The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(JUNEAU, Alaska) — The Coast Guard cutter Bailey Barco was commissioned during a ceremony in Juneau on Wednesday.
The commissioning was presided by Vice Adm. Fred M. Midgette, Coast Guard Pacific Area commander. Attendees included 17th District commander Rear Adm. Michael McAllister; Coast Guard Sector Juneau commander Capt. Shannan Greene; and cutter Bailey Barco commanding officer Lt. Frank Reed. Also in attendance was the cutter's sponsor, Carol Pugh, great-granddaughter of the cutter's namesake, Coast Guard hero and Gold Lifesaving Medal recipient Bailey Barco.
CGC Bailey Barco is the second of six Sentinel-class cutters that will home-port in Alaska. The 154-foot vessel is designed to patrol coastal regions and features advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment, including the ability to launch and recover standardized small boats from its stern.
"This is a good day for the Coast Guard and a good day for Alaskans," said Midgette. "It's an excellent vessel with a great crew, and we're proud to have them." CGC Bailey Barco will home-port in Ketchikan and conduct law enforcement, search and rescue, fisheries and environmental protection, and homeland security tasks.
