Sea Power - December 2015

group also enjoyed tours up the Sandia Peak Tram and dinner at the top at High Finance, and meals at El Pinto and Barelas restaurants.

Moore presented an appreciation gift to New Mexico Council member Damon Runyan, chairman of the council’s USS New Mexico SSN-779 Committee, at El Pinto, McKinstry said.

USS New Mexico returned from a six-month deployment to the European Command area of responsibility in early September.

Mass Bay Sponsors
James Commissioning

The Massachusetts Bay Council sponsored the Aug. 8 commissioning of the U.S. Coast Guard’s fifth Legend-class National Security Cutter, James, at Coast Guard Base Boston and a host of activities that went along with it.

Coast Guard Commandant ADM Paul F. Zukunft; VADM William D.

Lee, commander, Atlantic Area; Navy League National President Skip Witunski; and Charlene James Be-noit, the great-great niece of the ship’s namesake CAPT Joshua James and ship’s sponsor, were among the several hundred attendees, according to a report in the council’s newsletter, The Bosun’s Pipe. The commissioning committee was chaired by Council Board Member Reid Oslin.

James’ commanding officer, CAPT Andrew J. Tiongson, a native of Somerville, Mass., ordered the ship to “come to life,” officially appointing it as an active cutter in the Coast Guard’s fleet, according to a release from First Coast Guard District public affairs.

Zukunft was the event’s principal speaker.

“What better namesake for a ship
and crew that will serve our nation
with pride for the next half century
saving lives, stopping smugglers,
maintaining safety and security in
the Arctic and wherever national
objectives may require,” he said.
James was credited with saving
more than 600 people during a
career that began with the Massa-
chusetts Humane Society when he
was 15 years old and ended with his
death at age 75 in 1902 while on
duty with the U.S. Life-Saving
Service, which merged with the
Revenue Cutter Service in 1915 to
form the Coast Guard. He served for
many years as a crewman and station
keeper at Coast Guard Station Point
Allerton in Hull, Mass., which is
considered “the home of Coast
Guard search and rescue.”
Among the events the James
Commissioning Committee hosted
for the event were a crew party at the
Point Restaurant in Boston; a recep-
tion for 200 guests at the USS
Constitution Museum; a precommis-
sioning VIP breakfast; and a post-
commission reception for all guests.
All 120 crew members were present-
ed with plank-owner artist prints of
the ship and James challenge coins in
recognition of their assignment to the
cutter. Members of the Massachusetts
Bay Council were invited on the spe-
cial tour of the cutter on Aug. 4.

James will be homeported in Charleston, S.C., at the Fleet Law Enforcement Training Center.

WWW.SEAPOWERMAGAZINE.ORG 58 SEAPOWER / DECEMBER 2015 Crew members of the Virginia-class submarine USS New Mexico gather with fourth graders at North Star Elementary School during a visit to Albuquerque Oct. 24-26.

A N G I E M C K I N S T R Y

CDR Todd Moore, commanding officer of USS New Mexico, right, presents an appreciation gift to New Mexico Council member Damon Runyan, chairman of the council’s USS New Mexico SSN-779 Committee, during a visit by the members of the submarine’s crew to Albuquerque Oct. 24-26.

A N G I E M C K I N S T R Y

The crew of the National Security Cutter James renders a hand salute during the blowing of the ship’s whistles at the cutter’s commissioning ceremony Aug. 8 at Coast Guard Base Boston. The commissioning was sponsored by the Massachusetts Bay Council.