhaul at Hayes International in Dothan, Alabama. They were then flown to ARSC Elizabeth City for Coast Guard-specific modification. The following electronic systems were added or if already installed, upgraded: AN/ARA-25 UHF/VHF (AM- FM) DF; AN/ARC-84 VHF transceiver; AN/ARC-94 HF transceiver; AN/ARC-160 VHF-FM transceiver; AN- ARN-44 LF ADF receiver; AN/APM-171 radio altimeter; AN/APN-195 radar; ADL-81 LORAN C receiver; and the necessary antennae. The following structural modifications were also made: installation of a drop hatch; the addition of a radio operator/navigator position and two positions for search-observers; an acoustic locator beacon known as "Pinger"; a mount for the airborne radiation thermometry (ART) sensor; and the reconfiguration of the cargo area.

As the modifications were completed, the aircraft then flew to the AVTRACEN in Mobile, Alabama, for crew and ground personnel for familiarization training. The aircraft were assigned to Coast Guard air stations Miami, Corpus Christi, San Francisco, Traverse City and AVTRACEN Mobile. The aircraft were retired as the new HU-25A entered Coast Guard service.

Manufacturer	Convair Aircraft Corporation, San Diego, California
Designation	HC-131A
Wing Span	105' 4"
Height	28' 2"
Length	79' 2"
Fuel Capacity	917 gallons (useable)
Cruising Speed	250 mph
Range	450 statute miles
Empty Weight	29,248 lbs.
Max Gross Weight	47,000 lbs.
Crew	3
Passengers/freight	27,000 lbs.
Service Ceiling	24,500'
Engine(s)	2 x 2,500 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-99W

In 1977 the Coast Guard Air station serving Southeast Alaska moved from Annette to Sitka which is more centrally located in the area of responsibility. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka is located on 165 acres of property owned by the Coast Guard. The physical plant consists of a hangar complex, a barracks/medical facility, a NAFA building, and fifteen family housing quadruplexes. The facilities are located immediately adjacent to the Sitka Municipal Airport and near the Mt. Edgecombe USPHS Hospital. Coast Guard floating units also tie up to a Coast Guard dock located on Japonski Island.

In March of 1977, the barracks and hangar were completed and the move of personnel and equipment began. On April 19 flight operations for three HH-3F Sikorsky helicopters were shifted to Sitka. On Alaska Day, October 17, 1977 CGAS Sitka was officially commissioned. As of 2004, Air Station Sitka’s aircrews have saved over 1,800 lives, assisted thousands of others, and saved several hundred million dollars in vessel property from the perils of the sea. The Air Station utilizes three HH-60J Jayhawk helicopters and has a complement of 21 officers and 120 enlisted personnel.

The area of operations remains all of Southeast Alaska from Dixon Entrance to Cordova. It is bordered on the north, south, and east by the US/Canadian border and shares its western boundary in the central Gulf of Alaska with CGAS Kodiak. This area of responsibility includes 12,000 of coast line and all inland areas. Rugged coast, mountainous terrain, severe weather and vast distances between fuel caches and landing sites characterize this isolated region. Flying in this challenging environment Sitka Crews average over 150 search and rescue cases a year, many completed in storm force winds, snow, low visibility and periods of extended darkness. In a "ready" status 24 hours a day for search and rescue, the crew and helicopters are also used to support 75 marine aids-to-navigation, fisheries law enforcement, enforcement of laws and treaties, and various other missions in cooperation with federal, state, and local government agencies. Additionally, the aircraft are often utilized for medevacs from outlying native communities and logging camps.

CGAS Sitka also participates in the maritime portion of Operation Northern Edge. This is an annual joint training exercise designed to practice operations, techniques, procedures and enhance inter- service operational capabilities. The Commander Coast Guard District 17 is dual hated and is also Commander Naval forces Alaska. The Harbor Defense segment of Northern Edge tests US Naval Forces Alaska units ability to deploy, secure, and defend a port for use by US Forces.

There have been several noteworthy operations in recent years. In 1980 one of the most successful air-sea rescues in modern history occurred when the Dutch cruise ship Prinsendam caught fire 195 miles west of Sitka. Sitka crews were part of a joint international rescue team with units from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, Canadian forces and commercial resources. In all, 13 aircraft, three Coast Guard cutters, and three commercial ships rescued the 522 passengers and crew within a 24-hour period without loss of life or serious injury. Sitka crews have also won national acclaim for several daring, lifesaving missions such as in the sinking of the fishing vessels Le-CONTE (1998) and BECCA DAWN (1999) during horrendous winter storms in the Gulf of Alaska. Aircrews battled 70-foot waves, severe turbulence, and darkness to save fishermen from the frigid waters. The professionalism, ingenuity, and unwavering devotion to duty displayed by the men and women of the Coast Guard continue to reflect great credit upon themselves, their unit and, the United States Coast Guard.

Station HH-60J helicopter on the ramp at Sitka. Mount Edgecomb is in the background. This is dormant volcano that looks identical to Japan’s Mount Fuji.

Coast Guard Group / Air Station Humboldt Bay was commissioned on June 24, 1977 at the Arcata-Eureka Airport in McKinleyville, CA. This completed a multi-year initiative by local residents to gain a year-round aviation search and rescue (SAR) facility for Northern California. Prior to 1977, an aviation detachment from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco provided air coverage during the summer season but the response time of over two hours was not fast enough for victims to survive in the 40-50 degree water commonly found along the north coast. Originally named Air Station Arcata, the Group / Air Station was redesignated to its current name in May 1982. The new $3.5 million facility also relocated boat station support offices from nearby Samoa to establish centralized command and control over all Coast Guard assets in the area.

Humbolt Bay, California is the latest in a series of harbors on the West Coast of the United States being developed as a deep water port to service the Pacific Rim and other international ports of call. Coast Guard Group / Air Station Humboldt Bay serves the public along 250 miles of rugged coastline from the Mendocino - Sonoma County line north to the California - Oregon border.

Cold Pacific currents, powerful Alaskan winter storms, towering offshore rocks, fog and dangerous harbor entrance bars consistently threaten commercial and recreational vessels operating in the area. The primary mission is search and rescue, and most cases are dramatic and lifesaving in nature. The Air Station also provides MEDEVAC support for injured personnel in the mountains surrounding the Group area. Secondary missions include aerial support for aids to navigation, law enforcement, and marine environmental protection.

The unique coastal airport location facilitates combining the best features of a Coast Guard Group, which traditionally oversees multiple boat stations along a few hundred miles of coastline, with a Coast Guard Air Station which typically serves one or more Groups. Group / Air Station Humboldt Bay, commonly referred to as Group Humboldt Bay for short, currently oversees 3 HH-65A helicopters, 2 Coastal Patrol Boats, and 4 motor lifeboats. An Aids to Navigation Team and a Marine Safety Detachment also serve the region. Twenty-two officers and over 170 enlisted personnel operate these various facilities located at Cresecent City, McKinleyville, Samoa, Eureka, and Fort Bragg, California.

In the early years of Coast Guard Aviation the US Coast Guard trained its enlisted aviation personnel at Navy schools. There was a restructuring of aviation enlisted ratings after World War II and in 1949 the initial aviation training “A” schools moved from San Diego to the Naval Training Center, Memphis, Tennessee. The Coast Guard continued to utilized the Navy schools with the exception of the Aviation Machinist's Mate (AD) "A" school. The Coast Guard established its own AD “A” school at the Aircraft Repair and Supply Center (ARSC) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. An AT "A" school was established at ARSC in 1964.

In August 1972 the Office of Personnel, Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC, commissioned an in-depth study of the aviation technical training needs of the Coast Guard. Aircraft and aircraft equipment had increasingly become Coast Guard specific. There also existed a difference in maintenance philosophies between the two services. The Navy taught the 3M system which the Coast Guard did not use and the “A” school graduates did not see a Coast Guard aircraft until they reached their first Air Station as an E4 Petty Officer. The study, under the direction of CDR George Krietemeyer, concluded there was a need for Coast Guard specific aviation technical training conducted at a common training site. The concept was approved by the Commandant and money was appropriated in FY 76 Budget.

CDR Krietemeyer remained close to the project and became director of the newly created Aviation Management Branch at Coast Guard Headquarters.

Construction of the Coast Guard Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC) began in July of 1976 at Elizabeth City North Carolina. CDR Krietemeyer was transferred to AR&SC to oversee construction and operate the AD and AT schools. A selected cadre of AE and AM instructors was assigned to develop Coast Guard AE and AM curricula. The unit, with CDR Krietemeyer as Commanding Officer, was commissioned on August 4, 1978. All of the “A” schools previously held at ARSC were moved to the new facilities and the newly developed Coast Guard AE and AM schools were established. In addition, selected advanced technical “C” school courses were also established.

The Aviation Survivalman Survivalman (ASM) "A" School was added to the ATTC curriculum in 1980. Throughout the years, numerous "C" Schools offering advanced training in aviation maintenance have been added and removed at ATTC to keep pace with the changing aircraft and maintenance support requirements of Coast Guard aviation. The Coast Guard transitioned to Performance Based Training, which emphasized rapidly changing curricula to keep pace with technology.

Coast Guard Aviation Technical Training Center

In 1995 the Coast Guard undertook another service-wide study of the aviation maintenance requirements which resulted in a complete restructuring of the enlisted aviation workforce. In October 1998 ATTC began training and graduating petty officers in three newly created aviation ratings: Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT), Aviation Survival Technician (AST), and Avionics Technician (AVT). These advanced schools reflect the high degree of complexity associated with current aviation maintenance. Since December 2003, aviation rates are represented in the “A” School curricula with courses of instruction approximately 20 weeks in duration. While at “A” School, students are introduced to a regimen of technical and personal challenges designed to develop their rate and leadership skills. Upon graduation students with a new aviation rating in either Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT), or Aviation Survival Technician (AST), or Avionics Electrical Technician (AET) are assigned directly to active air stations. Students at “C” School are experienced technicians who receive in-depth training on specific components or systems as required to address particular needs of Coast Guard aviation.

Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMT) are trained to perform ground handling and servicing of aircraft and conduct routine aircraft inspections and aviation administrative duties. AMTs inspect, service, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair aircraft engines, auxiliary power units, propellers, rotor systems, power train systems and associated airframe and systems specific electrical components. They also service, maintain, and repair aircraft fuselage, wings, rotor blades, fixed and movable flight control surfaces, aircraft bleed air, hydraulic and fuel systems. Additionally, AMTs perform flight duties in the following Aircrew Positions: Flight Engineer, Flight Mechanic, Loadmaster, Dropmaster, Sensor Systems Operator, and Basic Aircrewman. AMTs assigned to HH-65A Air Stations can expect shipboard deployments for various periods of time.

Avionics Technicians (AVT) perform ground handling and servicing of aircraft and conduct routine aircraft inspections and aviation administrative duties. AVTs inspect, service, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair all avionics systems that perform functions of communications, navigation, collision avoidance, target acquisition, and automatic aircraft flight control systems. AVTs also service, maintain, troubleshoot repair and adjust AC and DC power generation, conversion and distribution systems and aircraft batteries. Additionally, AVTs perform duties in the following Aircrew Positions: Navigator, Radio Operator, Sensor Systems Operator, and Basic Aircrewman. AVTs assigned to HH-65 Air Stations can expect shipboard deployments for various periods of time.

Aviation Survival Technicians perform ground handling and servicing of aircraft and conduct routine aircraft inspections and aviation administrative duties. ASTs inspect, service, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair cargo aerial delivery systems, drag parachute systems, aircraft oxygen systems, helicopter flotation systems, dewatering pumps, survival equipment for air-sea rescue kits and special purpose protective clothing. They also store aviation ordnance and pyrotechnic devices. ASTs provide all aircrew survival training to aviators such as swim tests, survival lectures and shallow water egress training. Aviation Survival Technicians function operationally as Helicopter Rescue Swimmers and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) Basic. ASTs may find themselves being deployed into a myriad of challenging rescues ranging from hurricanes and cliff rescues, to emergency medical evacuations from ships at sea.

Following graduation from ATTC, ASTs must graduate from the Coast Guard Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) School in Petaluma, California prior to becoming fully qualified AST/Rescue Swimmers. Other aircrew positions include Dropmaster, Loadmaster, Sensor Systems Operator. and Basic Aircrewman. ASTs assigned to HH-65 Air Stations can expect shipboard deployments for various periods of time.

As a prerequisite to attending “A” school all prospective students are required to complete a four-month Airman program at an air station. “A” school courses vary from 16 to 20 weeks. Upon course completion, and if all other requirements are met, graduates are transferred to operational air stations as Third Class Petty Officers (E-4). ATTC “C” Schools provide advanced/specialized training for more experienced technicians. “C” School students receive in-depth training designed to address specific needs of the field. At present, ATTC provides five different AMT “C” School courses on specific airframes and power plants, as well as HH-60 and HH-65 helicopter Rotor-Tuner training. AVT “C” Schools offer include basic Air Navigation and three airframe specific avionics system courses.

A fine-tuning of aviation maintenance occurred in 2003 when some of the electrical maintenance responsibilities of the AMT were assigned to the AVT rating. These changes prompted a rating designation change of the AVT rating to AET; Avionics Electrical Technician.

The training Center is composed of four modern structures that contain twenty classrooms, five maintenance/electronic labs, instructional aircraft and maintenance training units, engine, metal, composite classrooms. There are also state-of-the-art ‘Hot” mock-ups, a computer media center and swimmer training facilities. A staff of six officers, seventy enlisted and five civilians provide apprentice level ("A" School) and journeyman level ("C" School) training to nearly 700 of the Coast Guard's aviation maintenance personnel yearly.

ATTC provides a number of additional training related services including analysis , design, development, and evaluation of resident and non-resident courses and the development of all service wide exams. These services support the Office of Aeronautical Engineering, the Office of Aviation Management and the Office of Training and Performance Consulting. Career development programs such as obtaining FAA Airframe and Power Plant (A&P) certificates are available. There are advanced education programs available whereby qualified enlisted personnel may obtain associate and baccalaureate degrees. ATTC continuously evaluates the training needs of aviation personnel, examining the feasibility of hosting courses and providing training materials and other means to expand training capabilities and effectiveness.

Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento was commissioned on the fifth of September 1978. It is located at the north end of the former McClellan Air Force Base. Air Station Sacramento was established as an outgrowth of Air Station San Francisco when available ramp space and an increase in the number of aircraft required that the fixed-wing contingent be relocated. With a complement of 153 officers and enlisted personnel operating four HC-130 "Hercules" aircraft, Air Station Sacramento is under the operational and administrative control of the Commander, Twelfth Coast Guard District.

Air Station Sacramento participates in a wide range of Coast Guard missions. Primary among them and perhaps most widely known is Search and Rescue. The Air Station maintains a 24-hour immediate response capability, with a "ready" Search and Rescue crew on duty at all times. Search and rescue coverage is provided for the Eastern Pacific Area, the entire west coast of the United States, areas west of Canada, and south along the Baja California coast.

Other missions of Air Station Sacramento are Marine Environmental Protection and Federal Law Enforcement. These efforts include fisheries patrols in support of the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act of 1976 and law enforcement patrols aimed at enforcing the 200-mile limit and combating the ever-increasing problem of drug smuggling.

Law enforcement patrols are flown year-round and are coordinated with Coast Guard cutters allowing a greater geographic area to be more thoroughly covered. As many as six or eight Coast Guard cutters may be coordinated into a patrol. The aircraft extends the ‘eyes’ of the ship while patrolling not only coastal waters, but shipping lanes and fishing grounds miles at sea. The ship provides a boarding capability should a violation be detected.

Another major area of responsibility of Air Station Sacramento is that of providing transportation for the Pacific Strike Team, the Coast Guard’s oil spill prevention and containment team on the west coast. Located at Hamilton Field, the Strike Team is immediately alerted in the event of an oil spill, responding to provide expert assistance in containment and cleanup of environmentally damaged areas. Air Station Sacramento further supports the many missions of the Coast Guard by performing logistics flights between the stations, carrying essential cargo and passengers on an ‘as- required’ basis. Also, the Coast Guard’s Long Range Aids to Navigation System is frequently checked for accuracy by LORAN monitor flights over both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Aircrews are constantly conducting training flights to maintain proficiency in the basic airmanship and Search and Rescue techniques that so often result in the saving of lives and property at sea.

:Lockheed HC-130H "Hercules" on the ramp Air Station Sacramento

The HC-130 operated by Air Station Sacramento is one of the most versatile aircraft in the world today. Four powerful turboprop engines enable short field take-offs and landings, as well as a respectable cruise speed of 290 knots. The HC-130’s fuel capacity allows for covering long distances as well as extended on- scene endurance in the event of long searches or emergencies at sea. Visibility, an extremely important factor in any search, is excellent.

The aircraft’s high maximum weight allowance and large cargo compartment permit handling of a wide variety of cargos. An aft ramp and door may be opened in flight, allowing aerial delivery of cargo or emergency equipment. All in all, the HC-130 is an extremely versatile and reliable aircraft, well-suited to the multiple mission needs of Coast Guard aviation.

During 1977 an acquisition program was launched to provide the Coast Guard with a new Short-Range- Recovery (SRR) helicopter by early 1980. A Request for Technical Proposals (RFTP) was issued in September of 1977 with a Coast Guard decision on the new machine planned for August of 1978. Helicopter manufacturers who responded to the request were Textron Bell Helicopter with a utility version of its Model 222, Sikorsky Aircraft with a version of its S-76 Spirit, and Aerospatiale with a modified version of its AS 365.

The Bell 230 was relatively small and had old technology; Sikorsky proposed a different avionics package than what the Coast Guard wanted and would not modify their proposal. The 366G (SA-365) was 75% composite, including rotor head, blades and fuselage, with a much higher speed than both competitors. The Coast Guard version of the SA 365 was designed to be equipped with Lycoming engines which claimed marvelous specifics. The Aerospatiale proposal was accepted.

The Coast Guard contract specifications reflected a very ambitious schedule. The helicopter was to be FAA-certified under Part 27.

The airframe, a derivative of the basic Sud Aviation SA 365A, was considered a new airframe and thus required a Type Certificate (TC). The Lycoming LTS-101 engine, replacing the AS365 Turbomeca Arriel engine, was also new and thus needed its own TC. The Aerospatiale aircraft, now designated AS366G, was considerably smaller than the HH-52 it was to replace and space for all equipment was at a premium. The Coast Guard provided an Avionics Specification detailing the capabilities and in many cases the exact equipment to be used. The helicopter was to be certified for single-pilot IFR flight and be the first helicopter so certified with a four-axis autopilot. Military Specifications for virtually every aspect of naval helicopter operations were imposed on top of all of the requirements.

The Coast Guard Plant Office for the SRR contract was established soon after the contract was awarded in 1979. CDR Dave Young was the original Commanding Officer. Aerospatiale’s original facilities were located at the Vought Helicopter Corporation which operated for a short period as a licensee of Aerospatiale. In late 1980 Aerospatiale built its own plant facilities at Grand Prairie, Texas. The unit functioned as the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) for the program and was provided dedicated space. The assigned personnel were involved from the beginning, attending not only the formal program reviews but visiting Aerospatiale Helicopter Division in France, Lycoming, Rockwell Collins, and the FAA lead region for helicopter certification. The formal reviews consisted of a post award meeting, a Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR) and monthly program/progress reviews.

In an effort to gain early Coast Guard approval of the proposed configuration, Aerospatiale fabricated a full-sized mockup for use at the CDR. The cockpit was fairly well designed and was modified by inputs received during reviews at Rockwell Collins and the PDR. In addition, various equipment such as the litter, rescue basket, trail line, float lights, and pumps were utilized to allow crew members to work through the necessary cabin operation scenarios. The interface between the hoist operator and his various controls received considerable input that was incorporated into the final configuration. The use of the mockup enabled the contractor and major vendors to rapidly move out with prototype builds. Three helicopters were used in flight tests. Two were flown to obtain certification in France and then through reciprocity the FAA certification. The third was used in the United States to prove the avionics installation. Eventually all three were flown out of Grand Prairie.

As the program progressed, personnel became involved in component development, testing, and conformity to specification as the aircraft went down the production line. Coast Guard aviators eventually took over the test program. The Coast Guard enlisted personnel participated in all phases as well. They went through maintenance procedures and manuals and performed ground tests on all aircraft and support equipment.

The first of ninety-six HH-65s was delivered to the Coast Guard in November of 1985.

During the production years the relationship between Aerospatiale and the Coast Guard became a contentious one. The benefits of an open and frank exchange and negotiating for a better product were not recognized. The Coast Guard Plant Office, under guidance from Headquarters, refused to depart from any specification, standard or requirements regardless of circumstances. Aerospatiale filed a claim against the Coast Guard. The Plant Office eventually moved off the facility and awards were made to the company.

The HH-65 had only one major fault. The LTS 101-750 did not meet the manufacturer’s claims resulting in an underpowered aircraft. The Coast Guard litigated against AVCO Lycoming for grossly deficient performance of the HH-65s LTS101-750 engine. Seventeen Million was awarded the U.S. Government but of particular benefit to the Coast Guard was a six year Power by the Hour (PBTH) overhaul and service agreement provided by AVCO Lycoming. The LTS 101-750 engine is now being replaced by the more powerful Turbomeca Arriel 2C2-CG and the HH-65 will undergo a service life extension and become the Multi-Mission Cutter Helicopter.

1980: Mariel Boatlift -- U. S. Coast Guard Operations During the 1980 Cuban Exodus

A huge Cuban refugee exodus took place in 1980. The reason is deeply rooted in that nation's internal affairs. After the Cuban Revolution in 1959 a steady flow of Cuban immigration took place as Castro moved deeper and deeper into the communist fold. This was temporarily halted by the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1965, as economic conditions continued to deteriorate and opponents of government policies increased, Castro announced that the port of Camarioca would be opened to Cuban exiles who wished to return to Cuba to pick up relatives desiring to leave Cuba. This boatlift was terminated after President Johnson negotiated a safer and more orderly use of commercial aircraft for the transportation of refugees. These flights continued until August of 1971. A total of 263,540 Cubans came to the United States during this period. In April 1980 the Castro regime again initiated a large scale emigration to reduce discontent caused by Cuba’s deteriorating economic conditions. The exodus grew in magnitude to a point where it seriously taxed the ability of the United States to accommodate it.

On 1 April 1980 a group of six Cubans crashed the gate of the Peruvian Embassy and requested asylum. Castro exploited the incident and announced the gates to the embassy would remain open to all who wished to leave Cuba. By 6 April there were over 10,000 Cubans crowded onto the grounds of the Embassy. Castro had not expected this number and found himself boxed in. He was experiencing considerable negative publicity but realized the situation was an excellent opportunity to initiate another boatlift. Shrewdly he made contact with the Cuban exile community and let it be known that if they came by small boat to the port of Mariel they could pick up relatives along with the refugees from the Peruvian Embassy. Castro’s message to the Cuban exile community came through loud and clear. On 21 April two fishing vessels arrived in Key West with forty-eight Cuban refugees. The next day additional refugees arrived and during radio interviews they stated that the Cuban government had opened the port of Mariel to those wishing to leave. By 24 April there were close to 400 boats in Mariel harbor waiting to pick up refugees.

HC-131 Aircraft

The United States Coast Guard's Seventh District, commanded by Rear Admiral Benedict L. Stabile, knew they were going to have a search and rescue problem to deal with. The question was: How large? Surveillance flights began 24 April from Air Station Miami utilizing HC-131 aircraft in the area south of Key West and twice daily patrol flights became routine. An estimated 11 vessels had safely crossed to Cuba and had returned with over 700 refugees, disembarking at Key West or Miami. Nearly one thousand craft were observed southbound on the afternoon of the 24th. At least twenty could be seen from the patrolling aircraft at any given moment. For the most part, these were Cuban-Americans who owned their own boat; typically a 20 to 40 footer primarily equipped for local pleasure boating. Those that did not have boats were paying large sums to small craft operators, such as shrimpers, to bring back relatives.

At the end of April the Cuban Government reported over 1700 vessels were in the port of Mariel. The Coast Guard responded to distress calls on a case by case basis. Within a 21- hour period, Group Key West assisted sixteen craft and had a waiting list of twenty boats which had suffered mechanical failures and needed assistance. In addition to the Groups three patrol boats the cutters Acushnet (WAGO-167), Dauntless (WMEC-624), and Dependable (WMEC-626), the latter with a HH-52 helicopter embarked, patrolled the general area.

Recognition that the problem was going to grow was immediate. A request for supplemental assistance was made to the Atlantic Area Commander who ordered additional units transferred to the operational control of the Seventh District. The units consisted of two additional HC-131s with double crews; an HH- 3F with double crew assigned to Group Key West; two HH-52 aircraft assigned for shipboard operations; four additional cutters and three additional patrol boats. The Coast Guard mission was to provide maximum protection for refugee vessels transiting between Florida and Cuba. The SAR workload continued unabated. Helicopters and surface ships coordinated efforts for maximum effectiveness. By the end of April the volume of cases had become so heavy that accurate records could not be kept. It was not uncommon for a cutter to have five or six boats in tow and a number of survivors on board from swamped boats. During one 24-hour period the cutter Dauntless picked up 131 persons from six overloaded boats, two of which were disabled. Diligence had six craft in tow, was escorting two others, and had twenty-three persons on board from a sunken vessel.

Mariel Boatlift Processing

Governor Bob Graham, in response to the rapidly expanding refugee problem had declared Florida a disaster area by the end of April. During the first two weeks of May the number of refugees arriving Key West had approached 5000 a day. The number of Immigration Service Officers had increased to fifty and an additional one-hundred Border Patrol Officers were assigned to the area. The refugee processing facilities were completely overwhelmed. Initially, Customs, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the US Public Health Service and other involved government agencies worked independently of each other and often agency efforts were duplicated. The agencies quickly realized that a coordinated effort with guidance and approval authority at the local level was the only way the escalating situation could be handled. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was assigned to coordinate the efforts of nine different government agencies and five private organization and charities. FEMA quickly recognized that Key West could not accommodate the continuing influx of refugees. Expeditious relocation of the refugees off the Island was critical. A logistical and transportation system capable of transporting up to 10,000 people a day out of Key West was developed.

By the middle of May emphasis was being placed on bringing order to the boatlift and stopping the flow of refugees. The revised Coast Guard Operations Order of May 15 contained an additional mission. Units were to be heavily engaged in law enforcement as well as Search and Rescue operations.

In addition to preventing the loss of life, Coast Guard units were directed to interdict southbound boats for the purpose of curtailing the sea lift; to ensure that all northbound arrivals terminate at Key West for processing; and to provide all concerned agencies with up-to-date and accurate intelligence on vessel movements. The Seventh District staff realized that a timely system for detecting and reporting southbound vessels was critical to reducing the flow of refugees. Coast Guard fixed wing search aircraft – HC-131s from Air station Miami and HC-130s from Air station Clearwater and Air station Elizabeth City - flew surveillance flights. Navy long-range P-3 aircraft from Naval Air Station Jacksonville augmented the Coast Guard flights. The Seventh District’s Operation Division coordinated patrols for fixed-wing aircraft; Group Key West scheduled coastal surveillance patrols for HH-3F and HH-52A helicopters operating out of NAS Key West; Flight deck equipped cutters scheduled flights for their own attached HH-52A helicopters. To facilitate the increased aviation activity, two additional HC-131, two HH-3F helicopter, and five additional HH-52A helicopters, four of which were deployed onboard flight-deck equipped cutters, were assigned from other aviation units.

Shipboard HH-52 patrolling Florida Straits

Group Key West was under the command of LCDR Sam Dennis. Key West was the primary departure and arrival point for the exile boats making the trip to Mariel and back. The SAR responsibility was along the coast out to 30 miles offshore. The group had quadrupled in size and operated and supported an imposing group of additional resources consisting of 110-foot, 95-foot and 82-foot patrol boats, and a large number of 41-foot utility boats. To assist with coastal rescue and surveillance, an HH-52A and two HH-3F Coast Guard helicopters were also assigned.

As the tempo of operations continued to increase, with no let up in sight, the Group Commander, burdened with increased responsibilities, needed assistance in coordinating and maintaining air assets at his disposal. On 20 May 1980 the Coast Guard Aviation Detachment (AVDET) came into being with LCDR Mont J. Smith assigned as “Aviator-in-Charge.” The detachment consisted of an aircraft maintenance officer, an enlisted maintenance supervisor, four HH-3E flight crews, three HH-52A flight crews, and three seven-man maintenance support sections. NAS Key West provided ramps space, limited office space and messing for Coast Guard personnel. Ground support equipment was obtained from CGAS Clearwater and a supply network was set up with CGAS Miami, CGAS Clearwater and the Coast Guard Aviation Repair and Support Center (AR&SC) at Elizabeth City, N.C. AVDET Key West grew into an “ad-hoc” air station -- one of the busiest in Coast Guard history -- significantly contributing to the successful response to the Mariel Exodus. A more detailed account of the creation and operation of the Key West AVDET is addressed at the end of this narrative.

The Cuban exile community became aware that Castro had used them. The make-up of the people leaving Cuba was different than in previous years. During the Mariel Boatlift more than 20,000 men were forced to leave Cuba without their families; an extremely small percentage of the refugees were related to those in the exile community; close to 2000 of the 126,000 refugees were convicted felons and an estimated 3000 Cuban Intelligence Service agents, given a variety of assignments, entered the United States.

M/V Red Diamond

On 2 June, the Coast guard encountered a new situation when the 118-foot M/V Red Diamond departed Mariel, escorted by three Cuban vessels, with hundreds of people on board. The Coast Guard was ordered to prevent the vessel from coming to Florida. When the Coast Guard cutters Dallas, Acushnet and Cherokee began to force the Red Diamond to change course the Cuban escort threatened to make a serious international incident. At 4 pm that afternoon the Coast Guard cutters were ordered to allow Red Diamond to proceed to Key West. The Justice Department said the decision had been made “for humanitarian reasons.” Additional attempts at this type of operation continued. The United States recognized the threat of large commercial vessels capable of transporting thousands of people. Fortunately, diplomatic efforts persuaded Panama and other flag states to pressure Cuba into rejecting their ships for the boatlift. Vessels were stopped before sailing for safety violations and those that did go and return were seized.

On 25 September 1980 the Coast Guard Cutter Point Thatcher was patrolling north of Mariel. A look at the cutters radar screen showed a series of blips on the radar screen departing the harbor entrance. By the next morning it had been confirmed that none of the 58 boats carried refugees. The boat crews told the Coast Guard that they had been forced to leave by the Cuban government. The 159-day boatlift was over! There were 600 stranded refugees who had already been processed that were flown out later. RADM Stabile and staff, with Captain Raymond J. Copin as Chief of Operations, did an outstanding job. The task at hand was huge and they were forced to react to an ever changing situation orchestrated by Fidel Castro as well as an initial lack of a coherent policy on the part of the Administration. They opted to augment existing staff components and operational forces within the already established organization. Augmentation allowed the people most knowledgeable, having the greatest familiarity with the area and resource capabilities, to direct the operation on a day to day basis. This proved to be a wise decision. Operational authority was vested at the lowest level possible and was supported up through the chain of command providing a great degree of flexibility and the ability to meet the ever changing requirements. Jack Watson, President Carter’s Chief of Staff said “The Coast Guards response was outstanding, from the top of the organization to the boat operators on the scene --- ‘Semper Paratus’ was exactly right. The Coast Guard was ready and they had the flexibility to get the job done – they were creative in solving problems.”

This was a large operation. The Coast Guard utilized twenty-two large cutters, eleven 95-foot patrol boats, twenty-six 82-foot patrol boats and twenty-one 42-foot utility boats during this operation. The Navy provided fourteen additional ships and aircraft from four aviation units. This effort also saw the greatest concentration of Coast Guard aircraft ever. Aviation resources were critical to the Coast Guard response to the exodus. Aircraft and aircrews were provided from fifteen Air stations. An additional eleven Air stations provided supplemental crews. There were a total of thirty-three fixed-wing aircraft and thirty-six helicopters that flew a total of 9,026 mission hours without an accident. Over 126,000 refugees crossed the Straits of Florida in craft that were marginal and in various states of disrepair. Amazingly there were only forty-five known fatalities. This is directly attributable to the talent and professionalism of those personnel working the air and sea. Over 1,300 separate SAR cases were reported. This is an impressive number considering that there was a period at the end of April when the Coast Guard was too busy to record them. Thousands of lives were saved. This operation stands out in Coast Guard annals as one of the Service’s greatest achievements.

Aviation resources proved to be critical for boatlift operations. HC-131 Convairs from Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Miami flew the first surveillance flights providing data to help evaluate the developing situation. As the pace increased, HH-52 helicopters were deployed upon the increasing number of Coast Guard cutters with flight deck capabilities. Additional fixed-wing assets were assigned to the Miami Air Station. By 5 May 1980 there were five surveillance flights made each day by HC-131 aircraft from CGAS Miami and HC-130 aircraft from CGAS Clearwater, augmented by Navy P3 aircraft from NAS Jacksonville. Initially all aviation support for helicopter operations was conducted out of CGAS Miami.

The shortest distance between Mariel and a port in the United States was across the Florida Straits to Key West. To assist with coastal rescue and surveillance and provide support for forces afloat, an HH-52 from CGAS Miami and two HH-3Fs, one from CGAS Clearwater and one from CGAS Elizabeth City were deployed to Coast Guard Group Key West. The helicopters at Key West were deployed from a parent air station as a pre-positioned SAR resource -- usually for a period of two or three days. Each carried a parts and service kit and obtained support from their air station.

On April 14 LCDR Mont Smith and LCDR Tom Burnaw arrived at NAS Key West as the CGAS Clearwater HH-3F replacement. They obtained a briefing from LCDR Jim Leskinovitch, an HH-52 pilot and the senior aviator from CGAS Miami. Both LCDR Leskinovitch and LCDR Burnaw were aircraft maintenance officers and Jim explained to Tom how NAS Key West had become a “drop point” for aviation resources. A number of HH-52s would come ashore from their assigned cutter, refuel, perform a 10-hour tail rotor maintenance check, re-supply with parts requested from their home air station, water wash the engine and proceed back to their ship. LCDR Smith and LCDR Burnaw analyzed the situation. Aviation assets were growing and operations were continuing without let up. The Group Commander, LCDR Sam Dennis, burdened with a rapidly increasing workload, needed assistance in coordinating the operation and maintenance of aviation assets. The three met to set up a structure that would provide logistical, maintenance, and operational support for aviation resources attached to his command. An OPLAN was drawn up and submitted to CAPT Ray Copin, CCGD7 Operations. He bought the plan and made it happen.

Coast Guard Aviation Detachment (AVDET) Key West came into being on 20 May 1980 with LCDR Mont J. Smith designated as “Aviator-in-Charge” (AIC) and staffed with an aircraft maintenance officer, an enlisted maintenance supervisor, four HH-3F flight crews, three HH-52 flight crews and three seven-man maintenance support sections. Allocated ramp space and a small office were acquired from NAS Key West. Ground support equipment and a temporary communications center were airlifted in from CGAS Clearwater. A supply network was established with the Coast Guard Aviation Repair and Supply Center (AR&SC) at Elizabeth City, N.C. whereby helicopter replacement parts would be furnished from stock at CGAS Miami and CGAS Clearwater; critical items normally available only from the inventory control point were expedited overnight by express delivery from AR&SC. Administrative supplies and equipment were obtained, messing provisions for attached personnel were arranged with NAS Key West, and billeting of personnel was contracted out to local motels.

HH-3F "Pellican" - LTJG Dick Wright with New Orleans crew

An aviation liaison officer, LCDR Jim Marcotte, was assigned to the Group Commanders staff serving as a link between the Group and the Seventh District Chief of Operations in Miami.

The CGD7 Chief of Operations worked with COMLANTAREA to arrange personnel and aircraft rotation cycles. Where in the past crews and aircraft had been deployed for two or three days they were now assigned to the unit, on a temporary basis (TAD), for periods of thirty to forty-five days. Supplemental crews were also provided. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) were developed and initiated. As the workload increased and augmentation crews came aboard you were apt to have found a Mobile aircraft commander with a Clearwater co-pilot and an E City enlisted flight crew flying a Borinquen helicopter. It all worked flawlessly --- a real credit to service-wide aircrew standardization. The AVDET aircraft averaged eight daylight hours of “boatlift” patrol in the Group Commanders area of responsibility. One HH-3F and one HH-52 were maintained on a 24-hour “Bravo Zero” SAR status. An additional HH-3F was kept on two hour standby.

AVDET Search and Rescue was on-going but of note was the launch of two HH-3Fs and one HH- 52 helicopters in darkness in the early morning hours of 17 May when a 30-root vessel carrying fifty-two Cuban refugees grounded and sank on a coral reef south of Key West. All fifty-two persons were hoisted to safety in an operation where twenty-three persons were hoisted by one HH-3F, twenty-two persons by another HH-3F and seven by the HH-52 in a simultaneous operation.

Capt William J Brogden, on the cutter Dallas, was the On-Scene-Commander surface vessels. He acted as the command-and-control ship and strung out 210 foot WMECs, with HH-52s aboard, on stations along the track line from Mariel to Key West. The HH-52s provided short-range reconnaissance and tactical SAR. The concentration of helicopter assets aboard mobile support platforms in a “target rich” environment provided a greater synergy and a high degree of effectiveness. Capt Brogden conducted conference calls to operating units every night on HF radio. LCDR Smith, as (AIC), participated in the net. He was briefed on operational requirements, logistical requirements, and ascertained aircraft maintenance and parts requirements. The shipboard helicopters had been deployed to a specific cutter --- but this was not the way to operate efficiently and effectively in the given situation. The option of cross-platform operations to other flight decks, including the Navy’s Amphibious Assault Vessel Saipan, was a requirement. In addition the WMECs were limited on aircraft fuel and freshwater for engine wash. The 10- hour rotor inspections were not labor intensive but could be difficult and sometimes dangerous because the rotor would extend out over the fantail when the helicopter was secured in the landing grid. A non-operational helicopter was of no value to the cutter --- so it evolved that the helicopters would come to the AVDET for maintenance and repair, water wash engines, and obtain a full load of fuel. The HH-52 assigned to Key West, was in many instances, utilized as an “operational spare.” HH-52 flight crews were assigned to helicopters, not necessarily their own, and deployed to where they were needed. Personnel and high priority cargo were routinely transported between ship and shore. The AVDET, in addition to providing Group SAR, had also become what the Navy would later call an AVLOGDET or “Aviation Logistics Detachment.”

All AVDET personnel were TAD. LCDR Mont Smith was relieved as AIC by LCDR Jack Stice who in turn was relieved by LCDR Bill Meininger. Here again planning was evident. Each had been assigned to the AVDET prior to being appointed AIC and each was familiar with the “Drill” prior to becoming AIC thereby providing continuity.

This was a truly remarkable operation. A group of LCDRs, strongly backed by CAPT Bob Whitley, Commanding Officer CGAS Clearwater and CAPT Ray Copin, CGD7 Chief of Operations, planned, established and operated an “ad-hoc” air station under the Group Commander with an operational workload as great or greater than any other aviation unit at the time. AVDET Key West was not a dedicated unit – it was operationally created by men of vision who were willing to operate outside the box and answer for it. The unit was exceptionally well run and highly effective. It became the model for future aviation deployments in support of alien and drug interdiction operations.

The Cuban exodus of 1980 changed the response to illegal immigration from the Caribbean. Skilled immigrants from Jamaica and Haiti, both Afro-Caribbean groups, arriving between 1965 and 1980 passed into American society almost unnoticed. The pre-1980 Cuban migrants received all kinds of state assistance facilitating incorporation and were highly successful, in large part because of the willingness of the existing Cuban exile community to absorb them. In the period between the 1980 Cuban exodus, until the terrorist attacks in 2001, immigration policies were shaped primarily by domestic concerns. Between 1970 and 1980 there were a little over 56,000 Haitians that immigrated legally and as many as 90,000 that immigrated illegally. The illegals transited 700 miles of open ocean in unseaworthy, overcrowded, sailing vessels and a number had drowned in the attempt to reach the South Florida beaches. Thousands had been arrested and detained awaiting deportation. Thousands more, who had either put up their lifelong savings or sold themselves into bondage to reach the United States, evaded the Immigration Service (INS) and were assimilated into a rapidly growing “Little Haiti” in Miami.

They were largely unskilled and from the rural sections of Haiti with an annual per capita income of less than $300 per year. A high incidence of HIV/AIDS infection compounded the problem. The economic impact on South Florida was staggering. By early 1981 almost $467K per day was being spent to care, feed, clothe, and provide medical attention for the illegal arrivals. The political pressure was intense to stop the flow. A September 23, 1981, agreement between the United States and the Republic of Haiti, permitted the United States to stop (interdict) boatloads of Haitians attempting to reach the United States and return them to Haiti. This Agreement provided the legal basis for President Reagan's September 29, 1981, finding (Presidential Proclamation Order 4865) and authorization (Executive Order 12324) for what became known as the Haitian Migrant Interdiction Operation (HMIO).The State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service established and promulgated procedures to block and deter smugglers bringing Haitians to the United States. The responsibility for implementing the program was given to the Coast Guard.

Lessons learned from the Mariel Exodus clearly showed that it would be much more effective to stop the flow of illegal immigration at the source and that the combination of air and surface assets was most productive. A force package of consisting of a High Endurance Cutter (WHEC) an HC-130 and two HH-52 helicopters, augmented with medical teams and Immigration Service personnel, was drawn up to patrol the international waters surrounding Haiti to identify, examine, board and interdict suspect vessels bound for the United States. The Coast Guard was already preparing an extensive drug interdiction campaign together with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Customs Service to thwart the lower Caribbean drug pipeline. The service piggy-backed the two operations.

WHEC Coast Guard Cutter Chase with HH-52 on board

Naval Air Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba was the most suitable site for aviation support to the On-Scene Commander, whose vessel would patrol the Old Bahama Channel and Windward Passage in an Arc around Port du Paix on the Haitian northwest coast. Extensive negotiations with the Commander, Naval Base Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba resulted in an excellent relationship under an Interservice Support Agreement (ISSA) to provide operations, maintenance, supplies and living accommodations for thirty-five Coast Guard aviation officers and enlisted personnel at NAS Leeward Point.

Utilizing the experience gained from AVDET Key West, representatives from the Seventh District Operations, Air Station Miami and Air Station Clearwater drafted detailed Operation Orders, well in advance, to delineate personnel tasking, a concept of daily flight support, a communications plan, and aircraft maintenance/supply procedures. Support for the operation was provided by the Seventh Coast Guard District with Air Station Clearwater providing operational and logistical support and Air Station Miami providing the helicopter maintenance support. HC-130 aircraft were deployed to GTMO (Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) from Air Station Clearwater on a weekly basis. While at GTMO they flew four to five hour surveillance patrols. During the initial period HH-52 helicopters and crews from Air Stations Traverse City, Brooklyn, Savannah and Miami rotated through the AVDET. Two HH-52s were attached to the AVDET at a time. The helicopters alternated between a week at sea onboard the WHEC and a week ashore at the AVDET for maintenance and logistical service to the cutter. The deployed helicopter ranged extensively throughout the flying area. Three C-130 loads of personnel, ground support equipment, a communications van, and an extensive HH-52/HC-130 spare parts allowance began to arrive in GTMO on 5 October 1981. Four days later USCG Aviation Detachment (AVDET) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba became an operational reality. The Aviator-in-Charge concept was again utilized and LCDR Mont J. Smith was assigned this responsibility.

A typical interdiction was similar to one which occurred in late October. An HH-52 sighted an unseaworthy and overloaded sailing vessel. The USCGC Chase intercepted and removed fifty-six Haitians from the now sinking thirty-five foot vessel. As soon as they arrived aboard the Chase, all were given medical examinations and then they were extensively interviewed by the Immigration Service Officer through the Immigration interpreter to determine if any had valid claims of asylum in the United States. None made claim for asylum and they were returned to Port Au Prince where they were met by officials of the Government of Haiti, the Haitian Red Cross and staff from the American Embassy. Commenting on the operation, CAPT Douglass Currier, the Commanding Officer of the Chase said that without the helicopter the interception would probably not have been made and the Haitians would have perished at sea. Coincidentally, interception and seizure of drug smuggling vessels had increased considerably since the beginning of the operation. By mid November the seizure of the fifth drug ship had occurred. The estimated street value of the contraband totaled more than $14 million. When the Chase was relieved on station in early December CAPT Currier sent a message to the AVDET, information to the Seventh District, praising the flight crews for their skill, dedication, support and professionalism displayed. The message included his personal BZ (Bravo Zulu - "Well Done").

The AVDET Guantanamo Bay was a continuing success. Once again the concept had been proven. During drug interdiction activities in 1984-85 an AVDET was established at Curacao. AVDET GTMO was used during the late ‘80s for air interdiction missions and again in 1994-95 during a peak interdiction period as well as a number of times since. The AVDET is maintained in a skeletal form and is fully activated when operations dictate. At present HU-25 aircraft are operating out of GTMO on interdiction missions and HH- 65 helicopters support the Coast Guard Port Security Detachment.

1982 -- Coast Guard and Department of Defense conducted joint evaluation of Lighter Than Air (LTA) aircraft:

Airship Industries Ltd. (UK) AI-500 airship

The Coast Guard and the United States Navy initiated a joint study to determine the feasibility of developing an airship to meet Navy and Coast Guard needs. Information to determine the efficiency of LTA craft was obtained from the Naval Air Development Center. NADC did a mission analysis comparison between airships and ships, aircraft, and ship/aircraft teams needed to accomplish the same mission. NADC used a specially written computer program to estimate the operating cost of airships. These findings were combined with known data obtained from Coast Guard mission platforms. The NADC study covered the entire spectrum of potential missions that could be performed by airships; enforcement of laws and treaties, search and rescue, marine environment protection, port safety and security, ice operations, short range aids to navigation and military operations.

In addition to operating tests, additional costs such as acquisition costs , capital investment in real estate and facilities, personnel, training, and maintenance were determined and taken into consideration to provide a comprehensive cost comparison. The airship came off well. The hourly cost of the 210-foot cutter was about 15 percent lower than an airship but the airship can perform a larger range of missions. The airship cost 15 percent less to operate than the HU-25 Falcon medium range search aircraft, half of what it cost to operate 378-foot cutters and the C-130 long-range search aircraft, and 70 percent less than the H-3 medium range helicopter. It found that airships could perform long-endurance missions beyond the capabilities of helicopters and some vessels. An airship could interact with surface units more directly than fixed-wing aircraft. These missions were within the abilities of the larger vessels but with an airship, could be done in half the time and use one sixth the fuel.

A contract was signed January 20th between the Navy and Airship Industries Ltd. Of Great Britain for lease of an AI-500 airship for evaluation purposes. The AI-500 was the same size as the “Goodyear Blimp” with a payload capacity by weight of plus 40percent. This efficiency was achieved by the use of vectored thrust propulsion and light weight materials such as Dacron/ Mylar for the envelope and a rigid structure of glass-reinforced plastic and suspension cables of Kevlar. The nearly exclusive use of nonmetallic components produced an aircraft with a very small radar signature ----a “stealth blimp.” The envelope and components were transported to Toronto Canada for assembly. The AI-500 was assembled and then flown to Elizabeth City North Carolina for the evaluation phase of the project. The airship operated out of the nearby Weeksville blimp base. The base consisted of two blimp hangars which served as the site of an extensive U.S. Navy airship activity up until the mid 1950s.

The on-site test program was under the direction CDR James Webster, USCG. During the test flight phase data was gathered in a number of areas. The airships response to wind gusts and the effectiveness of the control and propulsion systems during critical landing and retrieval conditions was documented. The quality of the ride, safety, and vibration levels were monitored. The radar performance and the airships ability to use night vision devises for effective 24-hor surveillance was evaluated. These tests were conducted by pilots and crewmembers from the Elizabeth City Air Station. The data obtained was used to verify a NASA computer simulation program.

Operational evaluation did not take place. The initial evaluation focused on the multi mission capabilities with primary reference to search and rescue. The operational evaluation most probably would have found the airship capable but unable to perform all of the missions of a ship, helicopter or fixed wing aircraft. Thus the LTA would be a supplemental procurement program. Budget considerations led to the cancellation of the LTA program. The Department of Defense continued with a LTA program. This resulted in the Aerostats. The roll of the aerostat was elevated persistent surveillance. Networking several Aerostats equipped with sophisticated radar provided blanket coverage of a particular area that could be down-linked to a command and control facility. The Aerostats were used for this purpose to facilitate drug interdiction in the Caribbean and along the U.S./Mexican border.

Aerostat LTA

The Coast Guard established Mobile Aerostat Platforms on board leased vessels commencing in July of 1985. Ships were civilian contracted. They were used primarily in the “choke points” and targeted surface vessels. Coast Guard personnel operated the radar computer package. The civilian master and crew operated the vessel as directed by the Coast Guard officer-in-charge. They performed well but were susceptible to weather. Strong winds could damage the Aerostat and, being tethered, a lightning bolt could severely damage the electronic package. When bad weather was encountered a decision had to reposition or bring the Aerostat down. In 1987 the Coast Guard was assigned co-responsibility for air interdiction. Four E2C AWACs were operated for air surveillance purposes. Both of these operations were effective but single mission and expensive.

The airship could have provided a mobile platform able to operate in both land and marine environments. It could operate at a higher altitude than the shipboard aerostat did, providing more range. It would not have been tethered and would have been much less susceptible to weather. Equipped with the proper radar inside the envelope it could have performed both surface and air surveillance. Its non metallic construction would have made it hard to detect on radar and its speed would have allowed it to keep up with the “go-fasts” of the time. The endurance would have provided a 24/7 surveillance in the departure zone off the coast of Columbia as well as other areas. It would have had multi-mission capabilities. The total cost including support would have been significant but in all probability nowhere near as great as the combine expenses for the Aerostats and the E2Cs. Would this have been a cost and operationally effective operation? There is no way of knowing.

Dassault-Breguet HU-25 Falcon Jet

The HU-25 Falcon Jet is a medium-range surveillance (MRS) fixed-wing aircraft that is used to perform search and rescue, enforcement of laws and treaties including illegal drug interdiction, marine environmental protection, and military readiness. The origin of this MRS procurement can be traced back to 1966 when the Coast Guard participated in a full-scale wing fatigue test of the HU-16. A wing service life of 11,000 was established. Replacement would be required. The possibility of utilizing a mix of HH-3F helicopters and C-130 aircraft was evaluated in 1971. In 1972 several aircraft that could possibly fit the MRS requirements were leased for evaluation. Because of industry and Congressional challenges, it was not until January of 1977 that a contract was awarded to Dassault-Breguet for the Falcon Twenty (HU- 25A). The first aircraft was delivered in February of 1982 with subsequent deliveries of one per month for a period of 41 months.

It is 56.25 feet in length, 17.6 feet in height, and has a crew of five. Its ceiling at Mach .855 is 42,000 feet and it flies at 350 knots at sea level and 380 knots at 20,000 feet. The Falcon's ability to operate from sea level to altitudes of 42,000 feet makes it suitable for Coast Guard's missions of search and rescue, drug interdiction and marine law enforcement. Key features include computer controlled air navigation system, surveillance system operators console, surveillance camera and avionics adapted for oil pollution over-flight detection.

Forty-one HU-25, medium range surveillance fan jets replaced the HU-16E Albatross and the C-131A Samaritan prop driven aircraft, in the Coast Guard aviation fleet. The Guardian's modern technology and design enhances its performance as the services first multi-mission jet. It is twice as fast as previous Coast Guard fixed wing aircraft and can get to the scene quickly to perform its role. The airframes were assembled in Little Rock, Arkansas at Falcon Jet Corporation, a subsidiary of Dassault-Brequet Aviation.

The acrylic search window, drop hatch for delivery of emergency equipment to vessels, and other fuselage modifications unique to Coast Guard aircraft were made at Grumman Aircraft Corporation in New York. The Garrett turbo fan engines were manufactured in Phoenix, Arizona specifically for the aircraft's long flights. The computer controlled air navigation system was built by Rockwell International, Collins Avionics group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The HU-25 had surveillance system operators (SSO) console including Texas Instruments radar with 160-mile range, manufactured in Dallas, Texas.

In 1997 the Coast Guard initiated a study to determine the mission profile of the HU-25. The reason for this study is a part of continuing efforts to extend the service life of the HU-25. Dassault-Falcon Jet developed a program whereby Falcon 20's (the HU-25 is really a Falcon 20G) can have its' service life extended from 20,000 flights and 30,000 landings to 40,000 flights and 60,000 landings. The aircraft would first undergo a Major Corrosion Inspection and then periodic additional inspections in critical areas to assure the airplane can continue to fly. To put this in perspective, the Coast Guard has been operating the HU-25 since 1982 and by 1997 the aircraft with the highest time was only about halfway through its initial service life. Civilian Falcon aircraft track flights, while the Coast Guard has always tracked only hours and landings. Pressurization cycles of the fuselage are the most critical factor for the HU-25. A program, to upgrade the sensor capability on HU-25 aircraft resulted in the HU-25B variant. The HU- 25B was equipped with the Aireye Surveillance System and wing pads carrying side-looking radar (SALR) The upgrade was delayed due to funding and technical problems. The project goal was to capture the analog output of the HU-25B sensors, convert it to a digital signal, and be able to process the data on a computer. The hardware for the first installation was installed on CG 2118 in Kalispell, Montana. Software integration problems were the driving force in the delay of the program.

Additional sensor upgrades resulted in the HU-25C and HU-25D variants. The HU-25C, used for air interdiction, is equipped with an APG-66 air intercept radar, improved Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) radar, and an Electro-Optical day color Electro-Optic device, military satellite communications and advanced tactical workstation, with data base, capable of tracking up to 30 surface contacts simultaneously significantly improving command, control, communications, computers and intelligence capabilities. The HU-25D has the same FLIR/EO/LLTV/ Tactical Workstation as the HU-25C but is equipped with the AN/APS-143(V) Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar (ISAR) system.

Major Missions	Search and Rescue/Law Enforcement Environmental Response/Air Interdiction
Maximum Gross Weight	32,000 lbs.
Fuel Capacity	10431 lbs.
Empty Weight	25,500 lbs
Operating Range	2045 NM
Overall Length	55 Ft.
Crew	2 pilots, 3 crewman
Overall Span	22 Ft.
Wing span	54 Ft.
Maximum height	18 Ft.
Powerplants	Two Garrett ATF3-6 turbo-Fan engines rated at 5440 pounds thrust each.
Cruising Speed	350 knots at sea level 380 knots above 20,000 feet
Max Speed	450 kts
Max Range	1,940 nautical miles
Radius of Action	800 nautical miles
Service Ceiling	41,000+ feet above sea level
Endurance	5.75 hours

1982 - OPBAT – Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos; A cooperative drug interdiction operation initiated:

The Bahamas, a sparsely settled group of islands extending from a point seventy mi