The following is text of a news release from the Coast Guard Foundation:
(STONINGTON, Conn.) — The Coast Guard Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to the education and well-being of all Coast Guard members and their families, has honored the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Munro for mission excellence in its summer 2019 deployment. The recognition came at the 39th annual Salute to the United States Coast Guard, held on Oct. 3 at the Times Square Marriott Marquis in New York City.
USCGC Munro received national acclaim and international attention for a dramatic interception and boarding of a drug smuggling semi-submersible in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. On June 17, Munro and Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team (PACTACLET) crewmembers, in coordination with the deployed Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON), intercepted and boarded the drug-laden semi-submersible. Munro and PACTACLET crewmembers leapt onto the moving sub in order to gain positive control of the vessel and safely remove the crew. This boarding resulted in the confiscation of 17,000 pounds of cocaine, totaling $232 million, and the detention of five suspected smugglers. Munro returned from a three-month deployment on July 11, during which it offloaded contraband from 14 drug seizures totaling 39,000 pounds of cocaine and 933 pounds of marijuana, with a combined worth of $569 million.
“There is a direct link between the recognition we give to the exceptional men and women of the Coast Guard, as we have done for half a century, and the development of stronger Coast Guard families,” said Susan Ludwig, president, Coast Guard Foundation. “Our investment in building up these members for service, it extends beyond those who wear the uniform to include husbands, wives, teenagers and toddlers. When the whole family is cared for, which is our mission, these brave individuals are better equipped for the critical work of saving lives, securing our ports and protecting our environment.”
To watch a video of the interception, click here.
To learn more about the Coast Guard Foundation or to help support its work, visit www.coastguardfoundation.org.
