USCGC SHERMAN (WHEC 720)

Advancements!

2011-04-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations YNCS Jones ET2 Sangaleer!

Wasting Away in Panamaville

2011-04-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

For some of us it was like that one Jimmy Buffet song, I forget the name… Any way it is my understanding we had a great time in Panama, I hadn’t heard much of anyone having too good of a time. I have heard that people went on some amazing adventures and scenic tours. And most likely everyone has heard all kinds of local history from their cab drivers. Some like me have spent a lot of time in the biggest darn mall some of us have ever seen (I’m sure there are bigger ones, yeah I’m talking to you Minnesotians). Whatever you did there I’m sure you had a good time. Some of you may even want to go back. As for me, I wouldn’t mind going back again.

Oh Boy the Sherman is Different

2011-04-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

That’s right I said different, everything seems so weird at first. The way they (we) do things here, the pipes, the layout of different spaces, even the names of spaces are different. Is that so bad? No not really, we make do, it really isn’t that difficult. I just caught myself the other day referring a space on the cutter calling it D-CAT. Most people here from the Chase know it as the area in front of the LE locker. Everyone from the Sherman knows it as the LE staging area. No big deal, we learn, we adapt. The pipes are noticeably different, noon bells comes to mind, “test complete, all alarms back in effect, report all discrepancies to the quarterdeck” who says this? Everyone from the Chase knows it’s “now test complete, regard all further alarms report any discrepancies to the quarterdeck” Duh. Can we (should we) really complain? No, we get used to the changes, and soon the Sherman will be under the command and service of a new crew. That is why we are here (Chase personnel). To learn, to adapt, to see how we can improve ourselves, that is all we need to do. Sure when the Chase crew takes over some things that we were used to will start again, but some things are bound to change, we might just keep the departmental and divisional setup, we may keep the names of the berthing areas ( ask someone from the Chase where Weps Grotto is). Ok so I went on and on about how things are different, I should mention how it is the same too. We are all still in the same Coast Guard, and we all have missions to fulfill. When the Sherman crew disembarks they will all go on to their next units and see how things are different or the same there. They will go and do the things the Coast Guard needs them to do. The Chase crew will come here do the same, they will do the things that the Chase herself couldn’t do toward her end of service to the Coast Guard. Will it be the Chase part 2 or the Sherman’s continued glory. Maybe, and most likely the absolute best of both. -ET3 Timothy Allshouse

Big Bust For the SHERMAN!

2011-04-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

So there we were, minding our own business on the 8-12 watch, about an hour before we were supposed to be relieved. We were making our way towards a potential Go-Fast some 60 miles away, making 21 knots through the water. Our helmsman, SN Rebecca Sanchez exclaims, "what the heck is that!?" pointing off the port side of the ship. The object in the water was hardly decipherable without binoculars with it being about 300 yards away from the ship. Excitedly, everyone ran on the watch section ran out on the bridge wing to take a look at the unidentified object in the water. The lookout, SN Kyle Davis, called down to let us know there was a person on top of the object. After maybe 30 seconds, SN Meinte Bruce yells out, "It's an SPSS, it's an SPSS!!!" For those that aren't privy to that term, SPSS is a self propelled semi-submersible. It is what the drug runners are using to smuggle drugs. They are incredibly hard to detect and only a handful have been caught by the Coast Guard. It just so happened that the SHERMAN was at the right place at the right time. We immediately slowed our ship to 5 kts and turned right towards the SPSS. The Operations officer was called to the bridge, alerting him of what we just came upon, and before you knew it, we were launching both small boats to interdict the SPSS. Unfortunately, the smugglers who man the SPSS are told if they are ever caught, they are to scuttle (or sink) the vessel. In a matter of minutes, three more men piled out of the SPSS wearing life jackets, and down sank the SPSS. Our boarding teams collected the four smugglers out of the water, and brought them aboard SHERMAN once we were given permission from District Eleven (they are the ones who grant us authority to carry out all the aspects of boardings down south). Bails of cocaine were popping up to the surface and for the next 40 minutes, our small boats were going around picking up all the objects that came floating to the surface. We did NIC tests that were able to confirm with positive test results that the bails were bails of cocaine. We are able to ascertain that the amount of drugs in the SPSS came to a total of $420-430 million dollars! I believe our Exectutive Officer said it best, "It is better to be lucky than smart!"

The CIWS does work!

2011-04-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

Fire Control Rocks! That was the statement made by the Fire Control Division Chief after the first successful Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) exercise in many months. The day’s Gunnery exercise success was a consorted effort between both the Gunnery and Fire Control Division members. After many hours of preparation and training, and in some cases many months of maintenance, the fruits of labor paid out with an outstanding display of firepower from the MK75 Gun Mount System and the CIWS system.

LTJG Deneen Goes back to School

2011-02-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

OJAI, Ca- On February 14th, USCGC SHERMAN Deck Watch Officer LTJG Peter Deneen returned to his hometown to speak to Nordhoff High School students. The 2005 student-athlete graduate spoke to four Government and US History classes about maritime law, the Coast Guard's role in the executive branch, the Coast Guard Academy, and shared adventures from deployments in the Eastern Pacific and Bering Sea. The Valentine's Day visit was part of a robust Partners in Education program drive this winter by SHERMAN's Human Relations Council.

SHERMAN Hosts Troop's Rain Gutter Regatta

2011-02-17T14:47:00.000-08:00

Ensign Cale Cooper (left) and Lt. j.g. Zach Brown, both from the Coast Guard Cutter Sherman, race cub scout created sail boats during the annual cub scout rain gutter regatta held aboard the Sherman Saturday, Feb. 12,2011. The Coast Guard is a proud supporter of youth groups such as Boy Scouts of America, Sea Scouts, Sea Cadets and ROTC programs. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Levi Read.

Advancements for January!

2011-02-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to GM1 Robert Taylor, GM3 Luke Milyard, FA Emily Mooney, and SN Garrett Davis who advanced to GMC, GM2, FN, and SN respectively. GM2 Milyard was able to advance the same day as his fiance which was done on the SHERMAN flight deck.

Promotions!

2011-01-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

Congratulations on Zach Brown for getting promoted from Ensign to Lieutenant Junior Grade!

Promotions!

2010-11-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to all Ensigns who were promoted to LTJG on November 20th!

LTJG Pete Deneen
LTJG KC Gaudette
LTJG Travis Murray
LTJG Patrick Sullivan
LTJG Maggie Ward
LTJG Steph Wood

Goodbye Bering Sea

2010-11-13T16:42:00.000-08:00

The time has come and CGC SHERMAN has officially left the Bering Sea! We are making our way back to homeport and will be there before you know it. While up north for an Alaskan patrol, a SAR-ready cutter is required to be in the Bering Sea at all times and the only available port call is Dutch Harbor, AK. With two back-to-back patrols up north, the SHERMAN crew has explored every nook and cranny of the island. While it may offer some scenic views, wild horses, a Mexican/breakfast/grill restaurant, and dumpster diving eagles, the crew is ready to head home. Legend has it that if you look at Priest Rock (which is at the entrance of the bay into Dutch Harbor) as you are leaving, this won’t be the last time you see Dutch Harbor. Let’s hope everyone kept their eyes forward!

SHERMAN Shoots Their Gun!

2010-11-13T16:28:00.000-08:00

After a 20-month dry spell, our 76mm gun was fired! After much planning and preparation, the gunnery and fire-control divisions put together a successful shoot. In order to shoot the gun, you have to alert the area through a Securité broadcast. This message is broadcasted every 15 minutes, alerting sailors and aircraft in the area that in our designated position we are firing our gun including the maximum range and when the shoot was occurring. 29 shots were fired, giving the crew quite a spectacle. In order to facilitate the shooting, a large balloon (dubbed the killer tomato), is thrown off the ship and is the target the ship is aiming for when shooting. Overall, it was a very successful shoot!

Advancements for November!

2010-11-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to OS2 Elizabeth Wakefield for making Operations Specialist Second Class!

Spirit of Sherman Award

2010-11-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

Sherman has its own personal award that is picked by the Sherman crew for people who help out the ship and their shipmates to make the ship a better place for everyone. It is called the “SPIRIT OF SHRMAN AWARD”. The first award was given to OS3 Misty Snyder for helping with sailor of the quarter plaque. She updated the name plates on her own time so the crew can see their name displayed in gold. Just recently another member of Sherman received the award, SN Luis Orozco-Reza for designing two patrol t-shirts and drawing murals on the doors of the berthing areas. Spirit of Sherman award is a pin engraved with the SHERMAN crest which can be worn while underway. The SPIRIT OF SHRMAN is an awesome morale booster and a great way to promote the good deeds crewmembers and shipmates have done for the ship.

-OS3 Misty Snyder

Rough Seas Beware

2010-11-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

CGC SHERMAN has been hit by some VERY rough seas as of late! Multiple low pressure systems have passed through the Bering and unfortunately we have been right in the thick of things every time. Up to 30ft seas and 40 knot winds were measured by quartermaster of the watch during the worst of it! Unluckily, we felt the blunt of it as the seas were coming off our beam (hitting us directly from the side of the ship), causing major rolls up to 25 degrees during the night. Needless to say, we were very happy to have a port call this past weekend to get some much needed rest and good nights sleep. Hopefully we can run and hide when the next predicted storm hits!

Advancements for October!

2010-11-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all who advanced this October!

DCCS Richard Freeland
BM3 Daniel Smith
FN Hayden Webb

Advancements for September!

2010-11-02T18:17:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all who advanced this September!

EM2 Harry Kichta
SK2 Chelsea Carr
SN Charley Burnett
FN Steven Pateman

Semper Paratus for change

2010-10-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

We were so close, yet so far when it came to our potential port call in Providenya, Russia. The SHERMAN departed the fishing fleet to make our way across the Bering Sea, cross the International Date Line, and set foot onto Russian territory on the 25th of October. Unfortunately, Russia denied our clearance and we don’t have any rubles (the currency of Russia) onboard to pay for our stop. Luckily, we will still cross the International Date Line, giving the crewmembers who haven’t partaken in the line crossing ceremony a special opportunity! More to come with the line crossing ceremony in upcoming blogs!

The Deadliest Roll

2010-10-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

As the small boat disembarked the SHERMAN, the boarding team had high hopes that the Deadliest Catch crew would be on the fishing vessel they were about to board. The Red King Crab season had just begun, and the SHERMAN was well into conducting multiple boardings of the crab boats in the Bering Sea. The small boat came alongside the fishing vessel wishing for a better course to embark the boarding team, but there was no such luck; they were the best conditions you could hope for a day like that. The only way to get onto fishing boats is by way of jacob’s ladder and this boat was no different. As SN Timberlake was making his way up the jacob’s ladder, he was about to crawl over the ledge onto the deck of the fishing vessel when the boat hit a large wave, causing him to launch into the air. Mid-air, SN Timberlake did a tuck and roll, and somehow landed on his feet, only to realize the entire thing was caught on tape! The Deadliest Catch crew was onboard and had the boarding team sign wavers to be featured on the show. The camera crew requested some of the boarding team members fake-arrest some of the camera men for outtakes, but the Coast Guard is not allowed to put handcuffs on a civilian just for play, so that was out of the question. Needless to say, that was a big morale booster for the crew and gave some much needed excitement for the fisheries boardings. So everyone keep your eyes peeled on the upcoming season for the SHERMAN and their boarding team to make their television debut!

The Life of a Boarding Officer

2010-10-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

So far this patrol, I have done or have attempted to do eight boarding’s met by bad weather, and on two occasions I decided that the seas and swells combined with a sketchy boarding ladder were too dangerous to overcome. My most memorable boarding this patrol was also my first. Getting to the fishing boat was not very difficult, the seas and swells were welcoming and the cutter had closed to a comfortable distance. Once we were on board, I made my way to the bridge, followed closely by my fellow boarding officer, ME1 Kastrati, and my two boarding team members: ET1 Springsteen and ME3 Delosreyes. After I introduced myself, I had my boarding team members go below the decks and check to be sure the boat was safe for us to be on. After verifying there were no safety issues, we began our standard fishing vessel boarding. The boarding team members went about checking the vessel's safety equipment while ME1 and I began working on the administrative portion of the checklist. Between ME1 and I, we went through almost ten months of logbooks, examined permits and documentation, and questioned the captain. As I looked through the logbooks, I noticed that most of the fishing trips were completed without observers. Observers are contractors that are sanctioned by NOAA who ensure that fishing vessels are targeting the correct species of fish and that the vessels are operating safely. The vessel we were on was required to have 30% of their time monitored by an observer. When I did the math I figured out that this particular vessel had only 20% coverage. About the time that we figured that out, our team members reported that they had found expired distress signals and expired water-activated releases on the emergency beacons. With all of these three violations, I requested to the cutter to terminate the vessel's voyage. When a voyage is terminated, a vessel loses out on all of the money that could be made until the violations are corrected. The cutter radioed me back and informed me that District 17 declined to terminate and that I was to issue a ticket for the three violations. I issued the ticket (possibly a $10,000 fine) and left the boat. Overall, we had been on board for about 2 hours and had just given the most violations in one boarding in as long as I have been on the SHERMAN. Our first boarding brought our team together and proved our commitment to enforcing federal fishing laws on our seas.

-ENS Patrick Sullivan

SHERMAN Returns to the North

2010-09-27T11:26:00.000-07:00

Just when we thought we’d be making our return to the South on another counter narcotics patrol, the carpet was pulled from beneath and two weeks later we were steaming for the Bering Sea. Now that we are in theatre, most have been pleasantly surprised with the late fall in Alaska.

After a brief overnight in Kodiak earlier this month SHERMAN hurried to Dutch Harbor for another 3-day round of Fish School. Boarding officers, team members, and operations specialists learned about the laws and regulations we would be enforcing over the next two months in keeping a level playing field in America’s most prolific and dangerous fishery. In addition to enforcing fisheries laws SHERMAN provides a flight deck for an embarked HH-65 helicopter capable of responding to Search and Rescue (SAR) cases. The first day out of Dutch Harbor, SHERMAN responded to a SAR case, in which a vessel overturned, leaving three people in the water. All three were able to swim ashore but were stranded and freezing on the island of Unalaska. SHERMAN arrived on scene, launched its helicopter asset, and provided over flight for the rescue operation by a good samaritan. All three people made it safely back to their righted vessel. Inclement weather has been the theme of the deployment so far, both the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea have been roiling with intense storms moving eastward from the Western Pacific.

SHERMAN will look to make the most of the short patrol by maintaining a fast pace of operation and training. The new-look, energetic crew will look to gain experience and confidence after a large change out from the summer transfers. This is the first dispatch in a series of posts from crewmembers keeping you updated on the home front.

-ENS Pete Deneen

2009 USIC Award Recipient

2010-08-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to CGC SHERMAN! We are the recipients of the 2009 USIC (United States Interdiciton Coordinator) Award- Superior Performance Award for Maritime Interdiction. On August 18th, 2009, Mr. Patrick Ward, the Assistant Deputy Director for Supply Reduction in the Office of National Drug Control Policy and President Obama's right hand man for drug interdiction in the United States, flew out from Washington, DC to present the SHERMAN with the award. The crew of SHERMAN has been cited for their distinguished performance during our 2009 JIATF South deployment.

On December 4th, 2009, a maritime patrol aircraft observed a contraband offload in progress and vectored SHERMAN toward the four "Go-Fast" vessels. The sheer number of targets created an extremely difficult and potentially hazardous mission. SHERMAN and the HITRON Detachment 10-01 applied superb "outside of the box" thinking to modify the existing standard operating procedures (SOP) in order to interdict all four "Go-Fast" vessels during a single mission. Outstanding mission execution resulted in the arrival of the cutter boat to secure the scene within minutes after each "Go-Fast" vessel was disabled through the use of disabling fire from the HITRON Detachment. As a result, 3 metric tons of cocaine were seized or disrupted, four go-fasts were interdicted, and nine suspected smugglers were detained and handed over to the Mexican Government for prosecution based on the evidence obtained and the case package from CGC SHERMAN.

Bravo Zulu!

-ENS KC Gaudette

BM3 Kevin Tanski - Memorial Day

2010-06-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

Aboard Cutter Sherman there are plenty of chances to catch the big fish, Memorial Day was no different. It started out on the night of the 30th of May when we skillfully anchored in Makushin Bay, outside of Unalaska Island. Then we heard, “Down down all lines, up up all fish, commence fish call!”
Bos'n was able to get his line out first, but the first fish went to Petty Officer White, a small Rock fish. Then a few more fishermen decided to try their luck. Most caught something, like a Rock fish or P cod, but there were no Halibut. A few determined fishermen like Petty Officer Keeter and SN Campbell, didn’t want to miss out on any of the action so they stayed out most of the night.
Then an early morning for some, dropped their lines to see what they can pull up from the depths of the Bering. A lot more luck for most, especially Petty Officer Gerszi with the prize catch of the day, a Halibut. He was the only one who caught a Halibut during the two days of fishing. A few fish were able to get off the hooks of some and others lost their gear to the bottom of the sea. Overall, the crew had a lot of fun catching a few fish and enjoying a relaxing day off from the rigorous work of being underway.

ENS Peter Deneen 28 May

2010-06-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

To catch y’all up to speed, we left San Francisco on April 5th. Before leaving I packed up my room and left it up to my roommates to find our new digs in San Fran. It was a sad goodbye, they hadn’t returned from Haiti until the first week of March and now I wouldn’t see them again until Christmas. Our group of friends would be transferring out this summer, so the times were a changin’ and SHERMAN was headed to the Arctic.

First stop was Indian Island, WA to pick up ammo, a beautiful spot right near Port Townsend. The weather was terrible the entire way up and would be just as bad on the way out, we didn’t have seas less than 15-feet for the first 10 days. We spent the night and left for Kodiak in the afternoon the following day. Since then we have moored in Dutch Harbor several times and once in Adak, an island at the far western edge of the Aleutian Chain. We have boarded eight vessels, including two high interest vessels in the Bering. We have seen the Arctic ice cap, blizzards, sunsets at 1 o'clock in the morning, line crossing ceremonies, injuries, good times, and hard times.

A large portion of the crew is on the verge of transferring to new units. Fast-paced learning is taking place at every level on board the ship as the urgency to be prepared for the departure of experienced crew members has been realized. Like I said, the times are changing for everyone on board. There are some good stories coming out of the Bering this spring, which will be shared on this blog in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more from the 720 in the northern latitudes.

CGC SHERMAN featured in Parade Magazine

2010-01-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

SHERMAN hosted author Bob Reiss during our last patrol. An article about our patrol can be found at the following link and will be featured in this weekend's Parade Magazine.
http://www.parade.com/news/2010/01/27-stopping-drugs-at-sea.html?index=1

ENS Steph Wood 18 Jan

2010-01-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

I can honestly say that walking beneath the SHERMAN on a daily basis is the most bizarre thing I've done since reporting. The mighty 7-2-0 looks like a toy, high-and-dry and propped upright on insubstantial looking wooden blocks. In the absence of water, we look much less intimidating. What I find most alarming about our new no-water status is how we sway. We sway under the pressure of the wind, from the movement of the dry dock floor as large trucks drive by, and apparently for no reason at all. It wears on my nerves and always, for some reason, encourages me to contemplate what we would do if there was an earthquake.
We have started work on nearly every system in the ship. Our bow prop is in pieces, our shafts are missing their propeller blades, fuel manifolds are being overhauled, men are working beneath our sewage collection holding tank (not a job I envy), and spaces that are typically closed and holding fuel are open for cleaning. We cannot close most doors for fear of destroying the many electrical cables and makeshift plastic ventilation the run the length of the SHERMAN. It is loud. On any given day you can expect to hear the steady pft-pft-pft of large pneumatic pumps, incessant metallic grinding from the guys outside working on our "U.S. Coast Guard" paint, whirring from chain falls, a thousand different languages from the people on board, and of course boatswain pipes attempting to give the crew some semblance of a normal work day. We are working like ants in a hill that has been recently stepped on. It's busy and crazy and surprisingly fun.

OS1 Stulce 13 Dec

2009-12-13T15:40:00.000-08:00

So I promised that I would create one final blog prior to my departure from SHERMAN. Things have been very busy this last month so I will apologize for the tardiness.
A couple of items fresh off the press that come to mind are our recent trip back to Panama. For those of you that remember the first time we went to Panama we conducted a community relations project with a local orphanage. During our recent trip to Panama another good portion of the crew visited the orphanage. During this particular visit the kids were presented with presents in the form of soccer balls, soccer goals, and bicycles. This gift of giving started and was led by BM1 Jesse Duff. The kids went absolutely crazy over all of the presents and had an amazing time.
I personally made sure to take my time and stop by the house I went to the first visit and see a group of kids. I know what kind of environment these kids are growing up in now; however, I do not know what they have seen over the course of their lives. That being said, it gave me great pleasure to walk into the house and have them all surround me because they remembered me from the last time. I have done a lot of good volunteering over the course of my career but nothing has given me greater pleasure than the looks on their faces when I walked back in that house.
While I am on the topic of giving, SHERMAN has also recently conducted their yearly acceptance of CFC (Combined Federal Campaign) sheets. I am happy to announce that as of today they have already surpassed last years mark and collected over 17,000 dollars for local, national, and international charities. Well done, even in these trying times that a lot of people are facing we can still put something together for others.
So, let's talk about what we have been up to for minute as I am sure everyone back home wants to know about. I obviously cannot go into any great detail specifically but SHERMAN has been very busy. SHERMAN will leave this patrol with a combined seven cases completed. Due to the sensitive nature of these cases I don’t want to comment on the specifics of some of the more recent cases however I think it would be safe to say that at one point in time this cutter with the help of our aviation detachment was able to stop four vessels at once. In the world of operations that is a huge feat and everyone involved deserves a round of applause.
Alright, now I know there is going to be a lot of "oh man" and "say it isn’t so" but it is true what you hear about the current status of POD trivia. I am once again the leader. I will add that this is not by a huge margin however as the Captain himself is on my heels. POD trivia has been a huge part of my life the last three months and I have officially learned as of late that it takes 350-500 official licks to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop. Now, that wasn’t one of the questions but since we have been on this trivia binge lately a couple of us thought it would be fun to look up. In all seriousness though, thank you to ENS Brown for keeping the game real. What a fantastic way to pass the time underway.
In conclusion here are a couple of notated things:
1) Underway moustaches have been officially removed. Your loved ones will have absolutely no unwanted facial hair present when you get that first hug.
2) Your sons and daughters will more than likely be returning home to you for the holidays after being underway for three months, many of them for the first time.
This means you more than likely will have to correct their "Sailor Talk" at least more than once. Even possibly at the dinner table. I wanted to again thank everyone onboard for all of their hospitality. I couldn’t have asked for a better unit to serve with. As for the loved ones back home, be proud of what your loved ones do out here. I appreciate the comments on my previous blogs and I am glad they helped you throughout the process. I look forward to getting back to Anchorage as I am sure my crew up there does as well.

Good Luck to everyone and Happy Holidays.

GM3 Luke Milyard 12 Dec

2009-12-13T13:49:00.000-08:00

Waking up every morning to a colder and colder sun rise means only one thing for the crew of SHERMAN, we are almost home. The anticipation grows everyday knowing that we are gaining closer every second to America and our loved ones. We have seen a lot during these three months of patrol but nothing looks better now then spending the holidays in port.
The Gunnery division has been working diligently in preparing for SHERMAN’s major ammunition offload in Seal Beach, CA. Knowing that this offload is the only event that stands in the way of home port the crew has been preparing to get this job done safely and quickly.
This evening flight deck movies were held for the crew (our underway movie theatre), and tomorrow afternoon we are looking forward to shooting skeet off of the flight deck. So even though our patrol is coming to a close our morale is staying high.
This in port is going to be a very busy one for the crew of SHERMAN with a full overhaul scheduled, and a lot of the crew leaving for “C” schools throughout the inport. I am looking forward to a vacation back home to the east coast to catch up with family and friends and see how much my nephew and niece have grown! Also like most of the crew I am looking forward to hitting the slopes in Tahoe. All in all this patrol has been a good experience for us all, although long it was very successful and we can feel good knowing we made a huge difference.

ENS Steph Wood 20 Nov

2009-11-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

“The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala”-- the only nugget of information I retained from the grade school South American countries and capitals song. Guatemala was quite an experience. We had two options when we pulled in: go to an all inclusive resort or get on a bus to Antigua. From what I understand, we arrived in the great country of Guatemala the same week of the year as the rest of the world’s vacationers, either that or Soleil Pacifica was having a killer deal because the entire resort was booked solid. Awesome.
I figured that Antigua would be something like a city in the states, just closer to the equator. My speculations were entirely incorrect. I was struck by how cinematic it was. Street vendors peddled ponchos and jade to wandering tourists, while women dressed in homespun clothing walked the streets balancing large baskets of fruit or fabric on their heads. The roads were narrow cobblestone and the whole place smelled faintly of cigarettes and rain. I felt out of season in my shorts, t-shirt, and flip flops. What I needed was a small machete, Indiana Jones hat, cargo shorts, mid-shin white socks, and some variation of hiking boots. Despite the undiscovered and old world feel 720 did manage to locate one concession to modern day demands—Reilly’s Irish bar. If my estimates are correct, nearly 97% of the crew made it this place in the course of a two day port call. It was fabulous and ridiculous, to be certain. We only had two days to catch up on sleep and relax, but I can safely say spirits and morale have lifted significantly. After all, we are in the home stretch--32% to go.
Thanksgiving is coming up and from what I gather there will be a highly competitive, artists only, hand-turkey competition in addition to the traditional holiday feast. Crayons to the ready!

SN Jade Cude 13 November 09

2009-11-13T14:52:00.001-08:00

After leaving Panama on the 25th of October, we went right into holiday routine. The crew was able to get some rest before starting up operations again. Most of the crew could be found in their racks sleeping since the trip to Panama was exciting enough to wear them out. SHERMAN has only been underway for a little while now and the watches and boat lowering evolutions (for us Seamen) continue to tire out the best of us. Seamen and the Boatswain Mates stand watch on the bridge of the cutter with the Officer of the Deck (OOD) and the Conning Officer. The Seamen rotate between standing lookout (looking for vessels), helm (steering the boat), and messenger (making pipes and routing chits).
On Halloween, after knock off ship’s work, pizza was served on the mess deck to get the night kicked off right. After dinner, we went trick-or-treating in the officer’s staterooms, followed by a costume contest. The best costume that got elected by the crew was a trio of old memories. OS2 Marenco, ET3 Sherman, and ET3 McCullough who dressed up as (in order) Mario, Luigi and Princess Toadstool won the contest by far. Everybody that participated had fun and we all got candy and ice cream!
About a week later, an e-mail went out to all hands that on Sunday, November 8th, morale boat rides would commence on the starboard boat deck. For about 3 hours, anybody who wanted to ride on the small boats, which we use on boardings, could come and enjoy the festivities. Wave after wave of shipmates went out over the horizon and came back with plenty of smiles to go around. Going 15 knots and flying over swells in the open ocean can make anyone happy. Morale definitely rose and gave everyone that little extra push to make the following weeks more enjoyable.
SHERMAN pulled into Costa Rica today, November 10th, to receive fuel and supplies only to pull back out around 2000 the same night. Loading up on everything we need to sail again, SHERMAN is back to patrolling the calm seas off Central America, saving lives and keeping the Pacific drug-free.

5 November 2009

2009-11-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

Amazing how fast these patrols go by. The last few weeks have been filled with the usual underway fun. There has been a certain computer guy that has brought back the "fist pump" from way back in the day as the new method for displaying absolute awesomeness. Nevertheless it has been fun to watch. SHERMAN has been patrolling diligently throughout the last couple weeks. Work hours have been long and job lists have been cleared.

Recently we had a port call in Panama. I had never been to Panama before this time however, I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly. There is nothing easier to deal with than a city with gigantic malls and lots of shopping. Even better than that, they use American currency. I managed to get some great food from Panama and the hotels there were definitely top notch. The second afternoon about 30 members of SHERMAN took a time out and offered assistance at Aldeas Infantiles SOS, an orphanage located outside of Panama City. We helped around the orphanage with painting and outdoor maintenance of this peaceful haven. After the work was completed we were treated with lunch provided by the mother and children of each house. Each home unfortunately houses about nine children. I watched them as they waited for me to finish my lunch in anticipation of the ride on the back they were all waiting for. It was a real pleasure to be able to bring happiness to those children even if just for one afternoon.

On the third and final day I found myself ultimate relaxation with a fellow first-class BM of all things. We went to a golf course called The Summit. We started off the beautiful morning with breakfast at the clubhouse followed by a half hour at the driving range to shake off some of the rust from not playing for a year and a half. All I have to say, is I do not think I hit the rust off. Both of us having not played in some time suffered the same fate. We found ourselves chasing balls and coming nowhere near either of our handicaps. Nevertheless, there was sunburn involved on my account. The pool followed on the seventh floor of the Veneto hotel and mixed in with the relatively cloudy day and nice party music in the background was the perfect ending to a relaxing port call.

Now in closing I want to mention a couple of items that you can take for what they are worth but I think I have learned valuable lessons from.

Number One: If you are not really capable of growing a mustache you probably should not try to compete with the guys that are capable of growing them. I myself have not partaken in this underway tradition, but I have seen many good men suffer because the attempt was made. I also am starting to think if you want to command a cutter in the Coast Guard, the ability to grow a moustache is a must. This of course is just an observation.

Number Two: Never think as a TAD guy onboard a vessel that you are going to take out the CO and BMC when it comes to P.O.D Trivia time. I was approached at a time that I will not say and was told that I could not be allowed to be in first place. My response time to trivia has never been the same.

Well I think this should do it for a little while. I wish everyone ashore the best, especially my family and everyone's family onboard SHERMAN.

23 October 2009

2009-10-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

Since SHERMAN left her homeport on the 22^nd of September, she has been plying the waters of the Eastern Pacific, enforcing maritime law and ensuring safety of life at sea. Her crew is salty. Their skins are tanned an equatorial shade of brown and mustaches grown jungle thick. Under the command of new CO, CAPT Haycock, SHERMAN has found success in the first month of the patrol.

Just after departing San Diego, SHERMAN steamed south to intercept a suspect vessel. Though it did not have contraband on board, the intelligence gained from the boarding resulted in other busts in the Eastern Pacific. After skipping the first port call due to operational needs, the crew was rewarded with a stop in a spring break hotspot Acapulco, Mexico. Even though it was not Spring Break, SHERMAN’s crew had a relaxing time, embarked a few crew members, and geared up for the next stint at sea. The next day SHERMAN took on a group of detainees, seized cocaine, and took a small boat in tow from the U.S. Navy. Less than a week later they were transferred to another ship and SHERMAN returned to normal operations. The crew has been enjoying “steel beach” on Sundays, workouts on the flight deck at sunset, and watching marine life. Whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sting rays, and sportfish provide daily entertainment. An extended family of swallows has even taken roost on the bridge wing.

As the 720 chases an endless summer between the hemispheres, we would like to extend our congratulations to the newborn members of the SHERMAN family as well as the newlyweds. All our best to our families at home, our heads and hearts remain with you always. Please check back soon for another update on the whereabouts and activities of cutter SHERMAN.