Cutter Mustang exits

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mustang, photographed here in 2009 in Seward, was decommissioned Tuesday during a local ceremony honoring nearly 40 years of service. The 110-foot Mustang was stationed in Seward her entire career. She responded to more than 200 search and rescue cases and completed more than 2,000 law enforcement sorties, the Coast Guard said. The service is replacing aging Island-class patrol boats such as the Mustang with Sentinel-class fast-response cutters. Wesley Loy photo

Kodiak notes

Here are a couple of interesting items from Alaska's Emerald Isle:

• ComFish Alaska, Kodiak's big fisheries trade show, is set for April 15-17. Here are all the details.

• The U.S. Coast Guard commissioned a new cutter, the John Witherspoon, in a ceremony Thursday in Kodiak. It's the first of three fast-response cutters to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Kodiak.

Cutter of the year, and a Storis redux

Here are a couple of interesting notes from the U.S. Coast Guard.

• The Kodiak-based Alex Haley has again earned cutter of the year honors.

• The Storis, decommissioned in 2007, was a legendary Alaska cutter. Now, the Coast Guard is bringing the name Storis back to life, applying it to a newly acquired icebreaker to be homeported in Juneau.

Remember the Storis?

Here's a U.S. Coast Guard history essay on the legendary cutter Storis.

USCG cutter aids injured fisherman in B.C. waters

Details in this news release.

Petersburg cutter captain permanently relieved

A U.S. Coast Guard officer temporarily removed last month as commander of the Petersburg-based cutter Anacapa has now lost the post permanently.

The action comes after an investigation into allegations that Lt. Matthias Wholley was intoxicated when he directed his cutter to get under way.

Here's the Coast Guard press release.

Commander of Petersburg cutter relieved of duty

From the U.S. Coast Guard:

May 30, 2011

Cutter Anacapa commanding officer temporarily relieved

JUNEAU — Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, commander, 17th Coast Guard District, and Capt. Melissa Bert, commander, Coast Guard Sector Juneau, today temporarily relieved Lt. Matthias Wholley from his duties as commanding officer of the cutter Anacapa for loss of confidence in the ability to command.

Final determination regarding a permanent removal or resumption of command is made by the commandant of the Coast Guard in Washington, D.C.

Lt. j.g. James Toomey, executive officer of the Anacapa, has assumed temporary command of the cutter.

Wholley will been temporarily reassigned to Coast Guard Sector Juneau in Juneau.

The Anacapa is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Petersburg.

Coming ashore

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Hamilton approaches the Juneau pier Friday after a three-month patrol of the Bering Sea. Commissioned in 1967, the Hamilton is homeported at San Diego. USCG photo

Another Coast Guard officer relieved

The buoy tender Elderberry. U.S. Coast Guard photo

Top U.S. Coast Guard brass have relieved the skipper of the Petersburg-based cutter Elderberry for "loss of confidence" in his ability to command.

It's the second time in two months that a commanding officer has been relieved of duty.

The first case involved the head of the Sector Anchorage office.

Top Coast Guard commanders haven't disclosed details as to why the officers were removed.

Here's a press release on the Elderberry action:

U.S. Coast Guard, 17th District

June 18, 2009

Coast Guard Cutter Elderberry officer in charge relieved

JUNEAU, Alaska — Rear Adm. Gene Brooks, Commander, 17th Coast Guard District and Capt. Melissa Bert, Commander, Coast Guard Sector Juneau, temporarily relieved Senior Chief Petty Officer James Madsen Thursday from his duties as Officer in Charge of the Cutter Elderberry for loss of confidence in the ability to command.

Final determination regarding a permanent removal or resumption of command is made by the Commandant of the Coast Guard in Washington, D.C.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Woodward, assigned as the Officer in Charge at Aids to Navigation Team Sitka, has assumed temporary command of the Cutter Elderberry.

Senior Chief Madsen has been temporarily reassigned to the Coast Guard in Ketchikan, Alaska.

The Cutter Elderberry is a 65-foot inland buoy tender homeported in Petersburg, Alaska.